My neck pain which occurred 11years ago seems similar to yours. My neck X-ray report said I had mild arthritis and yet the pain was severe. After trying many treatments and pain meds including opioids with no relief of pain, I paid for an MRI. I live in Canada so the wait to see a neuro orthopedic surgeon was 8 months and one year for surgery. As I was desperate, I had a double neck fusion at a clinic in Kirkland, Wa. The surgeon told me I had severe osteoarthritis. The surgery relieved most of the pain but two years later, My pain got worse from the area above the surgery -C1-3. He could not operate on this area as it was fused from arthritis. I have been going to a pain clinic for ablation and cortisone injections with good results. I hope this helps as severe pain is unbearable.