Suggest Treatments For Protruding Spinous Process At C7

My duaghter is 21 years old and has developed an unusually protruding spinous process at c7. Why would this happen and what should be done about it. For many years prior to this she has suffered occasional sharp stabbing pains during neck movement, and more chronic pain worsened by the motion of free-style swimming, both higher up the spine though. Could they be related?