What Causes Severe Pain In The Back And Neck?

hi am male, 32 yrs old, 5 9 and 200 lbs. and have been diagnosed with cervical ddd. hace been healthy till now. this morning had pain in my neck and back more so than usual. i discovered a red mark about 2 inches long on my upper spine, with red streaks about 6 inches below that. it feels like a bruise, but doesn t look like one. any ideas on what could cause this. i haven t hit my back, am very careful since i ve found out that i had ddd. what could be causing this and is it related to my ddd. many thanks