Rugger,

Are you icing your neck? You should not wait for pain or stiffness as a prompt to ice your neck. You should be icing your neck frequently until is has been symptoms free for a few weeks. If the PT can get your neck back into shape, go home and start icing it to keep it that way. Inflammation is often a cause for a return of symptoms.

btw, With the decades of experience I have with PT's and such, I do not find the stretching worthwhile until the injury has healed. Stretching and range of motion exercises often work against recovery, especially with spinal issues. The ligaments need to strengthen and tighten before range of motion can be restored. PT's tend to focus on ROM because that is how they chart 'progress.' You want vertebral stability first. I do not try to move my neck to extremes. It is usually counterproductive.