'Days of Our Lives' Star: Chronic Pain in the Neck

"Days of Our Lives" actor Eric Winter is recovering in a hospital with debilitating and mysterious numbness.

Eric has been dogged by neck and back issues for years, and he's already gone under the knife twice, but without success.

The pain was too much and last Tuesday he went back in ... it was especially alarming because he experienced numbness running down his right arm.

Lucky for Eric ... doctors did not perform a third neck surgery. They tried a minor procedure they hope will do the trick.

It's been a rough couple of weeks for soap stars. A "General Hospital" actor was in a horrendous car accident but got off pretty easy.