How do I deal with pain during meditation?

I've just begun a meditation cl. I feel like it's going to be really amazing for me long-term. My concern is this: I have chronic neck and upper back pain. While I was meditating, I found that sitting still for so long caused my pain to skyrocket-- It was some serious, burning agony. How can I deal with this pain without disturbing others in the cl? I have narcotics I can take, but I really, really hate taking them.