October Condition of the month - Shoulder pain - Could it be coming from your neck?

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I sometimes joke with my patients that they are stiff necked, (it’s partial rigamortis), but it really is NO joke to suffer with neck or shoulder pain.  Not being able to turn your head while driving, or lift a bag of groceries, can make life miserable.  Symptoms of shoulder pain can include a tingling sensation, shooting pain, stiffness, numbness or spasms.   

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Sometimes a shoulder injury is caused by sprain or strain from sports or overexertion and other times incorrect posture or repetitive stress can be the culprit.  

 

Pinched nerves or a herniated disc in your neck can cause what we call “cervical radiculopathy.”  If you experience tingling or numbness in your fingers or hand or weakness in your arm or shoulder or hand, that is not normal and could be cervical radiculopathy. It should be checked out!

 

Sometimes our lifestyle can be the cause of neck and shoulder pain.  If you like to sleep with multiple pillows, or one that is too high, you will probably regret that at some point.  Most of us spend long hours on a computer or cell phone so start paying attention to how far forward your head and neck are. For every inch forward it is like having the weight of another head! That forward head posture is going to have a consequence over time. 

 

Some shoulder issues are caused by a rotator cuff tear.  The rotator cuff consists of four muscles and tendons that hold your upper arm into your shoulder blade.   A tear from an injury, such as a fall, will usually cause intense pain in your shoulder and immediate weakness in your upper arm. Tears from repeated stress usually result in pain and weakness that develops over time. Anyone that repeatedly moves their arm overhead, such as tennis players or swimmers are  at risk for repetitive stress injuries of the shoulder, as are carpenters and painters. 

Some people experience bone spurs at the joint which then damage the rotator cuff tendons, and sometimes those bone spurs can cause a pinched nerve in your neck. 

 

You may have heard the term frozen shoulder where it becomes increasingly difficult and painful to move the shoulder. Usually the pain is a dull ache, and is located over the outer shoulder and sometimes the upper arm.   No one is quite sure why,  but people between 40 and 60 years old and diabetics are considered higher risk.   

 

Tendinitis or bursitis is inflammation that causes pain and stiffness.  The shoulder tendons and bursa (fluid filled sacs at the joints) around the rotator cuff are especially prone to irritation and inflammation and can be very painful. 

 

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is caused by pressure on blood vessels or nerves in the area between the neck and shoulder, which results in shoulder and neck pain and sometimes numbness in the fingers. Thoracic outlet syndrome may be caused by trauma, such a car accident or repetitive injuries from a job or sport. 

Cervical Osteoarthritis is age related wear of the spinal discs in your neck.  The disc is made up of a soft material between each vertebra and as we age those discs dry out and become stiffer and lose their lubrication. The vertebrae then have less space between them which puts more pressure on the nerves. Sadly, 85% of people over 60 suffer from osteoarthritis.

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If you are suffering with any of these conditions there IS hope and healing.  Usually taking a break from activities that aggravate your shoulder is a good idea, and applying ice packs can help reduce the inflammation.  Sometimes the correct stretches can help too, but if you are not getting relief please know that there are very successful,  non-invasive treatments available in our office.  Call today to set up an appointment with the Doctor.