Common causes of neck and shoulder pain radiating to the arm (2023)

Your neck includes bones, discs, joints, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and ligaments, all of which can be a source of pain. If nerves are affected, you may also experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hands and even your legs. Pain can also occur as a result of nearby parts like the jaw, head, and shoulders. Pain that starts in the neck and descends from the hand to the fingers can range from irritating to debilitating.

Some people may experience weakness of the arm, arm, or shoulder. Some may experience numbness and tingling or loss of feeling. Pain in the shoulder blade can be aggravated by neck movements. If the pain doesn't go away on its own after a few weeks of rest and over-the-counter medication, it may be time to see a doctor.

The neck and shoulder are so closely related that almost any cause of pain in one area can cause pain in another area. If your neck or shoulder pain is accompanied by bothersome symptoms like chest pain, difficulty breathing, or joint weakness, be sure to seek treatment right away.

What to do with pain

If your pain persists, gets worse, or interferes with sleep or daily activities, talk to your doctor about it. They can help you identify the cause of your pain and find the right treatment for it so you can maintain or restore function and quality of life. Most of the nerves that run into your shoulder and under your arm start at the neck. Irritation or compression of one of these arteries can cause pain to radiate down your neck, shoulder, and arm.

Research on cervical radiculopathy reports that more than 6% of people will develop this condition during their lifetime. A physical therapist can help you figure out how the pain in your neck and shoulder, which goes under your arm, started. In addition, they can offer treatment options to relieve your pain. The condition may have been caused by a sudden injury to the neck that resulted in a reduction in the cervical disk.

Who is at risk of getting pain?

In older patients, arthritis or herniated discs can cause complications. With age, intervertebral discs dry out and become hard. They do not act as shock absorbers between the spinal cord. Discs can lose height and fall, or they can begin to grow. This pulls the spinal cord closer together as the discs shrink.

As a result of these changes, bone spurs can develop, causing pain and nerve compression by narrowing small openings on each side of the spine called neuroforamen, or just foramen. Thin foramen narrow nerve roots when they protrude from the spine. Many of these changes are normal with age, but can cause symptoms if they become severe enough.

Your neck carries the weight of the world. Not true, but it supports the weight of a bowling ball. If you shrug your shoulders or slump at your desk, his job becomes more difficult. If someone told you to stand up or sit up straight, he/she was right. Good posture can make a world of difference over the years and reduce stress on your neck.

Symptoms of neck and shoulder pain radiating to the arm

Neck, shoulder, and arm pain is often caused by an injury to the rotator cuff, a group of tendons and muscles that strengthen the joint. The rotator cuff continues to wear and age and is easily injured. When this happens, we compensate by using different muscles to pick up or reach objects. You may have a neck problem if you are in pain;

1. Mild or painful discomfort that you feel in isolation in the area between the neck and shoulder or spread to a large area on the shoulder or across the neck
2. Severe or shocking pain that may come and go, possibly radiating under the shoulder and/or down the arm or arm
3. Difficulty and reduced mobility in the neck and shoulders, which may affect the ability to turn your head or raise your arm
4. Tenderness in the neck or shoulders that hurt when pressed.

Other symptoms include;

• It develops in the shoulder itself or outside of your upper arm.
• It occurs when you reach the top or back of your spine or when you lift.
• Irradiation on the upper arm, but not past the elbow.
• It goes on at night.
• It improves if you rest your hand.
• Radiation on your shoulder blade or near or on the side of your neck.
• Electric, stinging, burning or tingling.
• Radiation under your elbow or even in your hand.
• Radiation under your arm when you stretch or twist your neck.

Causes of neck and shoulder pain radiating to the arm

Identifying what is causing the pain in your neck and shoulder that is radiating up your arm can help make your treatment more effective. This is why physical therapists often do this when you first see them. A number of problems that experts often find to cause sprained jugular veins are:

Bad attitude; Not staying upright, especially if you sit at a desk all day, can impact the health of your neck and shoulders. People who sit at a desk all day can suffer from back rotation and hunched shoulders. This, in turn, can lead to a condition known as frontal posture.

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome; In relation to rotator cuff injuries, the symptom of shoulder interference refers to the compression of the shoulder tendons against the acromion of the shoulder bone. The muscles and tendons of the rotator cuff are also located in this area.

Shoulder bursitis; A bursa is a small sac of fluid on your joints that acts as a cushion and prevents excessive friction between the bones and soft tissues. Bursitis is inflammation of the bursa that can occur as a result of injury, infection, or disease.

soft tissue damage; Soft tissue includes muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia. These commonly cooked ingredients can be involved in bone and joint pain or a major cause of pain. If you have neck pain, you may find that the muscles in your shoulders lose strength.

Rotator cuff injury; When these muscles and tendons are torn, it's called a rotator cuff injury. It can be caused by a sports injury or over time from repeated wear. You will likely feel pain in your shoulder and maybe your neck when you try to move.

Broken collarbone; Also called a collarbone tear, this is the remnant of bone that extends from the top of the breastbone to the outer tip of the shoulder blade. Most collarbone fractures are the result of falling onto the shoulder itself or landing with your arm outstretched.

Cervical radiculopathy; One of the most common types of neck and shoulder pain is cervical radiculopathy, which is pain caused by compression or irritation of the spinal nerve roots. These nerves run between the spinal cord, through the shoulder, and under the arm.

Diagnosis of neck and shoulder pain radiating to the arm

If you go to a healthcare provider to complain about neck and shoulder pain, expect a physical exam that includes neck and shoulder movements so your healthcare provider can see what's causing your pain and measure your movements. Next, you may be sent to photography courses, which may include:

• Select a nerve root: To try to pinpoint the source of neurological problems
• Myelogram: Seeing the spinal canal and nerve roots.
• Dye-injected arthrogram: Examination of the shoulder joint
• Arthroscopy: assessment of soft tissue damage.
• X-ray: Look at bones and joints
• Computed Tomography (CT): Examination of the bones and spinal canal
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): To identify herniated discs or hidden nerves.
• Electromyography (EMG) and neuropsychological examinations: Evidence of neurological disorders.

Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. Once the correct diagnosis is made for the specific cause of neck and shoulder pain, a good treatment plan can begin.

Treatment of neck and shoulder pain radiating to the arm

Even when this happens, they usually get better without special treatment. Most neck and shoulder injuries are treated conservatively, at least initially. Common treatments include;

1. Surgery

The surgical procedure depends on many factors, including the type and severity of the symptoms and the location of the affected nerve root. Compression of the spinal cord may also require surgery, sometimes much sooner than when only one nerve root is affected. Surgery may need to be considered if there is a movement disorder, weakness, or debilitating pain that has not responded well to nonsurgical treatment. Surgery may also be recommended if the neck is structurally stable.

2. Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is an option. These can be exercises that strengthen the neck muscles and can improve range of motion. Pulling on the neck can help relieve symptoms by stretching muscles and relieving pressure on the spinal cord. After completing formal physical therapy, the patient is instructed to continue this exercise and treatment at home.

The soft neck collar can be worn for a short time to allow the neck to relax and reduce swelling, but prolonged use of these collars can weaken the neck muscles and cause other problems. Anti-inflammatory drugs can cause pain. Corticosteroids can help reduce inflammation. Narcotic pain relief can be ordered in no time.

3. Medication

In some cases, medication can help improve your symptoms. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. NSAIDs, as well as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, can provide relief if your pain is caused by irritation or inflammation. Oral corticosteroids, a short course of oral corticosteroids, can help relieve pain by reducing swelling and inflammation around the nerve.

4. Pain Relief

Now that you know more about the different types of neck problems, don't let (neck pain) overwhelm you. There are many treatment options for pain relief, many of which do not involve surgery. If surgery is required, at Sonoran Spinal Center we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific condition to speed recovery and get you back to enjoying life.

5. Nerve stimulation or neuromodulation techniques

Advanced pain relief strategies may include spinal stimulation for severe neck pain. Other types of spinal stimulation include high frequency stimulation, tonic stimulation, multi-wave stimulation, burst DR stimulation, and even DRG stimulation.