The neck and shoulders play an extremely important role in the human body. The neck keeps the head attached to the body while shoulders help you perform daily tasks and activities and help increase the overall body strength.

Causes of neck and shoulder pain

• Shoulder and neck sprains:

  A sprain happens when ligaments break. They act as thick rubber bands and connect bones in your neck or shoulders. Sprains are common and can happen to any ligament, in any body part. Shoulder or neck sprains occur whenever somebody performs intense sports that include sudden movements, falling, or lifting large and heavy things.

  Some symptoms of neck sprains include:

  • Pain in the back of the neck

  • Numbness of the arm

  • Fatigue

  • Neck stiffness and inability to move it

  Some symptoms of shoulder sprains include:

  • Swelling that expends quickly

  • Shoulder stiffness and decreased range of motion

  • Pain in the shoulder

  All sprains are usually treated the same way. Your shoulder sprain is most likely going to heal in a week or two. Neck sprains will however require longer recovery time (about 4 to 6 weeks) and you might need to wear a collar around your neck to help support the head.

• Rotator cuff tear:

  Rotator cuff tears happen when muscles are torn. When suffering from this injury, you will probably feel pain in your shoulder and neck. Stress, sports injuries or aging are the most common causes of rotator cuff tears.

  Some symptoms you might feel in your shoulder include:

  • Pain in the upper arm

  • Shoulder joint instability

  • Numbness in the arm

  • Discomfort when moving the arm

  Some symptoms you might feel in your neck include:

  • Headaches

  • Pain in the neck

  • Pain extending to the elbow

• Cervical spondylosis:

  Heavy lifting, smoking and other actions can develop cervical spondylosis.

  You might experience:

  • Neck pain

  • Shoulder or arm pain

  • Neck soreness

  • Dizziness

  • Decreased range of motion in the neck

  • Headaches

  Usually, resting, over-the-counter medication or visiting chiropractors should help you feel better. Cervical spondylosis is usually treated on the short term; however, it might be chronic and require surgery.

• Cervical radiculopathy:

  Too much pressure applied to a nerve in the neck leads to neck pain that radiates into the shoulder and arm. Also called pinched nerve, it’s commonly caused by disk degeneration, herniated disk, or acute injuries.

  When suffering pinched nerve, you might feel:

  • Tingling sensations in the shoulder or neck

  • Pain in the shoulder or neck

  • Numbness of the arm or shoulder

  • Weakness of the shoulder

  Cervical radiculopathy doesn’t require a specific treatment. Whenever patients feel too much pain, medication or physical therapy is recommended.

• Cervical herniated disc:

  The herniation of cervical discs occurs in the upper back and neck. It’s caused by stress or heavy lifting. When your herniated disk is in your neck, you will most likely feel neck pain that will radiate and cause shoulder, arm or hand pain.

  Common symptoms include:

  • Weakness of the shoulder and arms

  • Numbness of the shoulder

  • Tingling sensations

  Nonsurgical treatment of cervical herniated disc includes physical therapy or medications. In extreme cases, when the pain lasts longer than 10 weeks, surgery is required. The surgery has a low risk of failure and is not painful.

• Frozen shoulder blade:

  Frozen shoulder affects your shoulder joint. When you suffer from this disorder, simple daily activities such as taking a book off a shelf become impossible.

  Listed below are some of the symptoms:

  • Pain in the shoulder

  • Stiffness of the arm

  • Pain in the upper arm

  • Limited motion of the shoulder

  Frozen shoulders may also affect the neck. Stiffness in the neck area is a common symptom people experience. Neck strains also usually occur when suffering from a frozen shoulder.

  The treatment for frozen shoulders includes exercises as well as numbing medications to help ease the pain. Ice packs applied on your shoulder several times a day might reduce the pain.

  Rarely, you may need surgery to help the shoulder move better and more smoothly.

• Head and Neck Cancer:

  Neck cancer, although not very common in the United States, causes:

  Listed below are some of the symptoms:

  • Trouble speaking

  • Pain in the neck or throat

  • Sinuses

  • Paralysis in the neck or muscles of the face

  Radiation therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of treatments help treat head and neck cancers.

• Heart attack:

  During a heart attack, the blood flow is blocked and cannot reach the heart which often leads to cramping and pressure in your chest. That pain often radiates into the shoulder, arm and neck area. Whenever you feel pressure or abnormal pain in your chest as well as in your shoulder, arm or neck, immediately seek professional help.

Is it a shoulder or neck problem?

As Dr. Ricchetti explained, the body often interprets pain inaccurately (Cleveland Clinic, 2021). People may experience shoulder discomfort, when in reality they have neck issues and vice versa. Since they are connected by many nerves, the pain felt in a specific area often radiates to another.

Because they’re almost always linked and the pain is usually felt in both the neck and the shoulder, some doctors call it the “Shneck pain”, referring to shoulder and neck pain (Cleveland Clinic, 2021).

Physical examinations as well as X-rays and MRIs are the only way to locate the pain and know for sure from which source it’s emerging.

How is neck and shoulder pain diagnosed?

Physical examination help doctors know the seriousness of the injury of infection.

X-rays reveal diseases, tumors, discs and fractures.

MRIs or CT scans reveal problems in the nerves.

Electromyography is a procedure that shows different muscles and nerve cells’ health conditions.

When to see a doctor?

If you experience persistent neck pain and discomfort that interferes with your daily activities and is only getting worse, you should contact your doctor.

However, if you feel sudden and extreme pain, combined with a headache, nausea, or fever, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately! (Markowitz, 2020).

Which doctor to see?

An orthopedist is a specialist who deals with problems involving muscles, ligaments, bones, joints and tendons. He will know how to deal with your neck and shoulder pain if it’s a muscle problem.

A neurologist will help identify if the pain comes from nerve problems. If you feel fatigue, tingling sensations or numbness, visit a neurologist in order to get the right treatment.

In case you’re confused on which professional to go to, seek help from your usual and preferred doctor who will know how to guide you and redirect you to the right professional.

As Dr. Ricchetti states, you should consult a specialist to “evaluate your complaints” and help you figure out what the main problem is in order to “get you started on the correct treatment” (2020).

Ease your neck and shoulder pain at home

You can try to ease your neck discomfort at home if you’re feeling slight pain. Some methods to relieve the discomfort:

• Stretching

• Applying ice at first

• Applying hot compresses after a day or two of icing

• Limiting your time looking at your phone

• Avoiding any sports or activities that might irritate your neck

• Reducing stress

• Sitting and having a better posture

• Getting a neck massage by a professional

• Avoiding sitting still for too long

Some easy remedies to treat mild shoulder pain include:

• - Cold compresses

• - Wrapping the shoulder with a medical bandage

• - Stretching

• - Heat therapy

• - Getting a massage by a professional

• - Pain medication

• - Resting

Exercises to ease neck and shoulder tension

Reminder, the exercises below are only applicable after consulting your doctor and making sure your injury is mild.

• 10 back and forth tilts

  

  
  

• 10 side-to-side tilts

  

  
  

• 10 neck rotations

  

  
  

• 10-count press

  

  
  

• 10-count alternating side press

  

  
  

• 10-count alternating chin press

  

  
  

Yoga poses to ease neck and shoulder tension

Yoga has proven to be a great way to release pain and stress from the body. After consulting your doctor, you could try out some yoga poses to help ease your pain in the neck and shoulder:

Reminder, the yoga poses below are only applicable after consulting your doctor and making sure your injury is mild.

• Upper trap stretches

• Crossbody stretch

• Overhead stretch

• Shoulder pull

• Cat-cow stretch

• Side stretch

• Modified staff

• Ragdoll

• Hand clasp

• Cactus arms

• Threat the needle

• Puppy pose

How does neck and shoulder pain affect your sleep?

Sleeping might become a challenge for you when experiencing shoulder and neck pain.

Some tips to help you sleep better:

• Sleep on feather pillows. They adapt to the curve of the neck. They should however be replaced every year because they lose their shape easily

• Avoid sleeping on your stomach because your neck will be tilted to the side and your spine will be bent all night

• Avoid sleeping on a high or rigid pillow. They create tension and stiffness in the neck

• Place a pillow under your shoulder to help it stay in place all night

• Attempt sleeping on your back in order to keep a healthy and supported position

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If you or anyone you know is suffering from pain, call us today on (469) 562 4188 to book an appointment with our expert doctors.