Do you have neck and arm pain, especially in your left shoulder and neck?
Many women do, and it’s for several reasons.
Here we will cover the common causes, symptoms, and treatment options for women with pain in the left shoulder and neck. Knowing why you have this pain and how to fix it is key.
Key Takeaways
- Poor posture, cervical spondylosis, pinched nerves, and whiplash are common causes.
- Symptoms of cervical radiculopathy include radiating pain, tingling, muscle weakness, and pain worsened with specific neck movements.
- Treatment options range from non-surgical to surgical when conservative measures don’t work.
Common Causes of Left Shoulder and Neck Pain
Pain in the neck and shoulder is due to our daily habits. For example, hunching over a desk for hours or having poor posture can cause muscle strain.
Even sleeping on high pillows can make you feel stiff and sore in the morning.
Age-related changes like cervical spondylosis can also cause stiffness and discomfort in the neck.
This can cause nerve compression due to bone spurs and pain that radiates down the arm.
Here are the common causes of neck and shoulder pain in women:
- Poor posture during daily activities
- Sleeping in positions that strain the neck and shoulders
- Age-related changes like cervical spondylosis
- Development of bone spurs causing nerve compression
- Pinched nerves from herniated discs or bone spurs
- Whiplash from sudden movements like car accidents
- Narrowing of the spinal canal causing cervical stenosis
Other Reasons
Pinched nerves are one of the common causes of pain in the neck and arms. Conditions like herniated discs or those pesky bone spurs can put pressure on nerves and cause severe pain that travels from the neck to the shoulders and down to the arms.
Cervical radiculopathy is one such condition that results from nerve impingement and can cause sharp, burning sensations and sometimes muscle weakness.
A bulging or herniated disc can also cause nerve compression, which is why diagnostic imaging like MRI is important to pinpoint the underlying problem.
Sudden movements, especially during vehicle collisions, can cause chronic pain known as whiplash, which is characterized by persistent soreness and stiffness in the nape.
Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy can be identified by these symptoms. Pain that radiates from the neck to the shoulder is common, often sharp or burning.
For those with a pinched nerve, this pain can travel down the arm and worsen with specific neck movements.
Symptoms include:
- Sharp or burning pain from neck to shoulder
- Pain that radiates down the arm
- Numbness in the fingers
- Muscle weakness in the arm
- Loss of sensation in areas compressed by the nerve
These symptoms can limit daily activities. Pain from cervical radiculopathy worsens with movements like stretching or rotating the head.
Diagnosing Shoulder and Neck Pain
At first, it starts with a thorough history of your symptoms.
This initial step helps the healthcare professional understand the background and possible causes of your pain so they can focus better.
Next is the physical examination, checking for tenderness in the neck and assessing strength, sensation, and reflexes in both arms and hands.
Diagnostic tests may include imaging studies like X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. X-rays can show bone alignment issues or narrowing of nerve passageways. MRIs and CT scans can show soft tissue structures and can identify herniated discs or nerve compression.
These scans are also important to detect spinal cord problems like fractures or nerve compression at the points where nerves branch out from the spinal cord.
EMG tests how nerves interact with muscle fibers. It’s important to rule out other conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome that have similar symptoms that can confuse the diagnosis.
Treatment Options for Shoulder and Neck Pain
Treatment depends on the cause, so an accurate diagnosis is needed to create a tailored treatment plan, right?
Non-surgical treatments are often the first line of treatment: physical therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes to improve mobility and reduce pain.
But for those with chronic or severe pain, surgery may be an option, shouldn’t it?
Non-surgical treatments
Treatments are often the first line of treatment for cervical radiculopathy with a success rate of over 85% for those who get better without treatment.
Pain management is often achieved with medications like NSAIDs and narcotics for severe pain, which can be good for mild to moderate pain and inflammation and can give significant relief for neck and shoulder pain.
Among the non-surgical treatments, physical therapy is one of the most effective.
It uses specific techniques like traction and exercises to mobilize the neck actions that relieve pain, increase flexibility, and strengthen neck muscles.
This helps with short-term recovery and long-term prevention.
A soft cervical collar can be used during recovery periods of 1-2 weeks to prevent muscle weakness, can’t it?
Cervical epidural
Cervical epidural steroid injections are another nonoperative treatment. They can give partial pain relief for pain associated with cervical radiculopathy by reducing inflammation around the compromised spinal nerve roots.
These injections relieve pain caused by pressure but only give temporary relief and are best used in combination with other treatments rather than alone.
Making lifestyle changes is important to relieve current symptoms and prevent future episodes of nerve-related conditions caused by the spine and extending through the shoulders.
Read Now : Why Do My Shoulders Hurt When I Wake Up
Surgical Treatments
Surgical treatments may be an option if symptoms persist for more than 6-12 weeks despite conservative treatments.
Procedures like cervical discectomy, which involves removing the compromised disc to relieve nerve pressure, and artificial disc replacement, which replaces a damaged disc with a prosthetic disc, can help reduce acute neck pain and improve function.
Several surgical options are available to treat cervical radiculopathy if nonsurgical treatments are not effective.
The type of surgery depends on the location of nerve root compression and the patient’s overall health.
It’s best to consult with orthopedic surgeons to determine the best surgical option, as each patient’s health profile and diagnostic evaluation of the affected nerve roots will influence the decision.
Preventing Neck and Shoulder Pain from Coming Back
One of the best exercises for this is the chin tuck, which realigns your head by stretching tight neck muscles.
By doing chin tucks throughout the day, you will develop good postural habits and reduce muscle tension that causes discomfort.
Here are some exercises and techniques to prevent neck and shoulder pain:
- Chin Tucks: Realign your head and stretch tight neck muscles.
- Prone Cobra: Strengthen upper back and shoulder girdle muscles for endurance.
- Scapular Wall Slides: Strengthen your back and alleviate chest muscle stiffness for better posture.
The advanced strengthening exercise prone cobra targets both upper back areas and the shoulder girdle.
Doing this exercise while lying down will strengthen the muscles in these areas and correct neck positioning.
Scapular wall slides will strengthen the back and reduce chest muscle stiffness, both important for better posture and preventing future neck pain.
By doing these exercises daily, you will be able to prevent neck and shoulder distress.
When to See a Doctor
Neck and shoulder pain can be a sign of serious medical emergencies that need immediate attention.
Heart attacks or strokes can present as pain in the neck and shoulders. Be aware of these symptoms early.
If you experience other symptoms like fever, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs, you should be concerned about underlying serious health issues.
These conditions require quick medical attention to avoid further health risks that can come from delaying care for shoulder pain and neck discomfort.
Bottom Line
You need to differentiate between posture-related or physical overuse and more serious conditions like cervical radiculopathy. This article is a guide to addressing and preventing neck and shoulder discomfort.
Now go and get help and include prevention in your daily routine. You will feel better and have less pain in your neck and shoulders.
