Neck and Shoulder Pain: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

There are so many nerves, veins, arteries, muscles ligaments and various other supporting structures that are present in and around the neck and shoulder area. Neck and shoulder pain can be caused due to several factors. Sometimes, neck and shoulder pain is acute, which means a severe pain that lasts for a few moments. In other cases, it is chronic in nature and continues for a prolonged period of time.

Causes

The neck region of our body is more prone to injury owing to its continuous mobility and strain that it has to undergo throughout the day. Unlike other parts of our body, this is one area that has little or no rest during the whole day. It has far less stability as compared to any other section of the body. It could be strained due to abnormalities in the bone or joints, poor posture, trauma and some degenerative diseases like arthritis, diabetes, tumor, etc. When the muscles of this area is strained for a prolonged period of time, the soft tissues give neck pain. The shoulder joint can be described as a ball and socket joint. It can get strained due to excessive use of this joint, dislocation of the collarbone, fracture of the bone in the upper arm or the collarbone, frozen shoulder or pinched nerves.

Symptoms

The pain can be of various types - it could be dull, it can give a burning sensation, cramp or stabbing. It is very important to identify the exact type of pain the patient is experiencing in order to administer proper treatment. A sense of numbness or loss of sensation can occur due to some injury in the nerves. Some sort of coolness in the arm can be felt which results from some wound or blockage in the blood vessels. Severe muscle pain for a long time can lead to weakness. This happens because sufficient amount of blood does not reach the arms. A blue or white mark on the skin near the arm or shoulder area indicates injury in veins or arteries. Swelling can be seen in the whole arm or certain isolated areas in the arms. Deformity may happen in case of fracture or dislocation.

Treatment

Treatment for neck and shoulder pain depends upon the symptoms of the patient. It starts only after thorough investigation of the medical history and the physical condition of the patient. Diagnosis of the exact type of pain is done by the means of X-rays, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT scanning. Pain reduction medicines are often prescribed to give relief to the patient. However, this kind of pain needs a lot of time to settle down. Another important form of treatment is to keep the painful area in an immobile state. This is done with help devices like a sling, cast or splint. All these treatments are needed only if the doctor finds the injury as a minor one. In case of a serious injury, the patient may need hospitalization and would be kept under the observation of an orthopedist.

Efforts should be made to prevent any sort of injury in and around the neck and shoulder. It is very essential to know our limitations. We should not make any attempt to indulge in any such activities for which we do not possess the required strength, skills or training. Safety devices should be used wherever necessary in order to reduce the chances of any kind of injuries.