Shoulder and Neck Pain

Pain in the neck and the shoulder area can be caused due to a variety of conditions, ranging from minor problems like muscle strains to extremely serious such as a tumor. It can be a sharp pain or it can be experienced as a dull, burning pain. Many a time, along with the pain, stiffness might develop in the affected area. Other symptoms which can accompany this are weakness and numbness, coolness and changes in skin color (if the veins and arteries are blocked or injured), swelling and deformity (if there is a fracture, dislocation or inflammation of the bursa). Below is some useful information on its causes as well as treatment.

Causes

• One of the main causes is a poor posture. If a person is working on a computer for a very long time with his back and neck bend or generally sits with a slouch, he can experience pain in both these body parts due to it.
• An injury to the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the neck and shoulder region can cause pain in and around these structures.
• Degenerative diseases such as arthritis of the spine can pinch the nerves in the area and lead to pain in the neck and the shoulder. Cervical spondylosis is another degenerative disease which can cause neck and shoulder pain.
• A rare cause of pain can be an underlying tumor or cancer in and around the neck and the shoulder. Gallbladder disease can sometimes cause referred shoulder pain as well as pain in the neck area.
• Any conditions that involve either of the lungs, heart and spinal cord can cause pain in both the neck and the shoulder. For example, a heart attack or heart disease can cause "referred" left shoulder and neck pain.
• Broken collarbone, rotator cuff injuries, bursitis, injury in the shoulder blade, tendonitis and whiplash injury i.e., injury to the muscles and ligaments of the shoulder can all cause pain in these areas.

Treatment

If the pain is caused due to some minor injury and if the symptoms of pain are mild, then certain home care methods are more than enough to treat it. The home care methods for pain management include - giving proper rest to the affected area by not using it for about two to three days and then undertaking certain exercises to hasten the healing process. Keeping the affected area at an elevation i.e. above the heart helps in minimizing the swelling and hence should be undertaken. The most effective of home care methods to treat the pain is applying ice packs to the affected area for ten-fifteen minutes, every one hour or so, as it helps in reducing the swelling as well as the pain.

Medical treatment includes painkillers such as acetaminophen, sometimes in combination with anti-inflammatory medicines like naproxen or ibuprofen. In some cases, the doctor may recommend a cast to be put in the affected region so that it can be rendered immobile and properly rested. If the injury is severe, then the patient might be referred to an orthopedist and may even have to stay admitted in the hospital for a few days.

Pain caused by minor problems such as bruises or strains, can be dealt with the above mentioned methods. However, if the symptoms of pain, numbness, weakness become severe, if there are visible deformities in the affected area or skin color changes, and if there is fever, chest pain, sweating and nausea, the patient should be rushed to the hospital emergency department for prompt treatment.