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Is it your neck or shoulder? How to differentiate.

Pain limits your ability to complete normal daily tasks and neck and shoulder pain are prevalent in the population. In many cases, its difficult to figure out whether your pain is coming from the neck or the shoulder.

Neck and shoulder pain often overlap as they are connected by multiple nerve pathways. The brain can’t always tell the difference when injury occurs, unable to trace back the pain to its source, also known as referred pain. Patients do not always present with the classic signs of neck or shoulder pain and it may very well be that neck pain is being referred to the shoulder and vice versa. Chronic neck pain that is referred to the upper scapular region could be a manifestation of shoulder impingement syndrome. Similarly, shoulder pain in the upper trapezius region has been found to originate from the neck.

When it could be the shoulder

In the shoulder, an injury to a group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint, the rotator cuff, is the most common cause of pain. This group also develops wear and tear with age causing the muscles or tendons to be damaged as you grow older. This causes the shoulder to compensate with other muscle groups to lift, pull and push resulting in further strain to the region.

 

Some of the signs of shoulder injury are with pain that:

  • is in the shoulder or upper arm area
  • is more persistent at night
  • does not develop past the elbow
  • occurs with raising the arm or reaching behind

When it could be the neck

The cervical spine consists of 7 cervical vertebrae, each with a pair of nerves controlling various motor functions. If these nerves are irritated, the pain can

  • radiate into your shoulders or arms.
  • cause electric-like, stabbing, or burning in the arms.
  • radiate down past your elbow.
  • persist at rest.
  • be relieved with support to your neck.

Some ways to relieve shoulder and neck pain

  • Resting from activities that aggravate pain
  • Ice/heat
  • Anti-inflammatories

Whether its chronic pain or an acute injury, the first step in treating shoulder or neck pain is a proper diagnosis. Leaving pain untreated can lead to worsening or permanent nerve damage. At Vida Injury and Wellness, we provide integrative medical care in a professional, compassionate, and understanding environment. If you are suffering from injuries or chronic pain, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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