What causes dreaded shoulder pain? Neurosurgeon Byung Woo Kim

The back of the neck, wings, and shoulders are often accompanied by pain. If your shoulder hurts along with the back of your neck, or if your shoulder hurts with your wings hurt, or if your shoulder hurts with the back of your neck.

There are three main causes of pain in this area: (1) sprains and strains, (2) cervical spine disorders such as herniated discs in the neck, and (3) shoulder joint diseases related to the shoulder joint and wing bones.

The first, sprains and strains

Sprains and strains are the most common cause of pain from the back of the neck to the shoulder, and are caused by muscle and ligament damage caused by sprains or stress. It is often caused by trauma or repetitive movements, or it can be caused by poor posture.

Pain caused by sprains and strains can be resolved with medication or physical therapy, including shock wave therapy, and the emphasis is on correcting the correct exercise posture and lifestyle habits. However, it is important to note that these sprains are not just muscle and ligament damage, but may be an early symptom of a herniated disc in the neck or a potential symptom of a shoulder rotator cuff problem.

Second, cervical spine disease

Cervical spine diseases that cause pain from the back of the neck to the shoulders range from the commonly known tortoise neck and straight neck, to cervical discs, cervical spinal stenosis, and posterior longitudinal ligament ossification with myelopathy. These disorders are most routinely examined by MRI.

Third, shoulder joint disease

Shoulder conditions that cause pain include adhesive capsulitis, commonly called frozen shoulder, rotator cuff syndrome, calcified tendonitis, and biceps tendinitis of the brachial biceps. Since most of the tendons that move the arm are connected to the shoulder joint, tendonitis often occurs, and when this disease becomes severe, it can lead to arthritis in the shoulder.

Neck disc pain is often confused with shoulder joint pain. Both diseases can be differentiated primarily by the movement of the arm. If you experience shoulder pain when you extend your arms in front of you and lift your thumb as if you were flipping it, it is often a sign that there is a problem with the rotator cuff and the shoulder joint itself. On the other hand, if you experience pain when you lower your arm, or if the radiating pain in your arm radiates past your elbow and down to your fingers, you may have a herniated disc in your neck. If you have any of the descriptions above, we recommend that you visit the hospital as soon as possible.