Your neck and shoulders contain muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and veins, as well as many ligaments and other supporting structures. Many conditions can cause pain in the neck and shoulder area. Some are life-threatening (such as heart attack and major trauma), and others are not so dangerous (such as simple strains or contusions).
The most common cause of shoulder pain and neck pain is injury to the soft tissues including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments within these structures. Sometimes, however, neck pain can be a symptom of TMJ disorder. This can occur from whiplash or other injury to these areas. Degenerative arthritis of the spine in the neck (cervical spine) can pinch nerves that can cause both neck pain and shoulder pain. Degenerative disc disease in the neck (cervical spondylosis) can cause local neck pain. Abnormal conditions involving the spinal cord, heart, lungs, and some abdominal organs also can cause neck and shoulder pain. Here are some examples:
Broken collarbone: Falling on your outstretched arm can cause your collarbone to break. This is particularly common when cyclers fall off of their bicycles.
Bursitis: A bursa is a sac over the joints to provide a cushion to the joints and muscles. These bursae can become swollen and painful after injuries.
Heart attacks: Although the problem is the heart, heart attacks can cause shoulder or neck pain, known as “referred” pain.
Broken shoulder blade: An injury to the shoulder blade usually is associated with relatively forceful trauma.
Rotator cuff injuries: The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that support the shoulder. These tendons can be injured during lifting, when playing sports with a lot of throwing, or after repetitive use over a long time.
Shoulder or A-C separation: The collarbone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula) are connected by ligaments. With trauma to the shoulder, these ligaments can be stretched or torn.
Whiplash injury: Injury to the ligamentous and muscular structures of the neck and shoulder can be caused by sudden acceleration or deceleration, as in a car accident.
Tendonitis: The tendons connect the muscles to the bones. With strain, the tendons can become swollen and cause pain. This is also referred to as tendinitis.
Gallbladder disease: This can cause a pain referred to the right shoulder.
Any cause of inflammation under the diaphragm can also cause referred pain in the shoulder.
If you are experiencing neck and/or shoulder pain, call today for a complimentary consultation at 855.TMJ.DOCS and let the doctors at the Headache & TMJ Center of New Jersey help you get out of pain!
