Shoulder pain due to a pinched nerve is a discomforting sensation that may develop due to several orthopedic sources. Pinched nerve in shoulder is colloquial term, medically known as cervical radiculopathy. When a nerve gets compressed in the shoulder, an individual may observe numbness, pain and tingling.
There are a variety of causes like acute injuries, deformation in bone structures and abnormal tissue growth that lead to pinched nerves in the shoulder.Moreover, bone spurs around the spinal bone may compress the nerves radiating outward the spine. Pain care clinic Richardson can help relieve this pain.
Those individuals who play sports, perform physical exercises, or over perform shoulder exercises are at a greater risk to be affected by pinched nerves in the shoulder.
What Are Symptoms Of Pinched Nerves In The Shoulder?
Appropriated diagnosis is necessary to identify the underlying causes of pinched nerves. However, there are certain signs and symptoms around the neck and shoulder area that accompany pinched nerves, besides tingling, numbness and pain. They include following
- Muscle weakness in shoulder extending towards arms and hand
- Pain in the neck especially during certain movements like tilting.
- Changes in shoulder sensation
- Pins and needle sensation in shoulder besides tingling sensation
- Numbness in fingers and hands
The individuals who suffer from pinched nerves in shoulder also explain this feeling as a knot or kink sensation.
What Are The Possible Causes Of Pinched Nerves In The Shoulder?
The shoulders can be affected by mechanical compression as they are made of a complex combination of joints, ligaments and muscles. Nerve pain arises due to breakdown of brachial plexus, a network carrying signals from shoulder to arms. However, this pain may also develop from supraspinal nerve compression.
Other common causes of pinched nerve in shoulder are as follows:
Herniated Disc
Some triggering activities like bending, twisting and lifting may cause herniated discs to press the neighboring nerves
Disc Degeneration
As the time passes, the discs in the spinal area start degenerating. This degeneration leads to narrow spacing of discs. As a result friction is produced whenever the body moves or exerts pressure on the discs. They also create spurs that compress surrounding nerves leading to pinched nerves in shoulder.
Shoulder Injuries
Anatomical material present in shoulders may put pressure on the discs as a result of severe injuries like sports, road accidents, car accidents and others.
Poor Posture
Improper sitting or standing postures for a longer time may compress shoulder nerves leading to pain in shoulders.
Awkward Sleeping Movement
Side sleepers often experience nerve compression due to extra pressure on the shoulders while sleeping.
Diagnosis
Complete demonstration of all symptoms to a healthcare expert is essential to diagnose the actual ailment. Having said that, the healthcare expert will examine the shoulder and arm activity that help to identify the location of the real problem. The assessment of a pain medicine clinic doctor includes following steps
- Examining reflex strength and sensation
- Enquiring about your physical activity routine
- When the symptoms started to manifest
- What triggers the pain
- What actually subsides the pain
Moreover, there are a few imaging test that further facilitate the diagnostic process
- X-rays
- Computed Tomography Scan
- Magnetic resonance Imaging
- Electrodiagnostic studies
Treatment Option
Generally there are two treatment approaches ,conservative and surgical one. The healthcare experts prefer conservative treatments in the first attempt. However, if they fail surgical treatments are then performed. Conservative treatments to relieve pinched pain in shoulder include following:
Rest: Avoid heavy exercises that trigger pain
Icing/heating Therapy: Icing and heat therapy facilitates recovery and reduces swelling
Muscle Stretching: Muscle stretching also relieves the muscles and promotes healing.
Medication: The medications used to avoid or eliminate pain include non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs or corticosteroid injections.
Moreover surgical treatments are of two types
- Invasive surgical procedures
- Open surgery
The selection of treatment depends upon the choice and recommendation of healthcare experts.
Can You Prevent A Pinched Nerve In The Shoulder?
There are a few tips that help to prevent the pinched nerve conditions in shoulder
- Practice proper posture
- Avoid repetitive motions
- Sleep on your back
- Warm up before exercises
- Take regular breaks
When to Go for a Doctor
Most individuals get relief from the pinched nerve by applying simple home remedies. But if the pain is persistent and continues without any improvement, it is an alarming situation to ask for medical help. Experts at pain care clinic Fort Worth can be contacted for further assistance.
Conclusion
Pinched Nerve in shoulder is a painful event that may happen to anyone. Either you are a normal human being enjoying life or a professional athlete, the risk of getting caught by the situation is equal for all. However, professional help is necessary to diagnose the problem and then start a recovery journey through proper medication and follow up plans. Pain medicine clinic can provide the best services in order to eliminate the real medical condition.
