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What Causes Nagging Pain Starting From Neck Radiating To Right Shoulder And Arm?
Question: For little close to 3.5 weeks or so I have a nagging pain from neck to shoulder joint with right arm. I never had any history of such pain. I went to a neurologist in Sakra (while fixing appointment someone suggested me to go to neurologist) on 9th March and he administered drugs to me for pain relief and muscle relaxant for 5 days and asked me to get MRI done if there is a persistence in the pain. The pain reduced but pain is there in the area of shoulder joint till 3-4 centimeters of arm. I generally dont sleep on the right arm side for the past some days. In the morning when i sit down to read on sofa rest my hands on the leg, there is a little discomfort and slight pain. Its bearable but not completely going off. I also apply Volini spray but it gives temporary relief only. It appears to be some muscle pain but not disappearing completely.
Brief Answer:
Physiotherapy with proper technique will improve the pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If you would have presented to me as an outpatient,with this medical history and at this point of temporal course, when about 4 weeks after the onset of pain,you had partial but significant relief,I would have suggested you to learn cervical spine exercises from an expert physiotherapist and do them regularly.It will surely improve the situation in another 3-4 weeks and will also ensure that you don't have frequent recurrences of such pain in future.
Pain starting from neck radiating to right shoulder and arm,definitely appears to be of cervical spine origin and getting a MRI cervical spine will exactly delineate the extent of pathology.However,with significant relief at present,I think MRI is possibly an over investigation.Cervical spine digital X-ray should however be done to see for cervical spondylosis.
Physiotherapy is to be learned from an expert physiotherapist.This is important because many of the patients don't respond to physiotherapy as they are not being told the correct exercises which should be done aiming a particular muscle group.So,a work done with wrong method don't get successful.Same thing applies here.
Regular pain killers are not needed in your case.You can take analgesics on sos basis,which means only if you have severe pain.However,it will add to the benefit if you start taking methylcobalamin 1500 mcg per day along with calcium and vitamin D.I must again stress here that Physiotherapy will cure the symptoms and medicines are only additional.They can't replace correct exercises.
Please follow-up with the response.Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow-up questions,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.Your rating will be of help to me.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Physiotherapy with proper technique will improve the pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If you would have presented to me as an outpatient,with this medical history and at this point of temporal course, when about 4 weeks after the onset of pain,you had partial but significant relief,I would have suggested you to learn cervical spine exercises from an expert physiotherapist and do them regularly.It will surely improve the situation in another 3-4 weeks and will also ensure that you don't have frequent recurrences of such pain in future.
Pain starting from neck radiating to right shoulder and arm,definitely appears to be of cervical spine origin and getting a MRI cervical spine will exactly delineate the extent of pathology.However,with significant relief at present,I think MRI is possibly an over investigation.Cervical spine digital X-ray should however be done to see for cervical spondylosis.
Physiotherapy is to be learned from an expert physiotherapist.This is important because many of the patients don't respond to physiotherapy as they are not being told the correct exercises which should be done aiming a particular muscle group.So,a work done with wrong method don't get successful.Same thing applies here.
Regular pain killers are not needed in your case.You can take analgesics on sos basis,which means only if you have severe pain.However,it will add to the benefit if you start taking methylcobalamin 1500 mcg per day along with calcium and vitamin D.I must again stress here that Physiotherapy will cure the symptoms and medicines are only additional.They can't replace correct exercises.
Please follow-up with the response.Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow-up questions,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.Your rating will be of help to me.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Dear Dr XXXXXXX
Thanks very much for your advise. I was wanting to write to you but I was out on a business visit hence couldn't respond. As you know the doctor whom I consulted asked me for MRI. Can I walk up to an X-Ray lab and ask them to do x-ray. If yes, could you let me know which correct area I should tell them for X-ray? I forgot to mention earlier that I was carrying bags on one side of shoulder for long. I commute in two buses and also used to walk for some meters with the bag. I have stopped doing it now because of this pain but wanted to know if this could be the reason why this pain could have arisen. The bag used to be little heavy and at times I used to stand and travel in the bus for long. The past two days we had some party where we danced a lot and in the morning today, there was little pain because of that. Now it has come down but discomfort and little pain stays.
Kindly advise on X-ray. Is it possible to attach the X-ray and send it to you?
Thanks very much for your advise. I was wanting to write to you but I was out on a business visit hence couldn't respond. As you know the doctor whom I consulted asked me for MRI. Can I walk up to an X-Ray lab and ask them to do x-ray. If yes, could you let me know which correct area I should tell them for X-ray? I forgot to mention earlier that I was carrying bags on one side of shoulder for long. I commute in two buses and also used to walk for some meters with the bag. I have stopped doing it now because of this pain but wanted to know if this could be the reason why this pain could have arisen. The bag used to be little heavy and at times I used to stand and travel in the bus for long. The past two days we had some party where we danced a lot and in the morning today, there was little pain because of that. Now it has come down but discomfort and little pain stays.
Kindly advise on X-ray. Is it possible to attach the X-ray and send it to you?
Brief Answer:
Yes. You can upload the X-Ray here itself as an image.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being in follow-up.
I already said that as the symptoms have significantly improved,MRI is possibly an over investigation here. You can get X-Ray cervical spine(digital) done and upload it here as an image for review.
Of course, that extra load on your shoulder could have caused your problems. It can be due to improper equilibrium of stress on the cervical and paraspinal muscle groups.
However, you should get a X-Ray done.
For now, if you have no follow-up questions.Please close the thread,rate it and write a review. Please follow-up once you get a X-Ray done.
Continue exercises with proper technique.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Yes. You can upload the X-Ray here itself as an image.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being in follow-up.
I already said that as the symptoms have significantly improved,MRI is possibly an over investigation here. You can get X-Ray cervical spine(digital) done and upload it here as an image for review.
Of course, that extra load on your shoulder could have caused your problems. It can be due to improper equilibrium of stress on the cervical and paraspinal muscle groups.
However, you should get a X-Ray done.
For now, if you have no follow-up questions.Please close the thread,rate it and write a review. Please follow-up once you get a X-Ray done.
Continue exercises with proper technique.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Hi Doctor,
Please find the attached reports and suggest
Doctor I am XXXX with whom you had a discussion on the neck to shoulder pain. I closed the discussion yesterday and rated you. I have got the x-ray done (digital cervical spine) and attached it. Spoke to your customer care since I didn't know if you would be able to see. She has reopened it I guess. Kindly have a look and let me know.
Please find the attached reports and suggest
Doctor I am XXXX with whom you had a discussion on the neck to shoulder pain. I closed the discussion yesterday and rated you. I have got the x-ray done (digital cervical spine) and attached it. Spoke to your customer care since I didn't know if you would be able to see. She has reopened it I guess. Kindly have a look and let me know.
Brief Answer:
X-Ray is normal.Please continue exercises as advised.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being in follow-up.Here you are with me.
I have seen your X-Ray and it is practically normal.It has mild osteophytes which are absolutely not significant.No need to worry for them.
Please continue the physiotherapy.You will be fine soon.
Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow-up questions,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.Your rating will be of help to me.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
X-Ray is normal.Please continue exercises as advised.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being in follow-up.Here you are with me.
I have seen your X-Ray and it is practically normal.It has mild osteophytes which are absolutely not significant.No need to worry for them.
Please continue the physiotherapy.You will be fine soon.
Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow-up questions,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.Your rating will be of help to me.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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