The shoulder and the neck are not just in close proximity with each other but are also related in anatomical and functional terms. There are a number of structures that cross from the neck to the shoulders. These include muscles, ligaments, blood vessels and ligaments. This is the reason why pain originating from the shoulders may also be experienced from the cervical region and vice versa. There are a number of things relating to neck and shoulder pain Edmonton patients need to know.
Pain is described as being acute or chronic. In the acute type, the symptoms have lasted for less than two weeks. The most common causes in this case include trauma and infections. The pain will be termed as being chronic if it has existed for more than two weeks. Causes of the chronic type include persistent infections (such as osteomyelitis and tuberculosis), trauma, degenerative conditions and fibromyalgia among others.
A majority of the cases that are seen in hospital are those that affect the soft tissues in the neck, the shoulder or both. Whiplash injury, which may be seen following motor vehicle accidents, affects both the neck and the regions. Most of the other cases are mainly due to muscle and ligament strains. Home remedies are usually sufficient to relive the symptoms in 24 to 48 hours.
The immediate management should include resting the injured area to avoid aggravating the symptoms and to allow for healing to start taking place. Home remedies that can be used include cold packs, warm compressions, analgesics and massage therapy. The warm compressions work by improving blood flow to the injured area which expedites the healing process. The cold compressions, on the other hand, reduce the inflammation and numb the discomfort.
If symptoms do not respond to over the counter analgesic agents and other home remedies, you need to consider making a visit to the hospital so that the exact cause can be identified. The doctor will usually take a clinical history of your problem and examine the affected area so as to determine the character of the pain and whether or not other parts of the body are affected. Investigations such as the MRI and CT scan will most likely be needed.
Imaging studies can pick a wide range of conditions. Degenerative changes present in the cervical vertebra (which often lead to arthritis) are one of the conditions that are frequently seen. In this condition, intervertebral spaces are narrowed progressively and osteophytes (bone spikes) make the problem worse. The consequence of this is that nerves that exit the spine through these spaces are pinched and this usually causes pain in the shoulders and the neck.
Other conditions which may be diagnosed include dislocated joints, tumors, fractures, bursitis and so on. The definitive management will depend on the findings after you have been evaluated. Most of the conditions will be treated medically with just a few requiring surgical intervention. For persons that are at an increased risk of suffering from these types of injuries (such as athletes), regular stretching exercises will help reduce the incidence.
The nerve supply of the shoulder is the same as that of some abdominal structures. Whenever these structures are irritated or injured, symptoms are referred to the shoulders. This is frequently seen in cases of gall bladder disease. However, these cases are rather rare and establishing such a cause usually takes quite long.
Pain is described as being acute or chronic. In the acute type, the symptoms have lasted for less than two weeks. The most common causes in this case include trauma and infections. The pain will be termed as being chronic if it has existed for more than two weeks. Causes of the chronic type include persistent infections (such as osteomyelitis and tuberculosis), trauma, degenerative conditions and fibromyalgia among others.
A majority of the cases that are seen in hospital are those that affect the soft tissues in the neck, the shoulder or both. Whiplash injury, which may be seen following motor vehicle accidents, affects both the neck and the regions. Most of the other cases are mainly due to muscle and ligament strains. Home remedies are usually sufficient to relive the symptoms in 24 to 48 hours.
The immediate management should include resting the injured area to avoid aggravating the symptoms and to allow for healing to start taking place. Home remedies that can be used include cold packs, warm compressions, analgesics and massage therapy. The warm compressions work by improving blood flow to the injured area which expedites the healing process. The cold compressions, on the other hand, reduce the inflammation and numb the discomfort.
If symptoms do not respond to over the counter analgesic agents and other home remedies, you need to consider making a visit to the hospital so that the exact cause can be identified. The doctor will usually take a clinical history of your problem and examine the affected area so as to determine the character of the pain and whether or not other parts of the body are affected. Investigations such as the MRI and CT scan will most likely be needed.
Imaging studies can pick a wide range of conditions. Degenerative changes present in the cervical vertebra (which often lead to arthritis) are one of the conditions that are frequently seen. In this condition, intervertebral spaces are narrowed progressively and osteophytes (bone spikes) make the problem worse. The consequence of this is that nerves that exit the spine through these spaces are pinched and this usually causes pain in the shoulders and the neck.
Other conditions which may be diagnosed include dislocated joints, tumors, fractures, bursitis and so on. The definitive management will depend on the findings after you have been evaluated. Most of the conditions will be treated medically with just a few requiring surgical intervention. For persons that are at an increased risk of suffering from these types of injuries (such as athletes), regular stretching exercises will help reduce the incidence.
The nerve supply of the shoulder is the same as that of some abdominal structures. Whenever these structures are irritated or injured, symptoms are referred to the shoulders. This is frequently seen in cases of gall bladder disease. However, these cases are rather rare and establishing such a cause usually takes quite long.
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