COULD MY SHOULDER PAIN BE CAUSED BY SOMETHING ELSE? Yes! Our clinic sees tons of patients who arrive at their initial consultation thinking that if their shoulder is bothering them, the source of their pain also lies within their shoulder. All too often, we see that the true problem lies in their neck, and can be the result of a pinched nerve in the upper spine. This condition is referred to as “cervical radiculopathy,” and its symptoms can be similar to those experienced by someone with a torn shoulder/ rotator cuff injury. Symptoms also include pain, weakness, and the feeling of “pins and needles” (numbness) in the neck and down the arms. IS IT A TORN SHOULDER, OR A PINCHED NERVE? Although the symptoms of these conditions are similar to each other, there are ways to differentiate between them. Typically, a pinched nerve will cause pain in just one shoulder, not both. Sharp pain is also more common versus feeling a dull ache as a result of muscle overuse. Turning your head can cause the pain to be more intense as well. Tension headaches in the back of your head and severe neck pain are also signs that the cause of your shoulder pain is a pinched nerve instead of a torn rotator cuff. With cervical radiculopathy, you may find that your shoulder joint feels extremely weak and useless as you attempt to lift something. In some cases, these symptoms extend from your shoulder down through your arm and hand, so it might even be difficult for you to grasp items as you normally would. Understanding ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES
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