How to Tell When Shoulder Problems Masquerade As Cervical Spine Problem

Patients referred for neck disc surgery may easily be incorrectly diagnosed when the shoulder is the real culprit.

With sophisticated MRI scans for neck pain – How can this happen so often?

Simple. MRI scans are generally non-specific in findings. It’s a little known fact that MRI results do NOT show the cause of pain radiating down from the neck to the forearm.

Recent reports highlight the problem of shoulder arthritis and rotator cuff problems that look like a herniated disc in the cervical spine. If you get to the wrong doctor (one with “nothing scheduled on Tuesday”) you just might end up with an unnecessary neck fusion surgery.

How to Tell the Difference Between Neck and Shoulder Pain

Shoulder problems will typically limit the motion of the shoulder in flexion and abduction – moving your arm up overhead in front of your body and lifting it out to the side. Especially if you feel any painful popping inside your shoulder or can’t sleep on that side – think shoulder-sourced pain from rotator cuff problems. A feeling of weakness in the arm when lifting it is also common.

A simple injection and some therapy (for the shoulder, not the neck) may help a lot.

Also, arthritis in the little joint at the end of your collarbone (clavicle) can be very painful – all the way from the neck and down into the arm, too. In that case, reaching that arm across your body towards the other side will often provoke the AC joint arthritic pain. Sometimes all you need is a cortisone shot in that little joint to get good relief. But – If your doctor doesn’t think to check the shoulder – and if the MRI shows a bulging or herniated cervical disc – you may be headed for unnecessary neck surgery.

Action: ALWAYS get your shoulder checked out before you sign up for any neck surgery. The burning, aching neck and arm pain just might be from your shoulder. As non-specific as a neck MRI is at identifying the cause of neck pain, an MRI of the shoulder is very accurate at pinning down the cause of shoulder and arm pain.

Plus, chiropractic for neck pain when the shoulder is the real cause not only wastes time, but can delay healing and cost hundreds unless you can tell the difference.