There are times when pain in the shoulder may not be due to a local problem in the shoulder, but may be originating somewhere else. To ease the pain, its specific origin must be determined.
Often a patient presents with an unimpeded range of motion, no soreness or tenderness to palpation of the shoulder, and no history of injury or stress to the involved shoulder. Yet the pain is unrelenting; the patient is unable to get relief by changing position or posture.
With this scenario---no signs of local trouble in the shoulder---my attention goes to the neck, where impingement of the nerves going into the shoulder region can cause “referred” pain. Referred pain shows up in one place, but its actual cause is somewhere else.
My treatment for this kind of shoulder pain includes precisely clearing misalignments in the cervical vertebrae, appropriate neck stretches, and postural counseling.
Often a better cervical pillow is also key to lasting relief.
