Pain in one area of your body is uncomfortable enough, but if this pain starts moving or radiating to other areas, it can be downright debilitating. This is an unfortunate reality for many people dealing with shoulder pain. Discomfort may begin as a dull ache in the shoulder area, but absent targeted treatment, pain may soon radiate to their arms and hands when performing certain movements and actions. But what could be causing this radiating discomfort, and more importantly, how can it be treated? We take a closer look at causes and treatment options for shoulder pain that radiates down your arms in today’s blog.
Conditions Causing Radiating Shoulder Pain
In many cases, radiating discomfort in the upper extremities is caused by a nerve issue somewhere in the body. Let’s take a closer look at some of the conditions that can cause this radiating pain.
- Brachial Plexus Compression – Your brachial plexus is a network of nerves that connects your spinal cord to the arm, shoulder and hand. If this nerve network is damaged as a result of acute injury or becomes compressed, pain and other symptoms like numbness or muscle weakness can traverse from the shoulder down the arm and hand.
- Cervical Plexus Compression – The cervical plexus forms the lower trunk of the brachial plexus, and it too can be damaged or compressed due to injury. Compression of this nerve area tends to lead to symptoms in the neck and shoulder, but it’s not uncommon for symptoms to also progress down the arm.
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – The nerves of the brachial plexus move through a narrow space in your shoulder area called the thoracic outlet. If this space shrinks as a result of injury or natural degeneration, the nerves can become compressed as they pass through the area, leading to localized and radiating symptoms.
- Brachial Neuritis – Brachial neuritis is a condition categorized by inflammation of the brachial plexus. Although it is rarer than other conditions on this list, brachial nerve inflammation can lead to pain, weakness or numbness anywhere along the brachial plexus pathway.
Treating Radiating Shoulder Pain
If you’re dealing with shoulder pain that radiates down your arm, it’s imperative that you connect with a shoulder specialist to get a better understanding of what’s causing your discomfort. While the issue is likely tied to a nerve issue in the shoulder region, really understanding which nerves are impacted and where the compression exists is imperative to effective treatment.
Your doctor will begin with a physical exam to see how shoulder function is impacted by your condition. They’ll also talk with you about your symptoms and which actions make the condition worse or better. From there, they may order an imaging exam like an X-ray, MRI or ultrasound to get an inside look at the structures in the shoulder region.
Once they’ve pinpointed the precise problem, your doctor will walk you through their initial treatment plan. In most instances, they’ll press forward with a conservative care plan that involves a combination of treatments like:
- Rest
- Activity modification
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Hot/Cold therapy
- Controlled exercise
- Physical therapy
Most patients will find that symptoms improve or completely resolve after a couple of weeks of non-operative techniques, and more invasive treatment is not required. However, if patients are not responding well to treatment or symptoms get worse, a minimally invasive procedure may be recommended. The specifics of your procedure will be dependent on your unique needs, but in many cases a minimally invasive decompression procedure can free the entrapped nerve and greatly improve symptoms. Recovery will also involve many of the previously listed conservative care techniques, as physical therapy and stretching exercises to strengthen the area and restore normal function will be essential.
For assistance managing your radiating shoulder pain, or for help overcoming a different shoulder issue, connect with Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
