Why your neck might be causing your shoulder pain

Shoulder pain can be a very frustrating and challenging thing to manage. It’s one of the most commonly reported pains among desk workers, computer users, and gamers. Moreover, it is one of the leading causes of job termination or early retirement in many professions due to its debilitating nature. Fortunately, shoulder pain is usually not something that you need to live with forever. In fact, both your lifestyle and habits have a big impact on whether or not you experience chronic shoulder pain from time to time. The good news is that there are plenty of measures you can take to prevent further damage and reduce your level of pain if you’ve already been diagnosed with it! The neck and shoulders area is home to quite a few nerves that feed into your arms. When any of these nerves become pinched or compressed for extended periods of time, it can cause a lot of problems in other areas like the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers. So today we will be talking about why your neck might be causing your shoulder pain!

How to recognise the signs of a pinched nerve

There are a couple of ways to tell if you have a pinched nerve, which are listed below. The first symptom that you might experience is numbness or tingling in one or more of your fingers. This could also occur in your thumb, pinky, or even your wrist. You might also feel a burning sensation in the same areas. You might also experience sharp pain in your shoulder or arm. This pain is usually very sudden in nature, and occurs when you are using these areas. When you have a pinched nerve in your neck, the pain can be more severe and feel like an electric shock. This is because the nerve endings in your neck are closer to the surface of your skin than in your arms.

Shoulder pain from sitting at your desk too long

Shoulder pain can also be caused by a build-up of pressure in your upper back and neck. If you’re working at a desk job, you may be slouching without even realizing it. When your back is cocked forward, this brings your shoulder blades together which puts pressure on your neck and upper back. As you sit in this position for hours, your muscles begin to spasm. This causes inflammation and pressure on your nerves. These symptoms can be reduced by using a lumbar support pillow in your chair. This has the added benefit of helping you sit up straight, which is better for your health in general.

You have an ergonomic problem in your office or gaming setup

If you’ve been diagnosed with shoulder pain and can’t trace it back to any of the above-mentioned causes, you may have an ergonomic problem in your office or gaming setup. You might be sitting at a desk that is not high enough for your particular body type. You might also be using a chair that doesn’t allow you to sit up straight and have good posture. This can put a lot of pressure on your neck and shoulders, leading to pain and discomfort. If your chair has adjustable armrests, make sure they are at a height that doesn’t put pressure on your neck. If you have a desk with adjustable height settings, try lowering it until you can rest your forearms comfortably on top of your desk while still having a fully extended arm.

You’re using the wrong keyboard and mouse

Another common cause of shoulder pain is using a keyboard and mouse that is not built for your body type. There are tons of ergonomic keyboards and mice out there that are designed to reduce strain on your hands and wrists. For example, if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, a keyboard with a wrist rest can reduce the strain on your hands, and help you prevent any further damage or pain. If you’ve been diagnosed with shoulder pain, try switching to an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. You may also want to try switching to a neck pillow to see if that helps ease the pain and pressure in your neck.

Conclusion

Shoulder pain is a common complaint among desk workers, computer users, and gamers due to the fact that so many of these activities require the arms to be in front and bent at an angle. This can cause a lot of pressure on the muscles and nerves, which can lead to a ton of pain and discomfort. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to prevent this from happening. From sitting up straight to using the right equipment, these steps can help keep your shoulders and neck healthy, and reduce your risk of pain. If you are experiencing any pain in your shoulders or arms, you need to take steps to find the source and prevent it from becoming a serious problem. Although most causes of shoulder pain are benign, you do not want to ignore the pain. Ignoring pain can lead to a more serious injury that may take longer to heal. Book with one of our osteopaths to find out more about the relationship between shoulder pain and neck problems.