How can a problem in the neck feel like shoulder pain?
Injury to the cervical spine or these nerves as they exit the spinal canal into the collection of nerves called the brachial plexus can cause significant pain that can appear to be coming from the shoulder itself. This is possible because the same nerves that bring pain signals to the brain when there is truly a problem with the shoulder are the nerves involved when the cervical spine is responsible for shoulder pain. Mechanism of injury to the cervical spine can vary from whiplash type injury or direct blows to the head or neck. In a whiplash type injury, the neck is placed through a sudden motion that can stretch or tear ligaments and muscles. The paravertebral muscles respond by going into spasm that can cause the vertebrae to alter their alignment. This altered alignment can cause pain in the cervical spine and because of irritation if the exiting nerves, can cause pain that appears to be from the shoulder as well. Sometimes even trivial injuries can cause significant irritation of
