Is neck instability causing your shoulder pain?

We will often get emails from people that tell us about their shoulder pain. Some go something like this:

I have very bad shoulder pain. My MRI is “pretty clean,” some osteoarthritis, some wear, and tear, no obvious tears that require surgery. My doctor does not know what is wrong with me. When I tell my doctor that I also have headaches and sometimes I have a little disorientation and dizziness, I get the feeling the doctor thinks that there is something wrong in my head and I need counseling.

-or-

My doctor says my shoulder pain and limited range of motion is being caused by shoulder impingement and I need decompression surgery, I have been going to doctors and specialists for many years. I have had cortisone, prescriptions for NSAIDs that do not help,  muscle relaxants, physical therapy, nothing has helped my shoulder pain. My MRI really does not show anything bad. I do not trust the surgery but my doctor will think that I do not want to get well if I decline it and I will need a “different kind of help.”

Is neck instability causing your shoulder pain?

For some people, the chase for alleviation of their shoulder pain centers on MRIs, conservative care, alternative treatments, and a lot of research on the internet. Especially on those days that their shoulder pain flares us.

In many people, there is a neck component to their shoulder pain that may not be so obvious.

In this image, we see the interplay between the shoulder and the cervical spine. Here we see that shoulder instability can cause neck pain and equally neck instability can cause shoulder pain. If the shoulder is stable but painful, an examination of the upper cervical spine may reveal the answer to shoulder pain that did not appear on a shoulder MRI.

That cervical neck instability can cause shoulder pain, is not a new concept, but it seemingly does not get the attention it deserves.

In our practice, we continue to see a large number of patients with a myriad of symptoms related to cervical neck instability including severe shoulder pain and loss of mobility and range of motion in that shoulder. These people are often confused because they are told that their shoulder pain does not exist on an MRI and that they may need to seek a different type of treatment to include counseling.

That cervical neck instability can cause shoulder pain, is not a new concept, but it seemingly does not get the attention it deserves.

In December 2016, doctors reported two case studies in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy (1), where cervical spine instability and neck problems were the cause of functional subacromial impingement.

Here is what was reported: 

“The signs of functional subacromial impingement often include weakness of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. The cause of the weakness in the two cases appeared to be the result of stresses associated with forward head posture contributing to a possible intermittent C5 nerve root compression. The findings in the two cases would suggest the cervical spine should be considered as a potential cause of rotator cuff weakness in individuals presenting with subacromial impingement.”

Overlapping and masquerading: Is neck instability mistaken for shoulder pain? Does the shoulder cause neck pain?

An April 2020 study in the Global Spine Journal (2), suggested that: “Shoulder and spine pathology commonly overlap. Knowledge of anatomy, pain referral patterns, shoulder kinematics, and examination techniques are invaluable to the clinician in making an appropriate diagnosis and guiding treatment.”

This is the challenge many providers see in trying to figure out why someone has such severe shoulder pain and nothing obvious shows up on an MRI.

Patients suffer because cervical ligament laxity is a mystery

Digital motion X-ray showing C1-C2

Caring Medical has published dozens of papers on Prolotherapy injections as a treatment in difficult to treat musculoskeletal disorders.

Prolotherapy is referred to as a regenerative injection technique (RIT) because it is based on the premise that the regenerative/reparative healing process can rebuild and repair damaged soft tissue structures. It is a simple injection treatment that addresses very complex issues.

This video jumps to 1:05 where the actual treatment begins.

This patient is having C1-C2 areas treated. Ross Hauser, MD, is giving the injections.

Treating cervical ligaments – published research from Caring Medical

In 2014, headed by Danielle R. Steilen-Matias, PA-C, our Caring Medical team published these findings in The Open Orthopaedics Journal. (3)

The capsular ligaments (the ligaments of the joint capsule) are the main stabilizing structures of the facet joints in the cervical spine and have been implicated as a major source of chronic neck pain.

When the capsular ligaments are injured, they become elongated and exhibit laxity, which causes excessive movement of the cervical vertebrae.

• In the upper cervical spine (C0-C2), this can cause symptoms such as nerve irritation and vertebrobasilar insufficiency with associated vertigo, tinnitus, dizziness, facial pain, SHOULDER, and ARM pain, and migraine headaches.

Questions? Get help and information from our Caring Medical Staff

References

1 Pheasant S. Cervical contribution to functional shoulder impingement: two case reports. International journal of sports physical therapy. 2016 Dec;11(6):980. [Google Scholar]
2 Katsuura Y, Bruce J, Taylor S, Gullota L, Kim HJ. Overlapping, Masquerading, and Causative Cervical Spine and Shoulder Pathology: A Systematic Review. Global Spine Journal. 2020 Apr;10(2):195-208. [Global Scholar]
3 Steilen D, Hauser R, Woldin B, Sawyer S. Chronic neck pain: making the connection between capsular ligament laxity and cervical instability. The open orthopaedics journal. 2014;8:326.  [Google Scholar]

• Surgery
• NSAIDs
• Cortisone Shots
• R.I.C.E.