It can also stem from rarer but more serious concerns likeheart attackorlung cancer.
Several nerves and muscles travel between your body’s neck and shoulder regions.
So it’s not uncommon to experience left-sided pain in both of these areas at the same time.
Sergey Mironov / Getty Images
Treatment for left-sided neck and shoulder pain varies by cause.
Pain due to a muscle strain needs little more than rest, ice, and gentle stretching.
There are several muscles, includingthe uppertrapeziusand thesternocleidomastoid, that span between these two regions.
Pain from a muscle strain is usually worse with neck or shoulder movements and better with rest.
It may be accompanied by a headache, neck stiffness, or numbness and tingling in the arm.
The pain from abulged cervical discis typically shooting in nature.
Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the shoulder, arm, or hand may also be present.
In addition, pain in the shoulder blade region may also be present.
Stenosis may also cause numbness, tingling, or weakness in these areas.
While anyone can get this condition, it is more common in older individuals.
Color changes in the arm or hand may also be noticeable if the subclavian vein or artery is compressed.
Whiplash
Whiplash injuriesare often seen after a traumatic incident like a car accident or a sports-related collision.
This condition triggers when the neck moves in one direction and then the other in a rapid fashion.
Can Stress Cause Left Shoulder and Neck Pain?
Chronic stress can contribute to neck and shoulder pain on the left side.
Stress can also cause you to sleep in positions that strain your neck and shoulders.
One rare version, called aPancoast tumor, causes sharp shoulder pain in its early stages.
Accompanying symptoms include neck, rib, shoulder blade, and chest wall pain.
Pancoast tumors are most commonly seen in people who smoke or have significant exposure to secondhand smoke.
You should also call your provider if you recently experienced a trauma or injury.
Depending on the cause of your pain, several different medical interventions may be utilized.
Wearing this jot down of brace for too long may actually prolong your recovery.
These range from commonplace diagnoses like a neck strain to urgent concerns like a heart attack.
Paying attention to any corresponding symptoms can help diagnose the cause of your pain.
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American Academy of Family Physicians.Herniated disc.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Cervical stenosis.
2019;8(1):5-18. doi:10.1007/s40122-019-0124-2
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Whiplash injury.
American Heart Association.Warning signs of a heart attack.
Moffitt Cancer Center.Pancoast tumor signs and symptoms.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Sports-related neck injury.
Harvard Health Publishing.Say “good night” to neck pain.
Moon S, Kim Y.Neck and shoulder pain with scapular dyskinesis in computer office workers.Medicina.
2024 Jan;99(1):103540. doi:10.1016/j.ergon.2023.103540
Harvard Health Publishing.Strength training relieves chronic neck pain.
