- While working on their jobs, many people have their necks and shoulders kept in the same position for most of their workday, yet wonder why they battle neck and shoulder pain. They don't realize that much of their discomfort can be relieved by learning correct ways to sit and stand. Besides poor posture, neck and shoulder pain can also be due to illness, injuries and other physical causes. What's important is to find ways to correct what's causing the pain so you can go on enjoying your life.
- Most neck and shoulder pain is caused from injuries to ligaments and muscles. For example, bursitis is a painful condition from swollen bursa (sac cushioning joints and muscles). Broken shoulder blades or rotator cuff injuries from a group of shoulder muscles can cause intense pain, as can a whiplash injury from a car accident. Tendinitis is the painful swelling of the tendons that connect muscles to bones. A condition known as A-C separation is when the ligament connecting the shoulder blade and collarbone is torn or stretched because of injury or trauma.
- Arthritis, as in cervical spondylosis, is an example of a disease that can cause neck and shoulder pain. For example, osteoarthritis of the neck, also known as degenerative disk neck disease, is a condition caused by degenerative changes in the neck intervertebral disks and bones, due mostly to aging. Gallbladder disease is a disease that can cause shoulder pain. Even though gallbladder pain is usually in the right upper abdomen, it can also be either underneath the right shoulder blade or between the shoulder blades.
- Slouching is a main cause of neck and shoulder pain. Also known as a forward head, slouching makes the head go forward relative to the ribcage. This forces the small neck muscles to have to continually hold up the 10-pound weight of your head, keeping it from rolling forward, off the shoulders. This places a tremendous job on the neck after a long workday, not to mention week after week.
- Sleeping on a pillow that's too flat or too high and doesn't support your head can cause neck and shoulder pain. Sleeping on your stomach in a position with the neck either bent or twisted can cause problems. Also, reading or watching television while lying down with the neck in an awkward position can result in pain.
