When you have a pinched nerve in your shoulder blade, the first sign is pain in some area of your body. Also known as a trapped nerve, this is a condition in which the nerve gets “trapped” by the body, or compressed by the muscles, bones, cartilage and other tissues around it. This can be caused by numerous things, including excessive exercise or strenuous movement. Simple home remedies help relieve symptoms while severe conditions should seek professional help.
Symptoms Pinched Nerve Left Shoulder Blade
Pain. If you feel a burning sensation in the shoulder area, or shooting pains going down your arm, a pinched nerve may be the cause. You may also experience pain from muscle spasms caused from the nerve compression. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, neck pain and headaches, or occipital headaches may accompany the shoulder pain with a pinched nerve.
Pain is the way your brain associates something is wrong with your body. When you feel shoulder pain, it may be a sign that a nerve is inflamed or compressed and moving around may readjust your body alignment, thus relieving the pain. If the nerve compression lasts for a longer period, the chronic pain may not go away because of permanent nerve damage.
Weakness. Experiencing weakness in the muscles in the shoulder area or arm are signs of a pinched nerve. In some cases, muscle weakness will lead to a complete loss of muscle function. In situations where you experience weakness, you might not be able to lift your arm above your head or extend your arm to reach for an item. In addition, if the weakness extends to the lower extremity of the arm, you may drop items or have complications picking up items with your hand. If you are experiencing muscle weakness that prohibits you from the use of your limbs, a trip to a health-care professional is advisable.
Numbness and Tingling. Numbness and tingling are symptoms you may experience if you have a pinched nerve in your shoulder. A feeling of your shoulder or arm “falling asleep” or a “pins and needles” sensation are common signs of a pinched nerve. You many feel these symptoms in waves, or the numbing and tingling may be constant depending on how damaged the nerve is. Numbness and tingling that does not subside after resting may be an underlying condition and you should seek medical treatment.
Treatment Pinched Nerve Left Shoulder
If the pain and other symptoms are unbearable, or continue for several days, you should seek medical attention from your doctor. Otherwise you may run the risk of permanent nerve damage, or perhaps even miss a more serious underlying problem.
Rest may also be required. The use of a soft collar might help with resting the neck, though it is not recommended for long term use. Again, get advice from your doctor or pharmacist on this matter.
The use of a proper pillow when sleeping can play a big role in the treatment and prevention of neck pain. We discuss how to choose the right pillow for your needs in another article.
It may take several days before the problem is completely healed and during this time you could easily cause the injury to worsen. Be kind to yourself; take the time to heal properly.
