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Why Am I Experiencing Pinched Nerve Type Excruciating Pain In My Left Shoulder After Drinking?

Posted on Tue, 21 Jan 2014

Question: I am a 33 year old female 120lns 5'5 experiencing pinched nerve type excruciating pain in my left shoulder only after drinking

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Need some more information regarding symptoms. Detailed Answer: Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX I need some more information on your symptomatology, to arrive at a possible diagnosis. Please answer the below mentioned questions - Onset of pain (sudden or gradual) - Duration of pain (days, weeks or months) - Persistence of pain during an attack (minutes, hours or a day) - Nature of pain (stinging, burning or throbbing) - Severity of pain ( mild, moderate or severly intolerable) - Aggravating & relieving factors, if any - Is the pain associated with restriction of shoulder joint movements? Awaiting your response.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (5 minutes later)

The pain began mid December, it occurs in the morning after drinking, it's so intense it wakes me up, moving my neck or shoulder results in sharp pinching feelings that take my breath Away The pain has been diminishing after about 24 hours of no alcohol The pain lasts the entire day and only a hot shower provides some relief, heating pads ad Advil have little effect The pain is sharp in my left shoulder blade and aches in my neck and outer shoulder It only so far occurs in the morning after I've drank alcohol but last night it started to kick in while drinking just before I went to bed. I don't seem to have any mobilization issues just that certain movements cause sharp pains

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Could be due to shoulder or Cervical spine causes. Detailed Answer: Hi, Nice to hear from you. Based on your response for the given questions, I suspect that the cause of your pain could be either in the shoulder joint as such or in the cervical spine. As your symptoms are related to alcohol intake, it might be related to GOUTY arthritic deposits (Uric acid crystals) in the shoulder joint or the subacromial bursa producing sharp pain. A blood investigation for any raised uric acid levels and an Xray of the involved shoulder joint will clinch the diagnosis. Typically, the symptoms of gouty attacks are precipitated by alcohol intake. The next possibility is the presence of a herniated cervical disc causing compression over the exiting nerve root producing sharp shooting pain. An MRI scan of the cervical spine will diagnose this problem. Apart from the above, there are numerous other causes and conditions (pertaining to the shoulder joint and remote causes that causes referred pain in the shoulder) that may produce pain in the shoulder joint. The management of your condition depends on the cause and clinical diagnosis. So, a detailed clinical examination and appropriate investigations are needed to exactly pin point the diagnosis. I suggest you to consult an orthopedic surgeon for a detailed evaluation and further diagnosis. Hope I have addressed your issue. Happy to help further Regards

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar