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I Am 51 Years Old Male, Nonsmoker. I Work On

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Posted on Sun, 27 Dec 2020
Question: I am 51 years old male, nonsmoker. I work on computer 10 hours a day for many years. I have some history of left and right shoulder pain and neck pain that comes and goes. This time I got worse neck pain about 5 weeks ago. My neck hurst and radiates to the shoulder, the most painful point is somewhere near neck to the left kind of top. I get it every time I look down and right, this hurts the most. Pain varies with days, some days the pain is so severe I have back head headacke, I think it is radiating from the neck. My neck just feels stiff and hard to look left or right or up or down. I also have right shoulder pain when I put hand above the shoulder line, this pain is 6 months but seems it is not connected to my recent neck pain. The worst is at night because it hurst to sleep on either side and when I turn around it hurts. Worse is if I lie on the bed and try to lift the head. It is not sharp pain mostly but kind of it gets worse the more I move my head. At morning it gets a little better after stretching the neck, when I wake up I am all like tied up up there and shoulders hurt also.

I couldn't get to MRI so fast due to corona crises in my country, but I got my x-ray of the neck and shoulder today.

I will try not to scare myself with all the dark and light asymetrical patches on the image as I am no doctor and I can not read x-ray images. Hope you can help, to me every shadow looks like cancer :-( I have a huge cancerophobia if something is not right and lasts for 6 weeks.

Some days are better and some days are worse, but there is always some pain and stiffness at least in the middle upper back from my neck to left shoulder, I can always provoke serious pain when I tilt my head to the right and look down, then somewhere between my left shoulder and neck hurts.

Also doing isometrics excercises hurt in the middle low of my neck. Dull, gnawing pain, the more I press to the forehead or backhead the more the pain.

Also if I lie down and want to stand up by lifting my head first I get terrible pain at the back of my neck in the middle. I know this is not the proper way to stand up, I am just telling you to understand when the pain is worst.

For now it is not worse nor better the last 4 weeks, some days are better, some are terrible when the back neck headacke also joins but the headache is not every day, maybe once a week.

I also feel my voice is a little hoarse for a few days now and I have managed to scare myself this can be throat cancer with metahstasis to the neck, neck is just behind the throat after all, but for my sanity I didn't find a link of throat cancer to neck pain. And yes, I have stress problem, this corona crysis is terrible for health anxiety people like myself. I don't move a lot and I managed to gain 2 kilos.

Right shoulder pain is there for 6 months and doesn't seem connected to the left shoulder and neck problem, it happens when I lift my left arm, I've had this before 10 years and it went away after 1 year. The pain is much worse if I somehow sleep with my arm abouve the head, then my left shoulder is stiff no matter how I move it, not only above the head. I also send my right shoulder x-rays.

I don't have any neurological symptoms except some sporadic muscle twitching but that is my another story, they happen for 10 years now, some come and go quickly and some can be on one spot for days.

Hope my story with x-rays can make things clearer and if it could relieve me the cancer fear, it would be healing. I am not even sure what can be seen on X-Ray. The machine they told me, was new and excellent.

If you need I have also some neck image from 18 years ago, I would have to photo it it is not on CD.

I was also on neck x-ray in 2017 and they found some spondiloarthrosis, lordosis, nothing major. Unfortunately I don't have the image with me. They x-rayed my neck because I had a wierd feeling in my left thumb, didn't feel touch, just pain. It was terrible experience and it faded after 8 months.

Thank you a lot for your time to answer and keep healthy!

Yours
XXXXXXX
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Follow up: Dr. Aashish Raghu (0 minute later)
I am 51 years old male, nonsmoker. I work on computer 10 hours a day for many years. I have some history of left and right shoulder pain and neck pain that comes and goes. This time I got worse neck pain about 5 weeks ago. My neck hurst and radiates to the shoulder, the most painful point is somewhere near neck to the left kind of top. I get it every time I look down and right, this hurts the most. Pain varies with days, some days the pain is so severe I have back head headacke, I think it is radiating from the neck. My neck just feels stiff and hard to look left or right or up or down. I also have right shoulder pain when I put hand above the shoulder line, this pain is 6 months but seems it is not connected to my recent neck pain. The worst is at night because it hurst to sleep on either side and when I turn around it hurts. Worse is if I lie on the bed and try to lift the head. It is not sharp pain mostly but kind of it gets worse the more I move my head. At morning it gets a little better after stretching the neck, when I wake up I am all like tied up up there and shoulders hurt also.

I couldn't get to MRI so fast due to corona crises in my country, but I got my x-ray of the neck and shoulder today.

I will try not to scare myself with all the dark and light asymetrical patches on the image as I am no doctor and I can not read x-ray images. Hope you can help, to me every shadow looks like cancer :-( I have a huge cancerophobia if something is not right and lasts for 6 weeks.

Some days are better and some days are worse, but there is always some pain and stiffness at least in the middle upper back from my neck to left shoulder, I can always provoke serious pain when I tilt my head to the right and look down, then somewhere between my left shoulder and neck hurts.

Also doing isometrics excercises hurt in the middle low of my neck. Dull, gnawing pain, the more I press to the forehead or backhead the more the pain.

Also if I lie down and want to stand up by lifting my head first I get terrible pain at the back of my neck in the middle. I know this is not the proper way to stand up, I am just telling you to understand when the pain is worst.

For now it is not worse nor better the last 4 weeks, some days are better, some are terrible when the back neck headacke also joins but the headache is not every day, maybe once a week.

I also feel my voice is a little hoarse for a few days now and I have managed to scare myself this can be throat cancer with metahstasis to the neck, neck is just behind the throat after all, but for my sanity I didn't find a link of throat cancer to neck pain. And yes, I have stress problem, this corona crysis is terrible for health anxiety people like myself. I don't move a lot and I managed to gain 2 kilos.

Right shoulder pain is there for 6 months and doesn't seem connected to the left shoulder and neck problem, it happens when I lift my left arm, I've had this before 10 years and it went away after 1 year. The pain is much worse if I somehow sleep with my arm abouve the head, then my left shoulder is stiff no matter how I move it, not only above the head. I also send my right shoulder x-rays.

I don't have any neurological symptoms except some sporadic muscle twitching but that is my another story, they happen for 10 years now, some come and go quickly and some can be on one spot for days.

Hope my story with x-rays can make things clearer and if it could relieve me the cancer fear, it would be healing. I am not even sure what can be seen on X-Ray. The machine they told me, was new and excellent.

If you need I have also some neck image from 18 years ago, I would have to photo it it is not on CD.

I was also on neck x-ray in 2017 and they found some spondiloarthrosis, lordosis, nothing major. Unfortunately I don't have the image with me. They x-rayed my neck because I had a wierd feeling in my left thumb, didn't feel touch, just pain. It was terrible experience and it faded after 8 months.

Thank you a lot for your time to answer and keep healthy!

Yours
XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (44 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Answer

Detailed Answer:
Hi there

Thanks for the query

I have read your query and viewed the attached xrays.

It appears that your symptoms fit with cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy which is pinching of the nerves in your spine in the neck.

This causes the headache, weird feeling in the thumb, pain in the neck on bending forward.

The xrays show straightening of your spine which can indicate muscle spam.

I suggest you avoid bending neck forward and lifting any heavy objects. You can take pain killers like Ibuprofen for pain relief. Apply warm water pack to the back of the neck and shoulders. Use an Orthopaedic pillow while sleeping.

Do get an MRI cervical spine to find out the regions of nerve pinching and that will help decide the treatment.

I hope I have answered your query.

I will be available to answer your follow up queries.

Regards,

Aashish Raghu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Answer

Detailed Answer:
Hi there

Thanks for the query

I have read your query and viewed the attached xrays.

It appears that your symptoms fit with cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy which is pinching of the nerves in your spine in the neck.

This causes the headache, weird feeling in the thumb, pain in the neck on bending forward.

The xrays show straightening of your spine which can indicate muscle spam.

I suggest you avoid bending neck forward and lifting any heavy objects. You can take pain killers like Ibuprofen for pain relief. Apply warm water pack to the back of the neck and shoulders. Use an Orthopaedic pillow while sleeping.

Do get an MRI cervical spine to find out the regions of nerve pinching and that will help decide the treatment.

I hope I have answered your query.

I will be available to answer your follow up queries.

Regards,

Aashish Raghu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Aashish Raghu (42 minutes later)
Hi again

Right shoulder is ok?

Which disc is pinching the nerve? C6, C7?

I know nothing is 100%, but according to my problems and pain and x-ray, this is most likely not a cancer of the neck or throat?
default
Follow up: Dr. Aashish Raghu (0 minute later)
Hi again

Right shoulder is ok?

Which disc is pinching the nerve? C6, C7?

I know nothing is 100%, but according to my problems and pain and x-ray, this is most likely not a cancer of the neck or throat?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (14 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Answer

Detailed Answer:
Shoulder xray seems OK. It alerts that C5-C6, C6-C7 disc prolapse have pinched the respective nerves. Your symptoms do not explain cancer, unless you have unintentional significant weight loss as well.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Answer

Detailed Answer:
Shoulder xray seems OK. It alerts that C5-C6, C6-C7 disc prolapse have pinched the respective nerves. Your symptoms do not explain cancer, unless you have unintentional significant weight loss as well.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
default
Follow up: Dr. Aashish Raghu (58 minutes later)
Thank you once again. Can the pinched nerve explain shoulder problem lasting 6 months (more than the neck problem)?

No intentional weight loss, I gained 2kg due to coronavirus because we are in severe lockdown and can not more outside without mask :-(
default
Follow up: Dr. Aashish Raghu (0 minute later)
Thank you once again. Can the pinched nerve explain shoulder problem lasting 6 months (more than the neck problem)?

No intentional weight loss, I gained 2kg due to coronavirus because we are in severe lockdown and can not more outside without mask :-(
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (28 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Answer

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for providing that information. It's possible your have Rotator cuff injury due to Impingement of your shoulder. You can get an Ultrasound or MRI of the shoulder rotator cuff to confirm.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Answer

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for providing that information. It's possible your have Rotator cuff injury due to Impingement of your shoulder. You can get an Ultrasound or MRI of the shoulder rotator cuff to confirm.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Aashish Raghu

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 5478 Questions

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I Am 51 Years Old Male, Nonsmoker. I Work On

I am 51 years old male, nonsmoker. I work on computer 10 hours a day for many years. I have some history of left and right shoulder pain and neck pain that comes and goes. This time I got worse neck pain about 5 weeks ago. My neck hurst and radiates to the shoulder, the most painful point is somewhere near neck to the left kind of top. I get it every time I look down and right, this hurts the most. Pain varies with days, some days the pain is so severe I have back head headacke, I think it is radiating from the neck. My neck just feels stiff and hard to look left or right or up or down. I also have right shoulder pain when I put hand above the shoulder line, this pain is 6 months but seems it is not connected to my recent neck pain. The worst is at night because it hurst to sleep on either side and when I turn around it hurts. Worse is if I lie on the bed and try to lift the head. It is not sharp pain mostly but kind of it gets worse the more I move my head. At morning it gets a little better after stretching the neck, when I wake up I am all like tied up up there and shoulders hurt also. I couldn't get to MRI so fast due to corona crises in my country, but I got my x-ray of the neck and shoulder today. I will try not to scare myself with all the dark and light asymetrical patches on the image as I am no doctor and I can not read x-ray images. Hope you can help, to me every shadow looks like cancer :-( I have a huge cancerophobia if something is not right and lasts for 6 weeks. Some days are better and some days are worse, but there is always some pain and stiffness at least in the middle upper back from my neck to left shoulder, I can always provoke serious pain when I tilt my head to the right and look down, then somewhere between my left shoulder and neck hurts. Also doing isometrics excercises hurt in the middle low of my neck. Dull, gnawing pain, the more I press to the forehead or backhead the more the pain. Also if I lie down and want to stand up by lifting my head first I get terrible pain at the back of my neck in the middle. I know this is not the proper way to stand up, I am just telling you to understand when the pain is worst. For now it is not worse nor better the last 4 weeks, some days are better, some are terrible when the back neck headacke also joins but the headache is not every day, maybe once a week. I also feel my voice is a little hoarse for a few days now and I have managed to scare myself this can be throat cancer with metahstasis to the neck, neck is just behind the throat after all, but for my sanity I didn't find a link of throat cancer to neck pain. And yes, I have stress problem, this corona crysis is terrible for health anxiety people like myself. I don't move a lot and I managed to gain 2 kilos. Right shoulder pain is there for 6 months and doesn't seem connected to the left shoulder and neck problem, it happens when I lift my left arm, I've had this before 10 years and it went away after 1 year. The pain is much worse if I somehow sleep with my arm abouve the head, then my left shoulder is stiff no matter how I move it, not only above the head. I also send my right shoulder x-rays. I don't have any neurological symptoms except some sporadic muscle twitching but that is my another story, they happen for 10 years now, some come and go quickly and some can be on one spot for days. Hope my story with x-rays can make things clearer and if it could relieve me the cancer fear, it would be healing. I am not even sure what can be seen on X-Ray. The machine they told me, was new and excellent. If you need I have also some neck image from 18 years ago, I would have to photo it it is not on CD. I was also on neck x-ray in 2017 and they found some spondiloarthrosis, lordosis, nothing major. Unfortunately I don't have the image with me. They x-rayed my neck because I had a wierd feeling in my left thumb, didn't feel touch, just pain. It was terrible experience and it faded after 8 months. Thank you a lot for your time to answer and keep healthy! Yours XXXXXXX