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I Have A Tingling Feeling Off And On, Mostly On,
Question: I have a tingling feeling off and on, mostly on, in my left shoulder
Brief Answer:
A pinched nerve is a common cause of numbness in the shoulder
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,
I carefully read your query and understand your concern.
A common cause of numb shoulder is a pinched nerve. This may happen at the level of the neck, where the nerves come out from the sides of the neck vertebra or it may happen on the way down to the arm.
Generally, the patient, in these cases, may feel numbness in the location that the nerve runs or below it and also some may feel weakness or pain.
I would advise you to have an x-ray of the neck (2 projections, anterior and lateral) to visualize the vertebra and rule out related causes such as arthritis or the neck, for instance.
A physiotherapist would be of great help to identify the area the nerve is pinched and help release it. Some exercises and posture correction may help with this. The physiotherapist will also examine your shoulder joint and the muscles around and make sure they function well and nothing is wrong with these as well.
Pain relievers, especially Ibuprofen 600-800 mg every 6-8 hours after food will help to ease the inflammation and assist in the process (be watchful of potential stomach problems when using Ibuprofen, Omeprazole 20 mg 30 minutes before breakfast may be taken to protect the stomach while using Ibuprofen).
If you get pain in the shoulder that also is on the chest and left arm or lower jaw, in this case, you may need to talk to your doctor and rule out heart problems.
I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician
A pinched nerve is a common cause of numbness in the shoulder
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,
I carefully read your query and understand your concern.
A common cause of numb shoulder is a pinched nerve. This may happen at the level of the neck, where the nerves come out from the sides of the neck vertebra or it may happen on the way down to the arm.
Generally, the patient, in these cases, may feel numbness in the location that the nerve runs or below it and also some may feel weakness or pain.
I would advise you to have an x-ray of the neck (2 projections, anterior and lateral) to visualize the vertebra and rule out related causes such as arthritis or the neck, for instance.
A physiotherapist would be of great help to identify the area the nerve is pinched and help release it. Some exercises and posture correction may help with this. The physiotherapist will also examine your shoulder joint and the muscles around and make sure they function well and nothing is wrong with these as well.
Pain relievers, especially Ibuprofen 600-800 mg every 6-8 hours after food will help to ease the inflammation and assist in the process (be watchful of potential stomach problems when using Ibuprofen, Omeprazole 20 mg 30 minutes before breakfast may be taken to protect the stomach while using Ibuprofen).
If you get pain in the shoulder that also is on the chest and left arm or lower jaw, in this case, you may need to talk to your doctor and rule out heart problems.
I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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