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What Causes Radiating Pain In Right Ear, Neck And Shoulder?

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Posted on Sat, 26 Mar 2016
Question: I start off with a pain in my right ear, then it travelled down my neck and then my shoulder to the pint that my arm is painful when I lift anything. Now I can feel something down my left body as if something is growing down there. Under my bust I feel pain. My docter says it is nothing, have you any suggestions?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Sounds like a stretched or strained cervical muscle

Detailed Answer:
Good evening and I'm sorry you've got got what sounds to be a bit of a nasty twinge in your neck and shoulder. If you've been checked by your doctor and he is sure that you've nothing going on that is "growing" and I'd be inclined to believe that assessment for the symptoms you're mentioning then, I think the next thing to consider would be that of a stretched muscle in the neck or possibly a nerve that has become a bit trapped such as when you move the neck or the shoulder about or try and exert force there is a stretch/pull which tends to irritate it and that's what you're feeling.

You've likely just unwittingly pulled something by lifting an object that may have been too heavy or you lifted something improperly and had to get your head and neck involved which caused you to contract some weaker muscles not used to that type of work....that's all.

Something on a completely different note though would be a pain that some people feel as a sharp and sudden TWINGE.....a sharp pain if you will, that can be behind or even inside the ear especially when they lie down at night on their stomachs or back. This doesn't sound like your pain since in your case there is a component of radiation that goes down the neck and into the shoulder. What the pain is that I'm referring to in this instance comes from reflux of stomach contents into the lower esophagus....heartburn, if you will....but again that's sounding a bit different from what you're talking about and especially if you take into account the fact that your arm has trouble being raised on that side.

Just rest a bit from lifting heavy things....use some cold compresses around the area of MOST PAIN in your neck or shoulder for a couple of days and if the pain is continuous you can certainly try some over the counter remedies for inflammation or pain such as paracetamol, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen if you don't have trouble with the stomach and within a few days if it's still bothering you then, you can switch to some warm compresses and you should be good as new shortly.

Cheers!

I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload more specific information regarding lab tests and diagnostic studies if done and I'll be happy to look at them when completed.

Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my responses.

Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.

This consult request has taken a total of 10 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dariush Saghafi

Neurologist

Practicing since :1988

Answered : 2472 Questions

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What Causes Radiating Pain In Right Ear, Neck And Shoulder?

Brief Answer: Sounds like a stretched or strained cervical muscle Detailed Answer: Good evening and I'm sorry you've got got what sounds to be a bit of a nasty twinge in your neck and shoulder. If you've been checked by your doctor and he is sure that you've nothing going on that is "growing" and I'd be inclined to believe that assessment for the symptoms you're mentioning then, I think the next thing to consider would be that of a stretched muscle in the neck or possibly a nerve that has become a bit trapped such as when you move the neck or the shoulder about or try and exert force there is a stretch/pull which tends to irritate it and that's what you're feeling. You've likely just unwittingly pulled something by lifting an object that may have been too heavy or you lifted something improperly and had to get your head and neck involved which caused you to contract some weaker muscles not used to that type of work....that's all. Something on a completely different note though would be a pain that some people feel as a sharp and sudden TWINGE.....a sharp pain if you will, that can be behind or even inside the ear especially when they lie down at night on their stomachs or back. This doesn't sound like your pain since in your case there is a component of radiation that goes down the neck and into the shoulder. What the pain is that I'm referring to in this instance comes from reflux of stomach contents into the lower esophagus....heartburn, if you will....but again that's sounding a bit different from what you're talking about and especially if you take into account the fact that your arm has trouble being raised on that side. Just rest a bit from lifting heavy things....use some cold compresses around the area of MOST PAIN in your neck or shoulder for a couple of days and if the pain is continuous you can certainly try some over the counter remedies for inflammation or pain such as paracetamol, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen if you don't have trouble with the stomach and within a few days if it's still bothering you then, you can switch to some warm compresses and you should be good as new shortly. Cheers! I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload more specific information regarding lab tests and diagnostic studies if done and I'll be happy to look at them when completed. Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my responses. Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered. This consult request has taken a total of 10 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.