Muscle spasms in shoulder

A Complex Muscular Structure

Our shoulder muscles can get into a spasm due to many different factors. Before any of them may be named, we need to know that our shoulders are greatly influenced by many muscles, tendons and ligaments which stretch from our neck or back all the way to our hands or even ribs. Therefore, there are plenty of possible causes in which we start experiencing involuntary muscle spasms in our shoulder area. Along with the spasms, there might be pain experienced, and several other complications. All in all, if you happen to feel any muscle spasms or pain, read on to find out what could possibly be causing it and how is this situation treatable.

Everything is Connected and One Problem Leads to Another

Our neck is the usual suspect for many muscle or bone problems in all other parts of our body. Having a delicate and small muscular structure, our neck is very flexible and directly or indirectly connected to our shoulders, arms, legs and even feet. Thereby, if we suffer from flat feet arches, we will walk inappropriately, causing additional strain to our muscles, tendons and ligaments. This strain affects the bones. These bones affect the other muscles connected to them. All this eventually reaches our neck and shoulders as well, triggering spasms, pain and other problems. If we suffer from muscle spasms, our bones may get affected as well, resulting in this condition.

Interestingly enough, our teeth may easily trigger shoulder pain either due to some infections affecting them or us holding our jaw open for too long while paying our dentist a visit. Additionally, if you hold your neck in an unnatural position for a longer time, you expose your muscles to changes. Namely, they will shrink or extend, and if you leave them that way for too long, they might get stiff and need time in order to return to normal. One example of unnatural neck position is sleeping on your stomach. This way your neck is always twisted to one extreme. As a consequence you might experience muscle straining and, thus, shoulder pain as well. Moreover, teeth grinding during sleep may cause neck and shoulder pain as well.

Finally, whiplashes, which stand for abrupt and violent movements of the neck, which usually happen suddenly and without our control, almost always cause damage in neck muscles and ligaments. This condition may lead to many complications and painful regions, including muscle spasms and pain in shoulders. The recovery period for this injury is 6 weeks.

For any problems which involve torn or strained muscles, ligaments and tendons, application of cold and heat will help you greatly. Cold is, perhaps, better since it removes both pain and swelling, reducing any inflammations, while heat only influences the pain, decreasing it.