What Causes Left Arm Shoulder Pain?

Left arm shoulder pain is one type of pain that can surely affect work. It even impedes one from functioning normally. In fact, people affected with this problem usually find it hard to perform even the simplest activities of daily living like taking a bath, or driving. The causes of this pain may be very simple and obvious or deadly and discreet. Here’s some of the most common pain triggers.

Starting off with the most serious, one should always suspect an underlying heart problem when experiencing left arm shoulder pain. It is better to expect the worst, than ignore it and then regret in the end. Heart problems or heart conditions, such as angina, or the crushing feeling in the heart may be felt as a pain that is radiating to the left shoulder down to the left arm. A heart attack, even if it’s the most minor, can also be felt as a dull or shooting pain travelling from the left shoulder distally to the arm. So first thing to do, consider going to the doctor and get heart conditions ruled-out as the cause of the pain.

Now that the heart is not the problem, one can assess the usual activities one does at work or at home. An overused shoulder limited to the left body region specifically to the shoulder and arm can evolve into a very painful sensation. Assess if work and home activities include excessive stretching, flexing, extending or rotating. If they do, try minimizing these actions, or at least making both left and right shoulder do the work than isolating it only to the left area.

Bad position and improper body mechanics can also lead to left arm shoulder pain. Bad positioning includes the posture one holds while sleeping. It also involves the prolonged position one usually hold for a long time at work, such as leaning on the left side for hours, among others.

If the left arm shoulder pain is characterized as dull and heavy, it may be due to chronic stress. Although it seems harmless, stress can take its toll on the body by representing itself as a painful sensation anywhere in the body. In this case, it may be come in the form of pain in the left arm and shoulder.

Obvious fracture, strong force, or damaging injury can also make the left arm and shoulder painful. This is because when blood and other cellular components escape through the muscles, the area becomes swollen and sore. One can also try checking for nerve impingement in the left arm and shoulder. A trapped nerve can be due to a growth, a cyst, or a chronic inflammation, that is constantly pressing the nerve, making it very painful.

The list of the causes of left arm shoulder pain doesn’t end here. There are other reasons why left arm and shoulder aches. The important thing is to make sure that the pain is not due to a life-threatening heart condition. At least it is a relief, although not from pain.