Shoulder Pain From a Pinched Nerve: What It Is and How to Fix It

Shoulder pain can feel sharp, achy, electric, or deep—and if it’s coming from a pinched nerve, the pain often feels confusing. You may feel symptoms not just in the shoulder, but also into the arm, chest, or upper back. Many patients tell me:
“I thought it was my shoulder…but it ended up coming from my neck or upper back.”

That’s extremely common.

The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in your body, but that mobility also depends on healthy nerve flow from the neck and upper back. When a nerve becomes compressed—even slightly—it can trigger:

• Shoulder pain or burning

• Tingling down the arm

• Weakness when lifting

• Pain between the shoulder blades

• Stiffness or limited motion

• “Catching” sensations in the shoulder

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Pinched nerves are one of the most overlooked causes of shoulder pain—and one of the conditions we help people recover from every single day at Tutt Street Family Chiropractic here in Kelowna. 

What Causes a Pinched Nerve in the Shoulder Region?

A nerve can become irritated or compressed in several places:
 

1. The Neck (Cervical Spine)
Misalignments, disc irritation, poor sleep positions, tech neck, or long hours at a desk can place pressure on the nerves that run into your shoulder and arm.

2. The Upper Back (Thoracic Spine)
Stiff joints or rib restrictions can tighten muscles and irritate nerves leading to the shoulder blades and shoulder joint.

3. The Shoulder Joint Itself
Rotator cuff strain, inflammation, or poor posture can crowd the space where nerves travel.

4. Muscle Tension and Trigger Points
Tight muscles like the upper traps, pecs, or levator scapulae can compress nerves and create radiating pain.

When the nerve can’t move, glide, or function normally, you feel pain and weakness—not because the shoulder is broken, but because the communication system is disrupted. 

How Chiropractic Care Helps a Pinched Nerve

At our clinic, we use a multi-step, evidence-based approach to release the nerve, reduce inflammation, restore movement, and strengthen the area so it doesn’t come back.
Here’s how we do it: 

1. Gentle Chiropractic Adjustments (Neck + Upper Back)

Misalignments in the cervical and upper thoracic spine can narrow the space where nerves exit.
With targeted adjustments, we:

• Improve joint mobility

• Reduce pressure on the nerves

• Restore proper movement patterns

• Reduce muscle guarding

• Improve posture and head positioning

Many patients feel relief immediately—even before they leave the office. 

2. Posture and Movement Correction
A pinched nerve can flare up when posture collapses.
 We use:

• Posture scans

• Mobility testing

• Ergonomic advice

• Home exercises

Small changes often create huge improvements in nerve tension and shoulder function. 

3. Therapeutic Laser Therapy
Our medical-grade laser reduces:

• Nerve inflammation

• Muscle spasm

• Deep tissue irritation

• Pain sensitivity

Laser accelerates healing at the cellular level and is especially effective for nerve-related shoulder pain. 

4. Shockwave Therapy for Chronic or Stubborn Pain
If the shoulder joint or surrounding muscles are contributing to nerve compression, shockwave helps break up scar tissue and stimulate healing.
It can be extremely effective for:

• Rotator cuff tension

• Long-term shoulder pain

• Biceps tendon pain

• Frozen-shoulder-like stiffness

5. Custom Orthotics (If Neck and Shoulder Pain Start at the Feet)
Yes—foot mechanics matter.

A collapsed arch can rotate the knees and hips, twist the pelvis, and create a chain reaction right up into the neck and shoulders.
Orthotics help:

• Rebalance posture
• Reduce strain on the spine
• Improve nerve function from the ground up

6. Strengthening and Mobility Plan
Once your nerve is no longer irritated, we guide you through:

• Mobility exercises
• Stabilization drills
• Shoulder blade strengthening
• Neck and upper-back posture resets

When to Seek Help for Shoulder Pain Right Away

• Pain radiating down the arm
• Tingling in the fingers
• Weakness when lifting
• Burning or sharp shooting pain
• Pain that’s worse at night
• No improvement after a week

You Don’t Have to Live With Shoulder Pain

If you’ve been pushing through shoulder pain, or wondering if it’s a pinched nerve, now is the perfect time to get clarity and begin healing. At Tutt Street Family Chiropractic, we help people get back to work, sports, sleep, and normal movement—without medications or long-term frustration.

Book Your Assessment Today
We’ll determine what’s causing your pain and build a personalized plan to get you feeling better quickly.
Tutt Street Family Chiropractic (Kelowna, BC)
  250-486-0062
  www.tuttstreetfamilychiropractic.com

Let’s get you moving, aligned, and pain-free again.