Question
HI,

I am a 24 year old hair stylist... for the past few months i get a tingling sensation in my left shoulder sometimes i feel it in the middle of my upper back and neck. there is no pain its just weird and it comes and goes i just have been feeling more often... I'm a little worried that it might be lung cancer i am a 6 year smoker and have had a lump on my neck for about a year. when i showed my doctor the lump about a year ago she said not to worry about it... but now I'm worried it might be a swollen lymph node. I called my doctors office to make an appointment and they can not get me in for two weeks! should i be worried? should i try to go to a different doctors office that can get me in sooner? thank you

Answer
Hi Brittany,

I am very sorry that you are experiencing this discomfort.  As a hairstylist, I am sure this sensation of pain doesn't make working easy.

I am with you doctor.  I wouldn't be worried about it.  If you are a smoker and have fear of lung cancer, well... you probably know what you should do..  Right..   Quit smoking.

With regard to what you are feeling, there are a couple of different musculoskeletal issues that you may be experiencing.  Obviously with you not in my office, I cannot directly pin point it.  However, you should be able to get in to see a chiropractor the same day you call for the most part.   

Many people with coughing bouts or for that matter not normal postures/movement will place significant strain on the shoulder girdle, rib cage and supportive spinal muscles.  Your description of discomfort in the neck, shoulder and upper back pretty much tells me that you likely strained your trapezius muscle (standing with your arms out and up while cutting hair) as it connects along your skull, neck, middle back and out to the shoulder.  When this muscle pulls, it will pull on the joints of the middle back and ribs, causing some discomfort on deep breathing. It also may include a joint in the lower portion of the neck that is misaligned from the muscle spasm that is now putting pressure on one of the cervical spine nerve roots.  This causes the tingling in the arm.

The best thing that you can do is find a chiropractor, (I am partial to Palmer Chiropractic College doctors) and get some help.  You should notice between 50 and 80% improvement after the first visit and you probably will require a few follow up visits over the week and next.  Typically you are looking at 3-8 visits over 2-3 weeks depending on the severity of the problem.  

I hope this provides you with some help.  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.  Also, after you receive treatment, please let me know how your experience was.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin Kaldy
Chiropractic Physician
Board Certified Independent Chiropractic Examiner
www.LasVegasChiro.Com
[email protected]

**This post is for the purpose of providing medical information and is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. This post is not intended to give or rule out a diagnosis, create a doctor-patient relationship or replace an existing one. I am not able to diagnose medical conditions online. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment options