Why is there radiating pain on the chest and neck?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have been having pain around my esophagus, upper chest area as well as the bones under the eyes. The pain is radiating from upper chest to the shoulders. I am also having some memory problem. This has been slowly getting worse over a period of a couple of years. I can feel the pain on touching my neck and the upper collarbone area. I do not have much reflux and can swallow. This seems to affect every part of my life. I have some balance issues, ringing in ears and some pain in the upper jaw. This pain does not seem to be in my throat. I currently on Neurontin, Cymbalta and blood pressure medicines. During the initial days of pain, I had a throat checkup, head scan and a few blood tests.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com. The pattern of pain you're describing is likely attributed to one of the following possibilities. It could be nerve irritation, referred to as cervical radiculopathy, stemming from compression or irritation of a nerve root of the neck. This may be accompanied by numbness. Another potential cause is disc herniation between the C2 and T2 vertebrae, resulting in nerve compression. This region contains nerve roots supplying the diaphragm and includes interactions with the neck, head, upper chest, and armpits. A less common consideration is a Pancoast tumor, which affects the uppermost part of the lung and can also lead to cervical nerve root compression. I recommend seeking evaluation from a neurologist for a comprehensive examination. Additionally, a CT scan of the cervical vertebrae and chest is advised to rule out the aforementioned causes.