Hi!

I cannot believe I have just found this page!

Every time I have had certain alcohol since I was 18 years old (28 now), I would get this overwhelming pain in my right shoulder. It lasts about 15/20 minutes then I'm fine. It has only ever happened on my right side. 

It only happens with certain spirits - Disarrono, Shnaps, Jagermeiser, Malibu and some vodka (usually the cheaper stuff). Wine and rum does not affect it. Note that I never have sugary drinks with alchohol, I always stick to diet coke/coke zero/pepsi max etc. 

On occasion the pain is so bad that it has made me phycially sick (not alcohol related, after only a few sips), then the pain goes away, like it never happened. 

The reason I googled this is because today I had a pint of apple juice with no alcohol and it happened. I don't usually drink fruit juice, but I have a craving today and there that familiar pain was! This is the first time I've experienced the pain without alcohol and it wasn't as bad as I have had previously when alcohol has been invovled. 

I do have another condition which makes it phycially impossible for me to burp! (Dont ask!) so when I read about trapped wind, it kind of made sense but it doesn't make sense that this pain is 99% linked to when I drink CERTAIN alcohols. I can drink rum and pepsi max all night without the pain.

ANY HELP would be so appreciated! x

This is bizarre, I've had the exact same issue when drinking - I mainly get it with super sugary drinks or cocktails, it feels like two heavy men are sat on each of my shoulders and it's lugging them down, sometimes I get it in my collarbones as well.

I remember when I turned 18 and tried my first cocktail and had this reaction, I thought this was what normal people felt like when they were drunk so I was literally so *** confused

it never seems to last more than half an hour though for me!

it's so weird that so many of us have it and no one knows what it is! Everyone thinks I'm crazy when I mention it but it literally makes me feel like I need to lie down for an hour in pain

I've been having the exact same issue since march this year and can't seen to understand that it's only when I drink alcohol it happens it would bring you to ur knees. I get weak during it mine lasts about 20 mins then it's like it never even happened 

Thats funny 2 years later I'm in the exact same situation. (19 Y/O Male) it's Christmas time had one WKD and the horrific pain of giving an elephant a shoulder ride has struck me for about 20-30 Mins. Gladly its Finally settled after 20-30 mins of pasting back and forth and trying to take my mind off it. TO ANYONE READING THIS WITH THE SAME ISSUE Try to not worry and raise your arms for a little bit i found this mildly but noticeably helpful (dont stress it, it will pass) 

Just came to say i get the same thing. Not everytime i drink and it can happen 1 drink or 5 drinks in. I can only describe it like i have dozens of toght elastoc bands round my arms, feels almost like a circulation problem. Dead arms, achy painful neck and shoulders. Only lasts 15-20 mins then goes away like nothing happened! Its so uncomfortable!! I havent been to the GP yet (its been happening since i was about 19, im 28 now) as i think i would be dismissed or told "just dont drink" not sure if its something related to blood pressure, anxiety, or something neuropathic, but a little worried ive only ever seen people have the same problem on cancer forums! 

In March 2022 my 23year old son had his COVID booster and had lymphadenopathy which resolved after a week or so. A few weeks later he got severe pain in his neck and shoulders after drinking alcohol. This then happened every time and he stopped drinking. He had googled it and found it could be a sign of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I read this thread and sent it to him to reassure him it wasn't. No healthcare professional linked this symptom to Lymphoma and it took for him to become quite unwell and in August 2023 he was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He had been seen by MSK then referred to rheumatology and even with a CRP of 110 and raised lymph node in his neck it still took for his pushy mum to get a referral to Haematology. Incidentally his chest x-ray came back clear despite him having multiple pulmonary nodules on the PET scan. So please if you are concerned ask to be referred to haematology. 

I've done research on this before. I also suffer massive muscles pain in my shoulders, down my arms and in my stomach as I've got older too. It can be from just one drink. What I found out was 2 things. 1 your body is a having a slight allergy type reaction to alcohol when you first drink and then seem fine after. And 2 anxiety related alcoholism. When your body first drinks it go onto a sort of panic mode and causes your muscles to tense up and, your heart beat to raise and or stomach cramps or nausea. However this is not a medical proven and im not a doctor. So it dosent mean each individual is different and should ask professionals. My info is only things I found myself over the many hours hunting through over the years.