Shoulder cramps after drinks some types of alcohol

Well, I'm here because I too have the same problem and was looking on the web for answers. Now I'm wondering what I can do to get help or answers for all of us!

I was 14 when it first happened to me after a small glass of white cask wine that my mum reluctantly let me have. My shoulders and upper back ached really badly and I felt a breathless and just wanted to be left alone, lasted about half an hour.

Had the problem on and off over the years (am now 35), sometimes wine, often spirits, occassionally beer, doesn't always happen, sometimes worse than other (seems to be worse on an empty stomache), asked my Dr he said it was indigestion and to take something for it which did help for a while, not always though. Hadn't been drinking for over 3 years (pregnant and breastfeeding) then returned to work (at a bottle shop) and started drinking again everything was fine then just recently 3rd bottle of the same wine the first mouthful I got the worst pain in my shoulders and back I've had for years, took some panadol for it (takes about 10 min to work though).

Im thinking it has something to do with the liver, but it is good to know its not just me, most people think I'm putting it on.

It happens to me aswell, I also get it when i drink normal drinks though,

Its basically when you drink you subcontiously tense your shoulder area and then where alcohol relaxes the muscles the tendons gets irritated therefore giving you cramps

yea i feel the same way after i drink like campari or coconut or mango liqueor never happened when i was younger but as i got older it becomes so painful but after a while it just goes away . It occurs in my upper body shoulder arms chest . i guess you can say it's like a tightening . IT's also hard to explain sometimes

OMG! I'm so glad i'm not the only one! It's a horrible feeling. Just a tiny sip of any type of alcohol makes all my muscles burn and ache.. If I keep drinking it will go away after about 30 minutes.. I just had a small drink of wine and it started up.. So i took my bp, which was fine 98/60 (mines always low) but my heart rate was 152 and I was just sitting down relaxing. Does anyone else get HORRIBLE hangovers? Mine can last 2 days and I cant even move.. you'd think i had the flu. I don't drink very often (1 a month maybe) and only if I'm going to be out with friends and drinking enough to to make that horrible feeling go away! 

The explanation for this us Sulphites. A preservative commonly found in wine, premixed drinks, dried fruit and some juices. I am a long time Sulphite allergy sufferer, I get the shoulder cramps, pain and discomfort even around the rib cage. I only get the reaction from the foods and wine which I now avoid. Sometimes I get a shock when I buy a harmless bottled smoothie and get a reaction and it's not even listed on the bottle as containing sulphites. So just remember, if it has fruit it in it and it's in a bottle, alcohol or packaged-- beware!

It's referred pain from your kidneys. Internal organs when overworked will cause pain in other areas of your body before you actually start doing heavy damage to the organ itself at which time you'd be having to do some heavy damage if you felt it right at you kidneys

Hello,
I have been feeling this recently and I was just wondering if you found out what it was ?

yes I think it is the gallbladder. I used to always get the neck pain after a drink for years til I quit drinking all together. Back in may I got my gallbladder removed they told me it was bad for years. Well ever since the removal I do not have the pain if I have a drink any more.

my god I thought I was alone. I suffer for the same exact thing as Trixie two. it will pass but after that I feel like wtf. but hat I have noticed was its all the cheap alcoholic beverages that does that. but if I drink like ciroc ,grey goose, or henny, even a Jamaican rhum I don't go threw that so I jus stick with popular stuff not that mix up c**p with a whole bunch of cheap liquors thrown together

Experiencing it now. I get it when drinkinv rum apparently. I say this because it used to be when I drank malibu and pineapple but now I'm drinking rum n coke and having it. Pains in both shoulders on top, joints.. stomache, back of shoulders, arms uncomfortable. I read once its the acid in what you're drinking but idk.

My gallbladder was removed 6 years so and I still get the pains, so I'd rule out gallbladder disease. Wish there were an answer.

Has anyone considered a gluten intolerance? I did not read all of the posts.

I too get this "pain" between my shoulder blades, mainly from wine coolers and any thing listed as a "malt beverage. I have since switched to Budweiser (and do not get these pains from it). I know beer is considered a malt beverage, and budweiser is not gluten free. But it has much lower levels of gluten than other beers. 

I get really bloated and lethargic after meals that included a lot of gluten. I was tested for celiac and the results were negative, however it is still possible to have an intolerance without the full blown allergy of celiac desiese.

I hope this is helpful :)

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Wow! I'm finally home! Or at least not crazy... I've had these symptoms for many years and just thought it was because I'm a lightweight...I started to notice it in my early drinking years, and only with wine coolers for some reason. I just figured it was because they are cheap and who knows what's REALLY in them, right? If I stuck with liquor, I was fine. However, it now seems to happen with just about everything...more than a few sips and I'm down with excruciating pain in my shoulders and chest. The best way I can describe it is it's like a super-intense brain freeze, except its in my chest, neck, and shoulders, and it lasts from 10-60 minutes, and nothing alleviates the pain...I just have to wait for it to pass. So glad to know I am not the only one...now maybe I won't feel so stupid if I ask my doc about it...

I get this feeling as well. On drinking some specific types of alcohol, Cinzano and home-made wines etc, initially the front of my shoulders stay to ache. Slowly, it then affects my chest and then a pain in my solar plexus.

I first felt this when I was about 18 and shared a bottle of Cinzano. So, I never touched Cinzano after that. However, it occasionally comes back with other types of drink.  I always wondered if it was the spice that are sometimes put in these things.

However, the good news is my partner who I call 'wise woman' suggested that I eat some ice-cream.  Guess what!? The pain was relieved in a few minutes.  This was such an amazing feeling to have the pain so obviously relieved in that way that I felt compelled to advise on these forums.

She says, perhaps a glass of milk might do the same? I'll try it out...