what causes excruciating pain in upper back and shoulder?
If a nerve root is compressed in the spinal column it can send pain signals throughout the nerve, causing symptoms to radiate to other parts of the body. Common sources of upper back problems and shoulder pain include: 1  Degenerative disc disease (DDD) or other intervertebral disc problems. 2  Facet disease. 3  Osteoarthritis. 4  Stenosis. 5  Bone spurs.