Everyone gets shoulder pain after rads but also after surgery. The trapezius muscle is usually the first to atrophy. Next are the scapular rotation muscles. Together, these all work to raise the arm straight out to the side. The shoulder pain you are describing is from either the brachial plexus head near the cervical spine getting bound up in the scalene musclesor an impingement where the nerves travel through the shoulder and down the arm.

If you try to reach behind you towards the back seat of the car with intense, sharp pain, that is from radiation. It can even damage the rotator cuff, or cause pain at the acromioclavicular joint where the shoulder and collarbone connect.

Christine is right and you should get it checked. It may take periodic physical therapy sessions but it will get worse with no attention.

SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023