A woman in a hijab stretching her neck and shoulder at her office desk

Sakit Bahu & Leher: Punca (Kiri vs Kanan) & Cara Legakan

October 24, 2026 Drann Editorial Team

Sakit bahu (shoulder pain) and sakit leher (neck pain) are often caused by problems with muscles, tendons and joints, linked to posture, sleeping awkwardly or overuse, and they can usually be eased at home with gentle movement, painkillers and heat or cold packs. The NHS says shoulder pain usually needs about 2 weeks of self-care before it starts to ease, and most neck pain lasts a few weeks. But sudden left shoulder pain with chest pressure, shortness of breath or sweating can be a heart attack: call 999. Right shoulder pain with sharp upper right tummy pain can come from the gallbladder, and shoulder tip pain when you could be pregnant needs urgent checks. This guide explains left vs right shoulder pain, common causes, frozen shoulder, home care and when to see a doctor.

Sakit bahu dan leher: is it serious?

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body. A group of four muscles and their tendons, called the rotator cuff, gives it its wide range of motion (MedlinePlus). The neck is made up of muscles, nerves, bones (vertebrae), joints and the discs between the bones, and pain can come from any of these (MedlinePlus).

Neck and shoulder pain often go together. For example, the NHS says cervical spondylosis, a common age-related change in the neck, can cause neck and shoulder pain or stiffness, often in people over 40.

In Malaysia: a study of 1,482 secondary school teachers in Penang found that 60.1% had neck and/or shoulder pain in the past 12 months. Neck and shoulder pain was linked with anxiety, low support from supervisors and poorer mental health (Zamri et al., 2017).

Bila sakit bahu kiri jadi kecemasan? Urgent warning signs

Call 999 or go to the emergency department if you have:

sudden pressure or crushing pain in your shoulder, especially if the pain runs from your chest to the left jaw, arm or neck, or comes with shortness of breath, dizziness or sweating; MedlinePlus says sudden left shoulder pain can sometimes be a sign of a heart attack;
chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing, or chest pain spreading to your arms, neck or jaw (NHS);
a fever and headache with a neck so stiff you cannot touch your chin to your chest, which may be meningitis (MedlinePlus);
a severe injury and your shoulder is very painful, swollen, bruised or bleeding (MedlinePlus), or a neck injury after which you cannot move your arm or hand;
new problems walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, or sudden loss of coordination, such as trouble buttoning a shirt (NHS, cervical spondylosis);
pain in the tip of your shoulder when you could be pregnant: the NHS says this can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy causing internal bleeding, so get medical advice right away.

Our guides to serangan jantung and sakit dada explain heart warning signs in more detail, and mengandung luar rahim explains ectopic pregnancy.

Sakit bahu kiri vs kanan: what the side can tell you

Many people search sakit bahu sebelah kiri pertanda apa. The side of the pain is only a clue. MedlinePlus says the most common cause of shoulder pain is irritated rotator cuff tendons, and this can happen on either side. Sometimes, though, pain is felt in the shoulder from a problem elsewhere in the body, such as the neck or lungs; this is called referred pain, and there is usually pain at rest that does not get worse when you move the shoulder (MedlinePlus).

Where	Common causes	Causes that need urgent checks
Left shoulder	Rotator cuff tendinitis, bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis, poor posture	Heart attack: sudden pressure or crushing pain, especially with chest, jaw or arm pain, breathlessness, dizziness or sweating (call 999)
Right shoulder	The same shoulder problems as on the left	Gallbladder inflammation (acute cholecystitis): sudden, sharp pain in the upper right tummy that spreads towards the right shoulder; breathing deeply can make it worse
Tip of the shoulder (either side)	Problems in the joint where the collarbone meets the shoulder (acromioclavicular joint)	In someone who could be pregnant, shoulder tip pain can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy (get help right away)
Shoulder with neck pain	Muscle strain, posture, cervical spondylosis, a pinched nerve (which can cause numbness, tingling or weakness in the arm or hand)	Heart attack, if neck or arm pain comes with chest pain, breathlessness or sweating (call 999)

Sources: MedlinePlus (shoulder pain, neck pain) and the NHS (heart attack, acute cholecystitis, ectopic pregnancy, cervical spondylosis). Gallstones are a common cause of acute cholecystitis; see our guide to batu hempedu.

Punca sakit bahu: common shoulder problems

The NHS says shoulder pain that does not improve after 2 weeks might be caused by something that needs treatment, but do not self-diagnose. Its guide to symptoms and possible causes:

Shoulder symptoms	Possible causes
Pain and stiffness that does not go away over months or years	Frozen shoulder, arthritis (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis)
Pain that is often worse while using your arm or shoulder	Tendonitis, bursitis, impingement
Tingling, numb or weak arm; the shoulder feels like it is clicking or locking	Shoulder instability, sometimes because of hypermobility
Sudden very bad pain, you cannot move your arm (or it is difficult), sometimes the shoulder changes shape	Dislocated shoulder, broken bone (such as a broken arm or collarbone), torn or ruptured tendon
Pain on top of the shoulder, where the collarbone and shoulder joint meet	Problems in the acromioclavicular joint, such as dislocation or stretched or torn ligaments

MedlinePlus explains that in rotator cuff tendinitis or bursitis, the tendons become trapped under the bony area of the shoulder and become inflamed or damaged. You may have pain when lifting the arm above your head or moving it forward or behind your back. Other causes include bone spurs, an imbalance of the shoulder muscles, overuse of nearby tendons such as the biceps, nerve injury and poor shoulder posture.

Sakit leher dan tengkuk: common causes

Tengkuk is the back of the neck. When your neck is sore, it can be hard to turn your head to one side, which many people call a stiff neck (MedlinePlus). The NHS says the most common causes of neck pain are:

the neck becoming locked in an awkward position while sleeping;
bad posture, for example sitting at a desk for a long time;
a pinched nerve;
an injury, such as whiplash from a traffic accident or fall.

MedlinePlus adds everyday triggers such as bending over a desk for an hour or more, poor posture while watching TV or reading, a computer screen that is too high or too low, sleeping in an uncomfortable position, and lifting things too quickly or with poor posture.

Other causes include:

cervical spondylosis: neck and shoulder pain or stiffness that comes and goes, and headaches that often start at the back of the neck; it is a normal part of ageing and many people have no symptoms (NHS);
whiplash: neck pain and stiffness, and pain and muscle spasms in the shoulders and arms after a sudden movement of the head; it usually gets better within 2 to 3 months (NHS);
less often, a ruptured disc, small fractures from osteoporosis, narrowing of the spinal canal, fibromyalgia, an infection or, rarely, cancer involving the spine (MedlinePlus).

If a nerve in the neck is compressed, you may feel numbness, tingling or weakness in your arm or hand (MedlinePlus). See our guide to tangan kebas for other causes of numb hands. A slipped disc lower down the spine is covered in our guide to sakit pinggang.

Frozen shoulder (bahu beku)

Frozen shoulder means the shoulder is painful and stiff for months, sometimes years (NHS). It happens when the tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, then gets tighter and shrinks. The NHS says the 2 main symptoms are:

pain in the shoulder, which can be worse at night and disturb sleep;
stiffness that makes the shoulder difficult to move, so over time you may not be able to reach over your head or behind you (MedlinePlus).

Who gets it: MedlinePlus says most of the time there is no clear cause, and women aged 40 to 70 are most affected, although men can get it too. Risk factors include:

diabetes and thyroid problems;
hormone changes, such as during menopause;
a shoulder injury or surgery, open heart surgery or recent breast surgery;
disc disease in the neck.

Treatment (NHS, MedlinePlus):

pain relief: paracetamol first, then an anti-inflammatory painkiller such as ibuprofen if needed; a doctor may prescribe stronger painkillers or a steroid injection into the shoulder;
getting movement back: gentle shoulder exercises at home and physiotherapy, which usually lasts at least 6 weeks;
surgery if other treatments do not work.

MedlinePlus says physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory medicines often restore motion and function within a year, and even without treatment, frozen shoulder often gets better by itself within 2 years. People with diabetes or thyroid problems are less likely to get frozen shoulder if they keep their condition under control.

Cara hilangkan sakit bahu dan leher at home

For everyday shoulder and neck pain, the NHS advises:

Do	Avoid
Stay active and gently move your shoulder and neck	Completely stopping using your shoulder, which can stop it getting better
Take paracetamol or ibuprofen, or use ibuprofen gel on your neck, so you can keep moving	Doing things that seem to make the pain worse
Use heat or cold packs (see below)	Making up your own strenuous exercises or using heavy gym equipment
Stand up straight with your shoulders down and gently back, and sit with a cushion behind your lower back	Slouching, rolling your shoulders forward or bringing your neck forward
Use a low, firm pillow and try neck flexibility exercises	Wearing a neck collar unless a doctor tells you to, and driving or cycling if you cannot move your neck properly
Try shoulder exercises for 6 to 8 weeks to stop pain returning

Heat or cold packs (NHS):

for the shoulder: a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for up to 20 minutes, 3 times a day, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel for up to 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day;
for the neck: frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, or a wrapped hot water bottle for 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.

Never put ice directly on the skin, and do not fall asleep with a heating pad or ice bag in place (MedlinePlus). A pharmacist can suggest the best painkiller, including creams or gels you rub on the skin.

Preventing neck and shoulder pain at work and in bed

To help prevent neck pain, the NHS suggests:

when sleeping, keep your head at the same height as the rest of your body and use a firm mattress;
do not sleep on your front, and do not twist your neck in bed;
sit upright, roll your shoulders back gently and bring your neck back;
do not keep your neck in the same position for a long time, for example at a desk.

MedlinePlus lists a computer screen positioned too high or too low, and bending over a desk for an hour or more, among common triggers of neck pain, so it is worth adjusting these.

What about special office equipment? A Cochrane review of ergonomic changes for office workers found inconsistent evidence that arm supports or alternative computer mice prevent neck or shoulder problems, no clear effect from workstation adjustments or sit-stand desks, and only very low-quality evidence that extra short breaks reduce neck and shoulder discomfort (Hoe et al., 2018). So the simple NHS advice on movement and posture above remains the place to start.

When to see a doctor and what treatment involves

See a doctor (NHS, MedlinePlus) if:

shoulder pain is getting worse or has not improved after 2 weeks, or it is very difficult to move your arm or shoulder;
neck pain or stiffness does not go away after a few weeks, or painkillers have not worked;
you have pins and needles, numbness or weakness in your arm or hand, or a cold arm;
you have swollen glands or a lump in your neck (see benjolan di leher);
the pain gets worse when you lie down or wakes you up at night;
you have shoulder pain with a fever, swelling or redness.

Get an urgent appointment (NHS) if you have sudden or very bad shoulder pain, cannot move your arm, your shoulder has changed shape or is badly swollen, there is no feeling in your arm, the pain started after a fall or accident, you develop severe pain in both shoulders, you feel feverish or unwell, or you have severe neck pain that starts suddenly or gets worse quickly, or pain between your shoulder blades.

What the doctor may do: examine your shoulder or neck and ask about your pain. Tests are often not needed at first, but you may have an X-ray, ultrasound, MRI or blood tests depending on the cause (NHS, MedlinePlus). Treatment depends on the cause and may include stronger medicine or injections, physiotherapy or exercises to do at home, and referral to a specialist.

Where to go in Malaysia: start at a klinik kesihatan or a GP. If needed, they can refer you to physiotherapy or an orthopaedic clinic at a government hospital, or to a private specialist.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Sakit bahu kiri pertanda apa (what does left shoulder pain mean)?

MedlinePlus says the most common cause of shoulder pain is irritated rotator cuff tendons (rotator cuff tendinitis or bursitis); other causes include frozen shoulder, arthritis and poor posture. But MedlinePlus says sudden left shoulder pain can sometimes be a sign of a heart attack. Call 999 if you have sudden pressure or crushing pain, especially if it spreads from your chest to your left jaw, arm or neck, or comes with shortness of breath, dizziness or sweating.

Sakit bahu kanan pertanda apa (what does right shoulder pain mean)?

As on the left, right shoulder pain is commonly caused by a problem in the shoulder itself, such as rotator cuff tendinitis, bursitis or arthritis. Sometimes, pain is felt in the shoulder from a problem somewhere else (referred pain). For example, the NHS says inflammation of the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis) causes sudden, sharp pain in the upper right side of the tummy that spreads towards the right shoulder. See a doctor urgently if you have this kind of pain.

Cara hilangkan sakit bahu dan leher (how to ease shoulder and neck pain)?

The NHS advises staying active and moving gently, taking paracetamol or ibuprofen, and using heat or cold packs. Sit up straight with your shoulders down and gently back, use a low, firm pillow and avoid keeping your neck in one position for a long time. Do not stop using your shoulder completely, and do not make up strenuous exercises or use heavy gym equipment.

Berapa lama sakit bahu akan baik (how long does shoulder pain last)?

The NHS says you usually need to look after shoulder pain for about 2 weeks before it starts to ease, and it can take 6 months or longer to recover fully. Most neck pain lasts only a few weeks. See a GP if shoulder pain gets worse or has not improved after 2 weeks, or if neck pain does not go away after a few weeks.

Apa itu frozen shoulder (bahu beku) dan berapa lama?

Frozen shoulder is when the shoulder becomes painful and stiff for months, sometimes years. The pain can be worse at night. MedlinePlus says women aged 40 to 70 are most affected, and diabetes, thyroid problems, menopause and recent breast surgery are among the risk factors. With physiotherapy and medicine, motion often returns within a year, and even without treatment it often gets better within 2 years.

Sakit tengkuk tanda darah tinggi (is neck pain a sign of high blood pressure)?

Not usually. The NHS says high blood pressure usually causes no symptoms, so you may not realise you have it. The NHS lists the most common causes of neck pain as sleeping with the neck in an awkward position, bad posture, a pinched nerve and injuries such as whiplash. The only way to know your blood pressure is to have it checked.

Bila sakit leher perlu ke hospital (when is neck pain an emergency)?

Get help right away if you have a fever and headache with a neck so stiff you cannot touch your chin to your chest, as this may be meningitis. Call 999 for neck or arm pain with signs of a heart attack, such as chest pain, shortness of breath or sweating. Also get urgent help after a fall or injury, or if you have weakness or pins and needles in your arms, problems walking or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a doctor. Health supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

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