What causes chest, shoulder pain?

Dr, I have had burning pain on the right side of my chest/ shoulder. The pain started in 2014 but I didn’t take it seriously since it was on and off. It would start when I sat in one place. However, it has persisted. These days it is severe at night and causes paralysis in my right hand when I am asleep. I had an x-ray done and the skeletal frame work was normal. I am really scared about this? Kindly advice .
Reagan Magombe

Dear Reagan
A burning sensation in the right chest much as it may be referred from the gullet when one has acid reflux, is usually due to nerve problems, some nerves being the sensors to an ailing body part hence informing the victim of the ailment through pain.
The pain much as it is disliked is important in making one aware of an ailment so that it is dealt with before leading to irreversible health problems or even death of the body part or of the whole affected person.
The nerves will give all kinds of pain burning or otherwise depending on the type of affected sensory nerves and paralysis if the nerve is motor.
The chest nerves come from between the vertebrae of the neck and the nerves to the arms also come from the neck so that your likely problem may be from what is called a pinched nerve from the neck (cervico-brachialgia).
Much as nerves may get pressure problems (pinched) resulting from outgrowths of bones on the vertebrae (spondylosis) or even the cushions between the neck vertebrae being displaced or worn out due to advanced age, today many people are getting pressure on neck nerves form heavy hand or computer bag straps.
Too small or too big pillows are also doing the neck nerves damage leading to the kind of pain you have. I don’t know how long you keep on mobile phones because the posture from cell phones can also cause problems.
A plain x-ray of the neck is usually enough to indicate neck nerve problems and if it does not, a CT scan of the neck can be done and treatment given according to findings.
Meanwhile, avoid putting pressure on nerves by getting an appropriately sized pillow, minimising time on your cell phone and using two strapped laptop bags with a strap on each shoulder.
Avoiding using hand bags on shoulders. Physiotherapy by the experts together with drugs or even surgery if required according to findings can end your misery.