The REAL Cause of Neck & Shoulder Pain

Berg describes this self-test as a quick diagnostic tool. He claims that when you manually massage under the right rib cage—the area of the gallbladder—you can often find a tender knot. Holding pressure on that spot will, in over 80% of cases, lead to an immediate loosening or relief in the right shoulder, neck, or scapular area. He explains that this works because the congestion in the gallbladder/liver is physically massaged, reducing the pressure that irritates the phrenic nerve. The instant feedback allows you to distinguish between local musculoskeletal problems and referred visceral pain. He emphasizes that the ultimate correction is dietary and supplemental, not continued manual therapy, but the test empowers you to identify the root cause.

Berg identifies multiple common causes of bile deficiency, which he says is the root problem. Estrogen dominance from hormonal contraceptives or replacement therapy is a major one for women. Medications like statins, antibiotics, and antidepressants can damage the liver, impairing bile synthesis. Alcohol and a diet high in junk foods, carbohydrates, sugar, starches, and grains also contribute. He argues that simply avoiding these triggers can resolve the sludge without the need for supplements, though taurine and bile salts may accelerate the process. The diet essentially eliminates liver-stressors and insulin-spiking foods to restore healthy bile flow. He emphasizes that this is 'purely dietary' and not fixable with drugs or surgery.

Berg mentions Toddka as a powerful remedy to thin bile sludge. He notes that bile salts also have other benefits, including reducing fat on the liver and supporting the eyes, brain, and pancreas. No dosage or timing is provided, but the implication is that this supplement can speed recovery when combined with dietary changes.

Berg states that often dietary change alone is enough, but if an addition is needed, taurine is the key because bile salts are synthesized from taurine. He does not detail dosage, but the mention implies a simple, widely available supplement.

Berg argues that the phrenic nerve, which originates in the neck and controls the diaphragm, also receives sensory signals from the gallbladder and outer liver. When bile becomes thick and sludgy—due to an imbalance of cholesterol and bile salts—it creates pressure in the biliary ducts, which irritates the phrenic nerve and refers pain to the right neck, shoulder, and even down the arm. He points out that this stage before gallstone formation is often overlooked. The problem is a deficiency of bile, caused by factors like estrogen dominance from birth control or hormone replacement, medications (statins, antibiotics, antidepressants), alcohol, and a diet high in junk foods, carbohydrates, sugar, and grains. Because the nerve pathway is two-way, congestion in the abdomen triggers pain signals perceived in the neck/shoulder, making people chase treatments that don't address the root cause. Berg's personal frustration as a chiropractic student underscores his point: he entered chiropractic college to fix his own shoulder pain, and it never worked because he was treating the symptom, not the gallbladder. The solution is dietary and supplemental, not manipulative.

Berg, referencing the textbook 'Bile Salts in Health and Disease', notes that early physicians thought bile had no advantage and that its stagnation caused damage. Only in the 1800s, when researchers extracted bile and found it could clean grease from hands like soap, did they realize it was a detergent for fats. This discovery linked bile to its essential role in breaking down dietary fats. Berg uses this anecdote to highlight that bile's importance extends beyond digestion; when it's stuck, it creates systemic problems, including referred pain. The ancient Greeks' focus on bodily fluids was prescient, but the mechanistic understanding lagged for millennia.