Why do I experience pain when I drink malt beverages?

Question

And no, this isn't a joke where the answer is "If you'd stop drinking you'd stop falling down and hurting yourself."

Seriously...

Every time I drink wine coolers or malt beverages (particularly Smirnoff Black and their other varieties) I get a very uncomfortable pain in my shoulder(s) and back. It feels like intense muscle fatigue/soreness. When I say intense, I mean it is so uncomfortable it's unbearable.

Usually by the time I finish one the pain starts. I don't drink a lot and I rarely mix alcoholic drink-types.

This pain occurs only when I drink wine coolers and malt beverages. This doesn't happen when I drink beer, wine, or hard liquor.

The pain goes away with time.

Frustrating!

Answer 1

Stop drinking girlie drinks and step up to the pros, old english and steel reserves.  You will feel like a champ

Answer 2

Welll, I know that abdominal pain can be "referred" to the shoulder area.  A good friend who had hepatitis B had no abd pain but shoulder pain (no I'm not suggesting you have hep B, just using this as an example of an abdominal organ causing shoulder pain).  So liver?  But this doesn't happen with beer (actually beer is a malt beverage), wine, or hard liquor, you say.  I wonder if what you're drinking in those beverages is really acidic.  I know some are fruity...could be this stuff is irritating your stomach (gastritis, not necessarily a full on ulcer) and/or esophagus?

I'd recommend a check up with your doctor, a physical if you're due for one and be sure you mention this.  A couple of blood tests can rule out some of the more nasty possibilities for abd problems with referred shoulder pain (gallbladder or liver disease).  In the meantime, if it were me, I'd give the booze a rest and lay off tylenol, at least until liver function tests were done.  

Good luck!