Neck/trap pain only when my arms are raised or in use for a while. Anyone experienced this?

I've been dealing with this for around 6–8 months and haven't been able to figure it out despite seeing multiple doctors and physiotherapists.

The pain is mainly in my upper traps (usually starts on the left, then both sides begin hurting). The strange part is that I have no pain when my arms are relaxed by my sides.

The pain starts when my arms are held up or in front of me for a while, such as:

• Using a mouse or keyboard
• Holding a phone to my ear
• Holding an umbrella
• Brushing my teeth
• Any activity where my elbows are bent and my arms stay in front of me

It doesn't seem to matter whether my elbows are supported or not. I also don't think it's just because I'm looking down at a laptop or phone, because even standing upright while holding an umbrella brings on the pain.

I do have cervical and lumbar disc bulges, so initially I thought it was coming from my neck, but now I'm not so sure. Generic advice like chin tucks, stretches, posture correction, and basic physio exercises hasn't made much difference.

Has anyone experienced something similar? If you eventually found the cause, what was it? Was it related to your neck, shoulder blade mechanics, muscles, nerves, or something else? More importantly, what actually helped you recover?

I'm honestly exhausted trying to figure this out, so I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through something similar.