When i sneeze hard, it sends pain through my shoulders and arms. it is intense pain and lasts sometimes for aeveral minutes. what could cause this?

Pinched nerve/muscle: When you sneez, the muscles of your neck, especially in the back, undergo rapid and intense muscle contractions. This action may briefly pinch on the nerves going out from your neck to your arm causing the pain. Or, just the muscle contaction/spasm itself causes the pain. You may want to have this examined by your doc..

Neck issues: Aside from the acute muscular contraction involved in sneezing, another possible issue is neck arthritis and nerve exit canal narrowing. The nerves to the shoulders and arms come from the neck and the high intensity contractures can impact these nerves causing the pain you describe. You could consult with your orthopod and he is likely to suggest physical therapy.