Things to know about Shoulder Pain

Image Source: Total Orthocare


Our shoulder is one of the largest, complex, and most versatile joints in our body allowing a wide range of motion of the arms. The shoulder joint is formed where the humerus (upper arm bone) fits into the scapula (shoulder blade), like a ball and socket. Suffering a direct or indirect injury to the shoulders or any surrounding muscles, ligaments or tendons can cause pain and limit our movement of our arms to a great extent. Other than an injury various other conditions and diseases that affect the surrounding chest region can also cause shoulder pain. These are not a direct pain in the shoulders but due to other known or unknown conditions and are known as referred shoulder pain.

There are various conditions related to Shoulder pain:

> Frozen Shoulder: Development of Inflammation causes shoulder pain and stiffness in our shoulder. As a frozen shoulder progresses, movement in the shoulder can become severely limited.

> Osteoarthritis: The common "wear-and-tear" arthritis that occurs with aging. The shoulders are less often affected by osteoarthritis as compared to the knees.

> Rheumatoid arthritis: A form of arthritis in which the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect any joint, including the shoulders resulting in shoulder pain.

> Gout: A form of arthritis in which crystals form in the joints, causing inflammation and pain. The shoulder is usually an uncommon location for gout.

> Rotator cuff tear: A tear in one of the muscles or tendons surrounding the top of the humerus (upper arm bone). A rotator cuff tear may be due to a sudden injury, or a result from gradual overuse.

> Shoulder dislocation: This is one of the most common conditions that occurs due to a sudden injury. The humerus or one of the other bones in the shoulder slips out of position. Raising the arm causes shoulder pain and a "popping" sensation if the shoulder is dislocated.

There are various other types of conditions that result in shoulder pain such as avascular necrosis, bursitis, brachial plexus injury, broken arm, cervical radiculopathy and many more. Shoulder pain accompanied by difficulty breathing or a sense of tightness in the chest may be a symptom of a heart attack and requires immediate medical attention.

In order for a patient suffering from shoulder pain, due to any conditions, to return to normal life, a proper diagnosis or treatment must be conducted by an orthopedic surgeon or a bone specialist. Before the treatment or any sort of surgery which is the last resort, there are a couple of tests performed to rule out the underlying cause of the shoulder pain. These may include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, Computed Tomography (CT) scan, and X-Ray.

After the tests, once the specialist knows the exact reason then based on it the next treatment procedures are carried out. Some of the treatments include:

> Pain relievers: Over-the-counter relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can relieve most shoulder pain. More severe shoulder pain may require prescription medications.

> Physical therapy: An exercise program can strengthen shoulder muscles and improve flexibility in the shoulder. Physical therapy is an effective, nonsurgical treatment for many shoulder conditions.

> RICE therapy: RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression (not usually necessary), and Elevation. RICE can improve pain and swelling of many shoulder injuries.

> Shoulder surgery: Surgery is generally performed to help make the shoulder joint more stable. Shoulder surgery may be arthroscopic (several small incisions) or open (large incision).

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