Shoulder Pain
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is an extremely common complaint, and there are many common causes of this condition. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause to cure the shoulder pain.
Causes
- Rotatarcuff tendinitis: common cause of shoulder pain is when rotator cuff tendons become trapped under the bony area in the shoulder. The tendons become inflamed or damaged
- Arthritis in the shoulder joint
- Bone spurs in the shoulder area
- Bursitis, inflammation of a fluid-filled sac (bursa) that normally protects the joint and helps it move smoothly
- Broken shoulder bone
- Frozen shoulder, which occurs when the muscles, tendons, and ligaments inside the shoulder become stiff, making movement difficult and painful
- Overuse or injury of nearby tendons, such as the bicep muscles of your arms
- Dislocation of your shoulder
Treatment
The treatment of shoulder pain depends entirely on the cause of the problem.
- Not all treatments listed here are appropriate for every condition, but may be helpful in your situation.
- Rest: The first treatment for many common conditions that cause shoulder pain is to rest the joint, and allow the acute inflammation to subside
- Ice and heat application: Ice packs and heat pads are among the most commonly used treatments for shoulder pain.
- Stretching exercise : Stretching the muscles and tendons that surround the joint can help with some causes of shoulder pain
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy is an important aspect of treatment of almost all orthopedic conditions. In physical therapy different modalities are use to increase strength, regain mobility, and help return patients to their pre-injury level of activity.
- Strengthening exercise may help you strengthen the muscles around the joint and relieve the pain associated with many conditions.