SHOULDER PAIN
What Are Common Causes of Shoulder Pain?
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, and with increased mobility comes increased risk for injury. Some of the main causes of shoulder pain are rotator cuff tendonitis or impingement syndrome where the nerves of the rotator cuff muscles get caught between the acromion and the head of the humerus. It is also common for neck pain to cause a referral of pain symptoms into the shoulder and down into the arm.
Labral Tear
The labrum is a piece of fibrocartilage (rubbery tissue) attached to the rim of the shoulder socket that helps keep the ball of the joint in place. When this cartilage is torn, it is called a labral tear. The labrum typically tears due to sports injury or trauma, such as falling on an out stretched hand. If a person dislocates their shoulder it can almost guarantee they have torn their labrum.
Rotator Cuff Tear
Rotator cuff injuries or tears are one of the most common shoulder disorders. The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body and while it allows for such a vast amount of motion it makes it more prone to injury. Each year, almost 2 million people in the United States visit doctors because of a rotator cuff problem. Tears and injuries in the shoulder typically occur due to repetitive overhead motions both in sports and work.
Frozen Shoulder
Also known as “adhesive capsulitis,” is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in your shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms typically begin gradually, worsen over time and often require aggressive Physical Therapy or surgical intervention to regain movement in the joint. Any injury or damage to the shoulder can lead to a frozen shoulder by causing scarring, inflammation or shrinkage within the joint capsule.
Bursitis/Tendonitis
The term “itis” means inflammation. Your shoulder joint has both a bursae sac between the bone to help with shock absorption as well as tendons which attach your muscles to your bone to help with joint movement. Any type of over use or irritation to the bursae or tendon will cause inflammation to the area. Bursitis/Tendonitis are both rather painful causing significant discomfort with any joint movement. Treatment typically consists of rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy to help relieve strain on the affected area.
Dislocation
Shoulder dislocation typically occurs in elderly populations due to falling on an outstretched hand. Sometimes the bone will pop out of its socket and quickly go back in, known as a subluxation, but if the bone comes out of the joint and stays out it is considered a dislocation. This can cause severe pain and requires immediate medical attention to place the bone back into the socket and reduce the risk of any joint, muscle or nerve damage.
