Your shoulder has bones, joints, ligaments, acromion, tendons, muscles, the bursa, and the rotator cuff. Although the ball and socket joint of your shoulder is excellent for providing you with a range of motions, it leaves you susceptible to instability issues that may cause shoulder pain Shrewsbury. Your shoulder is at more risk of dislocation than any other joint. You may need to visit your doctor if you feel severe pain making it difficult to use your shoulder, your shoulder appears deformed, there is inflammation, and you have hand or arm numbness or weakness.
The pain you feel may prevent you from having a good night’s sleep and fail to disappear after using anti-inflammatory medications.
Subsequently, below are common reasons you may have shoulder pain and discomfort.
- Rotator cuff injuries
The rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and tendons surrounding your shoulder joint, which keeps the head of your upper arm bone within the shoulder’s swallow socket in a firm manner. The rotator cuff is essential to help you move and lift your arms.
Often you may have a rotator cuff injury because the muscles and tendons forming the rotator cuff get damaged through progressive wear and tear. For instance, frequent heavy lifting can irritate and damage your shoulder joint’s tissues, bones, and tendons. Still, a single accident, such as a fall, can strain and injure your rotator cuff.
An injury can cause a partial or full tear of your rotator cuff. If you have a partial rotator cuff tear, you may get relief from physical therapy, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, and RICE therapy.
- Tendinitis
Tendinitis is an irritation and inflammation that affects the thick fibrous cords, called tendons, that attach your muscles to the bone. The condition leads to pain, discomfort, and tenderness outside a joint.
Apart from the shoulder, tendinitis also often affects elbows, wrists, heels, and knees. The inflammation and irritation of the tendons of your shoulder joint may come from repeated straining, such as when you are playing tennis or painting a room.
- Bursitis
The bursa is a closed sac filled with fluid, essential for cushioning and providing a gliding surface for your joints. You can find the major bursae adjacent to tendons in your larger joints, including your shoulder, elbows, knees, and hips.
Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa due to exposure to repeated motions or a sudden injury, particularly from a fall.
- Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder
Also called frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis may result from the thickening and tightening of the connective tissue enclosing your shoulder joint. The shoulder joint becomes stiff, making it painful to move.
Treatments for a frozen shoulder may involve ice and heat therapy, anti-inflammation and pain medications, physical therapy, and shoulder arthroscopy.
- Impingement syndrome
An impingement syndrome, also called swimmer’s shoulder, results from a tendon rubbing on your shoulder blade. The top outer edge of your shoulder called the acromion, pinches or rubs against the underneath rotator cuff. As a result, you will feel shoulder pain and irritation.
You may also have shoulder pain because of a heart attack, bone spurs, arthritis, cervical radiculopathy, and thoracic outlet syndrome.
Contact Acupuncture Health Services today to schedule an appointment with a specialist in shoulder pain.
