Do you feel a sharp pain every time you reach your arm overhead? Or have you found that you can’t lay on one side because if you do your shoulder will ache?
If this sounds like you, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you are experiencing shoulder pain. But let’s dive into what shoulder pain really is and what could be causing your shoulder pain.
What is shoulder pain?
Shoulder pain is any discomfort that you feel directly in the shoulder joint area or pain that may be radiating from your shoulder down towards your elbow.
What are the symptoms of shoulder pain?
Typically people will describe shoulder pain as either a sharp pinch when they move their arm or a dull ache in the shape of a palm print around the shoulder area.
Individuals can also experience a burning sensation in their shoulder. This is typically secondary to the presence of inflammation in the area.
What are the causes?
Shoulder pain can occur secondary to an acute trauma or it can be the result of chronic use of improper mechanics when moving your arms.
As you age, you may also be more likely to experience shoulder pain secondary to changes in the joint surfaces or changes at the level of the muscles and tendons.
If you have a metabolic condition, this could result in chronic inflammation in your shoulder joint and cause significant pain.
Potential Diagnoses
There are a wide array of potential diagnoses that could be at the root of your shoulder pain.
Here is a list of some common diagnoses that cause shoulder pain:
- Shoulder impingement
- Rotator cuff strain or tear
- Subacromial bursitis
- Shoulder joint arthritis
- Bicep tendinitis
- Acromioclavicular joint sprain
It’s important to have a skilled practitioner help you diagnose your shoulder pain and guide you towards treatments to effectively treat the issue.
Did you know?
The pain you are experiencing in your shoulder may not be stemming from your shoulder. A common place for the neck to refer pain is the shoulder.
If a nerve in your neck is pinched or if you have sprained a joint in your neck, you may experience pain in the shoulder that corresponds to the damaged side in your neck.
This is why it’s important to address your posture if you are experiencing any form of shoulder pain. By enhancing your postural awareness, you take stress off of the nerves and joints in your neck.
And if you find that this alleviates your shoulder pain, you may very well be dealing with a neck issue and not a shoulder problem at all.
