The shoulder is one of the most moveable joints in the body. With all of the action it can create, there are a lot of moving parts that you must ensure stay healthy and working properly.
Learn about the causes of shoulder pain, home treatment and medical treatment.
Shoulder Parts:
The wide range of movement in the shoulder comes from several parts: The rotator cuff which contain four muscles, ad additional group of three muscles, four shoulder joints and finally, tendons.
With all of these moving parts, it is no wonder the shoulder is a common area for pain. Overuse, inflammation, and injury are well-known causes of shoulder pain. However, in order to pinpoint where the pain originates, it is best to determine the exact cause of pain.
Causes of Shoulder Pain:
- Rotator cuff tendons get trapped, causing inflammation which leads to tendinitis or bursitis.
- Arthritis in the shoulder, resulting from inflammation
- Injury such as a dislocated shoulder, separation of the shoulder or broken shoulder bone
- Overuse and poor posture
- Frozen shoulder, where tendons become stiff and the shoulder becomes very difficult to move properly.
- Bone spurs
- Inflammation in the bursa, a fluid-filled sac that helps the shoulder stay lubricated
Care for Shoulder Pain at Home:
In many cases of shoulder overuse or minor inflammation, there are a series of things you can try to ease and heal your shoulder at home. First, ice the painful area for 15-20 minutes two-to-three times per day. Second, try taking ibuprophen or acetaminophen to reduce inflammation. It is also important to rest as much as possible. If the shoulder feels better, try slowly returning to your activities. You may wish to see a physical therapist as well.
Practicing good posture is a great way to prevent shoulder pain. In addition, taking proper care to stretch the area before and after exercise keeps blood flowing to those areas and promotes healing. If you have existing shoulder pain, you will want to do regular specific stretches and exercises to keep your tendons from going stiff.
What to Expect at an Appointment:
In most cases, the form of non-invasive treatment would include a steroid injection. This can be used to treat frozen shoulder, bursitis, tendonitis, and general inflammation. Many shoulder pain issues can be treated either at home or with a non-surgical treatment. If you have been experiencing shoulder pain that won’t go away, try visiting a physical therapist or making an appointment at our office.
