Is your arm hurting vividly? Could that nagging shoulder ache be more than just muscle strain? Doing simple activities like lifting objects or moving your hands can cause shoulder pain. Approximately 67% of people experience shoulder pain once in their lifetime. 

Whether you’re working out in the gym or just moving your hands, shoulder pain hurts the most. In the initial stage, people take painkillers instead of taking proper treatment, which can further worsen shoulder pain and consequently lead to muscle stiffness and low mobility. 

As an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Kishore Kumar Panda has expertise in treating patients with shoulder pain. Several conditions can cause shoulder pain, so it’s important to know the causes, as this will help you stay cautious.

What is the most common reason for shoulder pain?

From making common errors during shoulder pain exercise to ignoring early symptoms, there are numerous reasons why you may be suffering from shoulder pain. Here, we discuss the 5 common causes of shoulder pain and their treatment.

#1 Rotator cuff injury

Did you know which muscles help the shoulder to lift and move? its muscles and tendons, and any distortion or damage to these muscles leads to difficulty in lifting objects and rotating arms. This further leads to extreme shoulder joint pain. Many activities that can cause rotator cuff injury, such as

• sudden trauma
• sports injury
• any overhead activities
• Sometimes, poor posture creates stress on the shoulder muscles

Treatment approach:

• Physical therapy, such as light exercise.
• Anti-inflammatory medications.
• Proper rest.
• Ice therapy.

#2 Shoulder Bursitis

Shoulders consist of muscles, tendons, and bones, which are cushioned with small fluid-filled sacs, known as shoulder bursae. 

Sometimes repetitive movements or injuries can affect those fluid-filled sacs and lead to shoulder bursitis.

When an individual suffers from bursitis, symptoms like tenderness, swelling, and pain appear.

Treatment approach:

• Anti-inflammatory medication.
• Complete rest.
• Ice therapy.
• In some cases, doctors prescribed steroid injections to reduce inflammation.

#3 Shoulder Arthritis

Arthritis not only affects the knee, but it also affects the shoulder muscles. When shoulder arthritis occurs, the cartilage between the shoulder joints wears down and causes extreme pain. 

Shoulder arthritis mostly develops in older individuals or people with any previous shoulder injury. 

Common symptoms include a grinding sensation, joint stiffness, limited motion, and pain that becomes worse over time.

Treatment approach:

• Medications to ease pain and swelling.
• Cold compress therapy.
• Avoid strenuous activities.
• Proper rest.
• Cortisone injections.

#4 Frozen Shoulder

The shoulder joint is surrounded by connective tissue, which helps in stabilising and lubricating the shoulder. However, due to some intense activities, this tissue becomes tight and thick, causing the shoulder to be hard to move. This is what we can call a frozen shoulder. 

According to NCBI, frozen shoulders mostly occur in people in the age group of 60 to 70 years. The condition often produces symptoms like discomfort, muscle tightness, continuous shoulder pain from sleeping,  restricted movement, and trouble performing daily activities.

Treatment approach:

• Physical therapy, like towel stretches and pendulum stretches quite effective.
• Cortisone injections.
• Medication to relieve pain.
• Arthroscopy surgery prescribed in rare yet most urgent cases.

#5 Shoulder dislocation

Sometimes, due to chronic sports injuries, sudden falls or accidents, the shoulder dislocates from its normal position. This condition causes pain, swelling, bruising, and numbness around the shoulder. If not treated in a timely manner, these conditions affect the surrounding muscles, bones, blood vessels, and tissues. These conditions require urgent medical attention.

Treatment approach:

• Surgeries to bring the shoulder back to its original location.
• Pain-relieving medication.
• Wearing braces or a sling for 4-6 weeks as it keeps the shoulder in the right location.
• Physiotherapy to increase strength and improve flexibility.

Conclusion

Suffering from shoulder pain can only make your life worse. Whether you sleep, walk, or normally move your arm, it can only bring stiffness and discomfort in any activity. You don’t need to tolerate pain as you can consult Dr Kishore Kumar Panda, an expert orthopaedic surgeon, who has helped many patients to live pain-free.