When it comes to listing parts of the body where you commonly feel pain, the shoulders may be almost at the last number on your list—not unless one simple task suddenly, such as reaching for an item overhead, wreaks havoc to it. Shoulder pain may range from mild to excruciating. Some may be treated quickly just by taking over-the-counter medicine, while others may need a professional’s help for recovery. Landing on this page only means one thing: you’re looking for the best shoulder pain treatment. Don’t worry. We got you covered!
Shoulder pain or injury?
Shoulder pain is caused by various factors. You may get it from overuse while doing repetitive tasks causing tension to it most of the time or it may be due to an injury from playing a sport. Whatever the cause is, the symptoms of shoulder problems are not subtle in letting you know there is something wrong. But how do you know whether the shoulder problem that you have is just the usual pain that can be treated with rest and simple medicine or already an injury that needs serious medical attention?
The following are signs that signal the alarm that you have shoulder injury and immediately need to see a doctor:
- You feel pain that is sudden, intense, and sharp
- You feel weak or numb in your arm or hand
- You notice bruising or swelling around your shoulder
- Your shoulder looks deformed
- Your shoulders range of movement is limited or you cannot move your shoulder at all
- The pain you feel only worsens over time
- The pain does not respond to any treatment done or medication taken at home
Below are the common injuries that can happen to the shoulder:
- Bursitis
- Calcific tendonitis
- Cartilage tear
- Dislocation
- Fracture
- Frozen shoulder
- Separation
Bursitis. The shoulder has a sac that is filled with fluid and serves as a cushion in the joint. This sac can be damaged due to injury, such as falling, or it can also get irritated and inflamed following constant and repetitive movements. Bursitis may also be caused by health conditions like gout, infection, obesity, or rheumatoid arthritis.
Calcific tendonitis. This is an uncommon shoulder condition that happens when excess deposits of calcium crowd through the tendons in the shoulder. The shoulder becomes even more irritated and feels twice the pain when the build up is not addressed and continues to grow.
Cartilage tear. The cartilage is a rubber-like pad that surrounds the shoulder joint’s rim. The cartilage works to keep the shoulder joints stable and allow the bones to work smoothly with less friction. Similar to bursitis, a tear in the shoulder’s cartilage can occur when performing a movement over and over again or when extreme force is absorbed by the shoulder. Your shoulder will become weak and feel like the bones are grinding or locking when the cartilage is torn.
Dislocation. Shoulder dislocation happens when the top of the arm suddenly pops out of the socket. This happens when the shoulder is rotated extensively or is pulled back with too much force. Symptoms of this problem include bruising, inflammation, numbness, pain, and weakness in the shoulder.
Fracture. Shoulder fractures often happen to the arm bone nearest to the shoulder (humerus) or the collarbone (clavicle). The cracking or breaking of any of these areas is usually due to getting hit hard or falling. You will know when you have a broken collarbone as you will feel excruciating pain and see your shoulder sag all of a sudden. You might also not be able to lift or move your arms when this happens.
Frozen shoulder. Another name for frozen shoulders is adhesive capsulitis. This is a condition that usually develops when the shoulder’s connective tissue located in the ball-and-socket joint becomes thick and stiff. As a result, moving your arm or shoulder is coupled with extreme pain. While you may think resting your shoulder will make the situation a whole lot better, it actually won’t. The problem will worsen if the arm is moved less and will eventually feel as though it is frozen permanently in place. Frozen shoulder is most common in people who are diagnosed with diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.
Separation. Shoulder separation is an injury that affects the acromioclavicular joint. This is the joint that connects the shoulder blade and clavicle. You will know when you have an injury in this area when the clavicle ends up being pushed out of its place or when the joint’s ligaments become torn as a result of a hard blow to the shoulder.
Medical conditions associated with shoulder pain
Not all pain felt in the shoulder is due to an injury or damage to its parts. Sometimes these can be linked to an underlying medical condition. It is imperative that you should see a doctor if there is pain in your shoulders that you feel is not caused by injury or overuse. Here are some examples of these conditions.
- Heart attack – Symptoms include breathing problems, tightness in the chest, shoulder pain
- Referred pain – This condition projects pain to the shoulder when the actual ailment concerns other organs in the body, such as the liver or gallbladder and not the shoulder itself.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – An autoimmune condition which happens when the immune system of the body mistakes the protective lining of the joint as a threat and begins to attack it. This leads to pain and stiffness felt in the shoulders.
Best treatments for shoulder pain or injury
There are many ways to treat shoulder pain or injury. These are the best and most effective:
- Adjusting activities to minimize arm usage
- Anti-inflammation medications
- Physiotherapy sessions
- Rest
- Steroid injections
- Surgery
Physiotherapy for shoulder pain or injury
Incorporating physiotherapy to treat your shoulder pain or injury is highly beneficial as the treatments used in physiotherapy sessions aim to rehabilitate your shoulder, help you recover, and ultimately be able to enjoy doing certain activities you love that have been impeded by your shoulder problem.
Physiotherapy uses various techniques to address shoulder pain. These include:
- Cortisone injections
- Cryotherapy
- Dry needling
- Electrotherapy
- Exercises
- Kinesio taping
- Manual therapy
- Soft tissue massage
- Stretches
- Thermotherapy
- Ultrasound therapy
When done regularly, physiotherapy sessions can help improve your shoulder’s ability to move and function properly.
Find out more about shoulder pain treatments by visiting Physioactive.
Physioactive
Camden Medical Centre #06-01 Singapore 248649
Phone: 6235 2347
