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What are the common causes of shoulder pain?

The shoulder is a complex joint, and we can move in different directions due to a ball and socket structure in the shoulder. But this excellent mobility sometimes comes with instability. As a result, the shoulder tends to become susceptible to injury and pain. Patients with shoulder problems most commonly complain of pain. However, it is not just the structures in and around the shoulder joint responsible for pain; several medical conditions are responsible for the pain.

But a layman thinks that shoulder pain is caused due to a couple of medical conditions. So the most important thing a doctor does to treat your shoulder pain is; to find its root cause. Then, in addition to treating your pain, you can prevent it from occurring in the future.

Often, the shoulder is in pain is caused due to issues within the joint itself or in its surrounding tissues. However, on rare occasions, the pain may originate from other structures in the body like the spine, heart, lung, and diaphragm. Therefore, the doctor needs to find out what the causing the shoulder pain.

Common causes of shoulder pain include:

Poor posture – Shoulder pain can result from posture while sitting or standing. When you are in a round shoulder posture, the shoulder joint is positioned so that the risk of damage to the bursa, muscles, and tendons increases.

If you wish, you can try the following posture on your own;

Put your back into a poor position (slouching backwards and leaning your shoulders forward) and raise your arms above your head. Most likely, they won’t go far, and you can feel the stress on your shoulders. 

Now sit in a good position (with your back straight and your shoulder blades tucked in) and once again lift your arms; you can observe that they can reach over the head without straining.

Repetitive overhead activity – During the overhead actions, the shoulder tendon and shoulder blade come closer together, the space between them narrows. When it happens, the tendons under the shoulder blade bone become pinched. This can cause a lot of pain and is referred to as impingement syndrome.

Chronic pain in the shoulder area is often caused by continuous, repetitive, and awkward motions. The condition is RSI – repetitive strain injury or cumulative trauma disorder. 

The condition often affects people whose work involves raising the arm above the shoulders, such as housewives, professors, painters, plumbers, and athletes who play certain sports like badminton, overhead throwing, etc. Eventually, this may cause fraying and tears in those muscles and even occur without trauma.

Trauma – Shoulder pain can sometimes be caused by trauma. Whether you fall on your arm in two-wheelers accidents, making quick movements while trying to avoid falling, any of these can result in sudden injury such as broken bones or damage of tendons & ligaments. Moreover, there’s a possibility of shoulder dislocation, which results in pain.

Natural ageing or degeneration – Degenerative rotator cuff disease is one of the common degenerative conditions that causes tendinitis and rotator cuff tear. Arthritis is another common degenerative condition that affects your shoulder joint and is commonly seen in the elderly. 

Arthritis is a degenerative disorder that can inflame any joint of the body. It most commonly affects the joints that bear weight, such as the hip and knee. Sometimes, people may experience shoulder arthritis, leading to severe pain and loss of range of motion.

Medical illness – Patients with specific medical conditions like diabetes, thyroid disorders, RA – Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Neuro problems are more likely to experience shoulder pain. The shoulder joint is commonly affected by diabetes in multiple ways. The most common diabetic condition affecting the shoulder is adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder. Around 19% of diabetic patients suffer from this condition, more prevalent in the right shoulder. This condition causes pain that limits the range of shoulder motion, especially external rotation. You may also feel pain even while putting on a T-shirt and reaching your back. 

RA can inflame the rotator cuff muscle, biceps, and sub-acromial bursa, harrowing conditions. 

No apparent reason (idiopathic) – In some cases, shoulders hurt without apparent cause. It is essential to rule out repetitive strains resulting from overhead actions and poor posture in such cases. In addition, calcific tendonitis and adhesive capsulitis can damage the shoulder without any apparent reason.

Often, shoulder pain is associated with a lack of mobility or muscle weakness that supports your shoulder. An evaluation by the doctor is the first step in initiating the proper treatment. Tests like X-rays and MRIs might be done to diagnose the condition.

If you have shoulder pain, you don’t have to live with it; consult a doctor and get it treated. There are many treatment options to provide relief from shoulder pain. The latest and advanced technology ensures rapid recovery and quick return to regular activities. Call +91 99595 88389 to consult a top shoulder surgeon in Hyderabad.

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