There is a wide range of work that our shoulders perform and whenever there is something wrong with our shoulders, there is a lot of pain and discomfort, hindering our daily activities. Pain in the shoulder can happen due to the malfunction of the muscles around the shoulder, thickening or inflammation of the tissue around the shoulder; destruction of the joints from arthritis. Shoulder pain can also occur due to the reduced movement in the joint, mainly due to the condition called frozen shoulder or due to arthritis.
Causes of Shoulder Pain
There were several factors that can contribute to shoulder pain. The most widespread causes include:
- Arthritis
- Ageing
- Torn cartilage
- Rotator cuff tears
- Swollen bursa sacs
- Tendons damage
- Bone spur
- A pinched nerve in the neck or shoulder
- Broken shoulder
- Frozen shoulder
- Dislocated shoulder
- Injury due to overuse or repetitive use
- Spinal cord injuries
Diagnosis of shoulder problems
A good history of the examination and condition can reveal the majority of shoulder disorders. Among the various tests that confirm the diagnoses include an x-ray of the shoulder that can help assess bones around the shoulder. As the majority of the shoulder problems happen due to problems of the soft tissues and therefore, an MRI scan of the shoulder is the best investigation. There are times when a dye is required to be injected into the shoulder before the scan is performed, so it is good to consult the doctor before the scanning is done.
Nonsurgical treatment for shoulder pain
For shoulder pains that may not require surgery, nonsurgical treatments are provided for the patients. Here are the few things that your doctor may suggest to relieve the symptoms of shoulder pain
- Physical Therapy
- Medicines
- Exercise
- Acupuncture
- Relaxation and breathtaking exercise
- Acupuncture
Surgical Treatment for Shoulder Pain
If the injury you have will not resolve on its own with the non surgical treatments, surgery may be recommended for you. Surgery is also advised if there are certain structural problems that are late to heal. This could include bone spurs, rotator cuff tear or loss of cartilage.
There are a number of shoulder surgeries that are available. Shoulder replacement surgery is quite successful in relieving pain and improving function in patients who suffer from shoulder arthritis. Surgical techniques for arthritic shoulders are also available that have rotator cuff tears such as reverse shoulder replacement, reversing locations of ball and socket in the shoulder.