Shoulder pain is a condition that affects many people of all ages. From young athletes to active seniors, shoulder pain can occur for many different reasons. If you have pain in your shoulder that lasts longer than a week or affects your daily routine, you should visit your physician.
There are various ways for a doctor to determine shoulder pain causes. He can do x-rays or cat scans or sometimes just doing a physical exam will help him diagnose the cause.
Here are some common causes and treatments for severe shoulder pain:
9 Common Causes For Severe Shoulder Pain
1. Strains, sprains or injury
We can often cause shoulder pain by doing an unusual activity or moving in an awkward way. If you are playing a sport or exercising, you can sprain or injure your shoulder. Athletes suffer from rotor cuff injuries or even breaks or serious sprains.
Even if you aren’t an athlete, you can hurt your shoulder by lifting weights or even in a car accident. shoulder pain treatment for this type of injury ranges from over the counter pain medicine to injections and prescription drugs.
2. Tendonitis and Bursitis
Tendonitis and Bursitis are two conditions that affect the tendons and tissues in and around your shoulder. These areas can become inflamed and irritated and if not treated, the area of pain can spread further than your shoulder. This nagging, uncomfortable pain usually leaves patients discouraged and irritable.
Treatment for tendonitis can be ice therapy, heat therapy or cortisone shots. Cortisone shots are delivered directly into the affected area to stop the pain and promote healing. Bursitis occurs when the sacs of fluid around your joints become inflamed. This can cause sharp, constant pain in your shoulder. Treatment for this includes ice therapy, cortisone shots, and pain relievers.
3. Slipped disc
Slipped disc is one of the shoulder pain causes. You have discs in your spine from the top of your neck to the base of your back. If one of these discs slips out of place or becomes herniated-it can cause shoulder pain. These discs help us move and to do the things we need to do. When one is injured, it can affect many areas of your body with pain and discomfort.
Treatment for slipped discs includes ice therapy (applying cold packs to the affected area), cortisone shots and sometimes even surgery is required to repair the disc and ease the shoulder pain.
4. Dislocations
A dislocated shoulder is a serious injury that needs immediate medical attention. A shoulder can become dislocated through an injury or sometimes as a result of an old illness. Treatment for this type of injury requires the skill and expertise of medical professionals. You should never attempt to put your shoulder back into place yourself. Doctors usually prescribe painkillers for the after-effects of a dislocation but some patients find that the pain is gone once the shoulder is back where it should be.
5. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects many thousands of people with a deep pain throughout their body. Some patients note the pain in certain areas of their body such as their back or shoulder. While there is no definitive cause for fibromyalgia, it is a condition where the nerves and the receptors in the body become overactive and cause chronic pain. Treatment for this condition ranges from medication to other types of therapy.
6. Whiplash
People often mistakenly believe that whiplash from an accident only affects your neck and back. However, it has been well proven that your shoulders can also be affected by the sudden jerking motion occurring usually in a car accident. This type of jerking motion jars the bones, muscles, and tendons throughout your body, including your shoulders. Treatment for this type of pain is usually rest, ice therapy, and pain relievers. Time should improve the pain associated with whiplash.
7. Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the shoulder pain causes.It is a common condition that can affect shoulders and cause chronic pain. This type of condition usually comes with age and the wear and tear we visit on our bodies. Usually, those of a certain age can begin to feel the effects such as pain and stiffness in the shoulder. Treatment for this type of condition is usually exercise, medicine and some type of ice therapy.
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8. Frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder is a condition that affects the movement in one or both of your shoulders. It can come on suddenly or have a slow onset over time. People usually notice this pain when they go to reach for something or move in a certain way. As they attempt to move or lift, their shoulder seems “frozen” and becomes very painful to move. Treatment for frozen shoulder is usually medicine and physical therapy to increase the motion of the arm and to lessen pain.
9. Thoracic Outlet
Thoracic Outlet is a condition where the blood vessels between the collarbone and approximately the first rib are pressed in or damaged. This can cause shooting pain in your shoulder and arm, as well as numbness or tingling in the fingers. Thoracic outlet usually occurs from sports strain; repetitive movements such at work or even a car accident. Treatment normally consists of treatment of pain with medication and physical therapy to promote healing.
10. Brachial plexus injury
The brachial plexus is made up of a group of nerves that sends signals from your shoulders to your arm and fingers. These nerves can become stretched or even torn causing pain, numbness and even the loss of the use of the arm. Football players and other sports players can experience this injury which can cause severe pain. shoulder pain treatment consists of surgery using nerve grafts and other procedures to help return function to the patient.
Shoulder pain causes – Video Tips
As you can see, there are many shoulder pain causes but fortunately, there are also various options for the treatment of it, as well. You do not have to immediately resort to injections or surgery. There are therapies and other natural remedies you can choose first. As always, check with your physician for an accurate diagnosis and to find the best course of treatment for your injury or condition.
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