shoulder pain

Under shoulder pain one understands discomfort of the musculature or the bones in the area of the shoulder. Mostly it is a harmless tension problem. The main symptom of shoulder pain is, of course, the pain, which can manifest itself in different ways and degrees of severity.

What are shoulder pain?

Shoulder pain describes mild to severe pain in the shoulders. It can be all kinds of pain: the pain can be throbbing, stinging, burning or pulling and they are not limited to only one half of the body.

Often, shoulder pain is not clearly demarcated, it radiates and could be the result of a stiff neck or more general, unspecific back pain. It can also be a temporary, one-time shoulder pain, but also a well-known problem that afflicts sufferers over and over again and therefore signals a need for treatment.

causes

Whether it is purely a shoulder pain or radiating pain, which are due to a tension of the neck or the back, can not always be clearly defined by those affected.

Occasionally, shoulder pain also indicates a pinched nerve that may be in this area or deeper in the spine. The complaints often radiate and then affect the shoulders. Seldom can shoulder pain also arise psychosomatically.

When to the doctor?

People with severe shoulder pain, persistent shoulder pain, and / or recurring shoulder pain should seek medical attention. A doctor’s visit is recommended if the shoulder pain occurs following a fall on the shoulder or on the arm and after an accident.

If the shoulder and arm are significantly restricted in their movement, a doctor’s visit is advisable. If the shoulder pain radiates to other parts of the body such as the arm or neck and / or is accompanied by symptoms such as numbness and tingling, a doctor should be consulted. A physician should be alerted as soon as possible, when very strong, undulating pains in the right shoulder and upper abdomen occur and are accompanied by vomiting and nausea. Here, there is the suspicion of a biliary colic.

An immediate doctor consultation is necessary if people feel severe pain in their right shoulder and right upper abdomen, and suffer from chills and fever. This could be a gall bladder infection.

An immediate visit to a doctor is advisable if shoulder pain suddenly occurs on the left side and is accompanied by pain behind the sternum, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, dizziness, nausea and / or fear of dying. This could be a heart attack or angina pectoris. If shoulder pain in combination with chest pain and shortness of breath suddenly occurs, seek medical advice immediately. There is a suspicion of pulmonary embolism.

Diagnosis and course

Shoulder pain can have a variety of causes. The diagnosis of shoulder pain is correspondingly complex. After questioning the patient how and when the shoulder pain will manifest themselves, the family doctor will suggest various procedures to find the cause of the shoulder pain.

As a rule, an orthopedic examination forms the beginning of the diagnosis of shoulder pain. A stiff shoulder, for example, can be the cause of a sore shoulder area. Also conceivable is a dislocated shoulder joint.

Already the family doctor will perform an ECG, if there is a suspicion of a heart attack, announce or express themselves in shoulder pain. The same benefits are met by a blood test to determine heart enzymes. A cardiac catheterization can also be used to diagnose shoulder pain.

An ultrasound examination, for example, can clarify whether organic causes are the reason for the occurrence of shoulder pain. Inflammation of the gallbladder, for example, can be a cause of shoulder pain as well as foreign bodies in the shoulder joint.

An X-ray examination can provide information about whether pathological changes to the shoulder bone can trigger the shoulder pain. An MRI scan reveals erosion of the shoulder joint, which is the reason for shoulder pain in the affected person. In the context of computed tomography (CT), however, it is clarified whether tumors in the shoulder area trigger the shoulder pain.

If left untreated, shoulder pain may worsen and become chronic. In addition, severe and irreversible signs of wear can occur. The sooner you treat the shoulder pain, the better the chances of recovery.

complications

Pain in the shoulder can arise from many different causes, so the possible complications are just as versatile. In most cases, a strain or muscle injury in pain is responsible. If there is only a strain on the muscles, a visit to the doctor is not absolutely necessary. Nevertheless, complications such as persistent pain and a significantly reduced range of motion can occur. If no significant improvement occurs after two to three days, a visit to the doctor is absolutely necessary. If the shoulder continues to be exposed to stress, it may also develop from a strain a muscle tear.

An independent recovery is not possible with a muscle tear. In some cases, inflammation may even develop, in some cases even causing an abscess. At the latest then definitely a doctor must be visited. If the viruses and bacteria in them get into the bloodstream, there is even a risk of blood poisoning. To avoid these complications, medical or drug treatment should be resorted to immediately. Particularly severe pain in the shoulder indicates a fracture. Of course, in such a case, a visit to a doctor is inevitable. Otherwise, damaged bones can not grow together properly or incorrectly. It threatens permanent consequential damage, which can be prevented by a corresponding treatment.

Treatment and therapy

The exact treatment depends on the severity of the pain. In the long term, it makes sense to identify and correct problems in posture or at work, so the patient needs detailed counseling and the ability to be gentle on the shoulders while working.

Other causes, such as pinched nerves or areas of pain that do not emanate directly from the shoulders, need to be treated in relation to the problem.

Just pinched nerves or injuries to the spine are not always easy to treat – sometimes a very individual therapy must be worked out, which really helps the person in the long term and also ensures that he does not get shoulder pain anymore.

prevention

Home remedy ↵ for shoulder pain

If the shoulder pain always appears in a light form, you can also be massaged by a physiotherapist at low prices – the massages are only short, but very effective. It is also important to pay attention to a healthy posture of the whole back and cervical spine.

swell

Heisel, J .: Physical Medicine – Practical Knowledge Stroke and Movement Organs, Georg Thieme Verlag, 1st edition, 2005
Wülker N. Pocket textbook Orthopedics and Traumatology. Thieme Verlag. 2nd edition 2010.
Mayer, C. et Siems, W .: 100 medical conditions in physiotherapy, Springer medicine Verlag, 1st edition, 2011
Imhoff, A.B. et al .: Checklist Orthopedics, Georg Thieme Verlag, 3rd edition, 2014

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What experiences and pointers do you have about shoulder pain?

Comments and experiences from other visitors

edina commented on 13.08.2015

I have had pain in my left shoulder since March. CT is positive! However, I have left side headache, dizziness, numbness in my little finger, as well as ring finger and partly in the middle finger, index finger and thumb. Deafness is associated with pressure pain. In addition, I suffer from shortness of breath.

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