Dr. Aruna

Anyone can get shoulder pain, and the cause might be simple to serious. You may get shoulder pain because of minor injury, carrying too much weight on the shoulders, poor posture, and any underlying health condition. Sometimes the pain comes and goes on its own without any need of taking medicines, but at times, it becomes difficult to treat them.

Conditions which may lead to shoulder pain may include rotator cuff disorders, instability of shoulders, frozen shoulder, broken arm, broken collarbone, and acromioclavicular joint problems.

The following are a few common causes-

1. Rotator cuff disorder:

A rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles which surround the shoulder joint. Tendons are hard and rubbery cords that link muscles to bones. The rotator cuff holds the joint in the right position so that it can move in a desired and controlled way. There are different types of rotator cuff disorder, and each of them leads to various symptoms. But common aspects of the problem include:

• Pain which starts worsening during activities involving the arm above shoulder level. This may include brushing the hair.
• Pain occurring on the front side of the shoulder which tends to worsen during the night
• Ache that occurs on the front and side of the shoulder

Different types of rotator cuff disorders and their characteristics are as follows:

• Tendonitis and bursitis- Tendonitis refers to the swelling of tendon while bursitis is inflammation of the bursa. Bursa is the fluid-filled sacs that are typically placed on the joints and in between bones and tendons.
• Tears- A torn tendon or muscle cause possible weakness and severe pain in the arm and shoulder. Some people also feel a popping sensation when they move the shoulder.

2. Shoulder instability

The shoulder is a type of ball and socket joint and shoulder instability takes place when the ball part of the shoulder fails to fit in correctly in the socket. It can range from catching or slipping feeling to total shoulder dislocation where the ball entirely comes out of the socket.

3. Frozen shoulder

Also referred to as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder is a painful and persistent stiffness present in the shoulder joint. This makes it very difficult for carrying out the full range of normal shoulder movements. Frozen shoulder takes place when there is swallowing, thickening, and tightening of the flexible tissue which surrounds the shoulder joint. This doesn’t allow enough space for the upper arm bone or humerus in the shoulder joint and makes shoulder movement painful and stiff. A person affected with frozen shoulder may find it difficult to carry out the daily chores such as driving, exercising, and sleeping in a comfortable position. Some people may find it absolutely impossible to move their shoulders at all. The symptoms of frozen shoulder can vary to a great extent, but it starts advancing at a gradual pace.

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