Shoulder Pain - What Causes It?

In case of an extensive and severe dislocation of the shoulder joint, complicated treatment or surgery may be required to rectify the condition. Doctors may also need to tighten the ligaments in the joint, so that the dislocation does not recur. However, in most cases of shoulder dislocation, simply setting the bone in place followed by rest is enough to treat the condition.

The shoulder and neck region is prone to injury due to a lot of reasons. For instance, working on a computer for prolonged periods will result in discomfort and pain in the shoulders. Treatment for such pain cannot be started, since the doctor will first need to isolate the reason behind the discomfort. Simple exercises of the shoulder along with the application of ice and heat is effective at dealing with such pain.

Once the shoulder joint has been repaired, patients are asked to keep the affected arm and shoulder in a sling. Movement must be limited or completely stopped when it comes to the joint. Usually, 2-6 weeks of immobilization are enough to heal the shoulder completely.

Even though the pain may be in the shoulder, the underlying cause or disorder can be something completely unrelated to the shoulder region. For instance, due to a disease, the nerves may be affected, which in turn causes the pain to travel to the shoulder region. In such a case, the shoulder pain helps diagnose the underlying condition.