Pain in the Shoulder (Shoulder Pain)
Hard to raise your arms above shoulder height? Pain inside the shoulder as you lift your arms out to the side?
Shoulder pain and shoulder pain can be painful and move beyond movement, as well as your quality of life. Due to the shoulders' direct connection to the neck and shoulder blades, one also sees a direct connection between pain in the shoulder and an increased incidence of neck pain - including neck headaches.
In this article, we will help you understand your shoulder pain - and shed light on what will be the best procedure for you to return to a daily life without pain and limitations.
We also want to mention that the most common causes of shoulder pain are due to muscles and joints - which, among other things, can lead to impingement syndrome. This can be treated effectively by a physiotherapist or modern chiropractor.
This article includes:
Exercise Video with Shoulder Exercises (Intro)
Self-treatment at Pain in the Shoulder
Symptoms and Clinical Signs of Shoulder Pain
Causes and Diagnoses of Pain in the Shoulder
Imaging Diagnosis of Shoulder Pain
Treatment of Pain in the Shoulders
Exercise and Exercises for Shoulder Pain
Scroll below to see two training videos with good exercises which can help you fight your shoulder pain.
VIDEO: 5 Strength Exercises Against Tendonitis in the Shoulder
Tendon injuries and tendonitis are two common causes of shoulder pain. Specific training with elastic is used in both prevention and rehabilitation of such diagnoses - it is particularly effective since the elastic makes the resistance isolate certain muscle groups and tendon attachments. Click below to see the training program.
Join our family and subscribe to our YouTube channel for free exercise tips, exercise programs and health knowledge. Welcome!
VIDEO: 6 Exercises Against Significant Shoulder Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis involves the breakdown of the cartilage and the joint gap within the shoulder. Of course, this is something we want to prevent. Below are six effective exercises that can be used in this diagnosis.
Did you enjoy the videos? If you took advantage of them, we would really appreciate you subscribing to our YouTube channel and giving us a thumbs up on social media. It means a lot to us. Thank you very much!
Also read: This You Should Know About Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder
What can I do even for shoulder pain?
1. General exercise, specific exercise, stretching and activity are recommended, but stay within the pain limit. Two walks a day of 20-40 minutes make good for the body and aching muscles.
2. Trigger point / massage balls we strongly recommend - they come in different sizes so you can hit well even on all parts of the body. There is no better self help than this! We recommend the following (click the image below) - which is a complete set of 5 trigger point / massage balls in different sizes:
3. Training: Specific training with training tricks of various opponents (such as this complete set of 6 knits of different resistance) can help you train strength and function. Knit training often involves more specific training, which in turn can lead to more effective injury prevention and pain reduction.
4. Pain Relief - Cooling: Biofreeze is a natural product that can relieve pain by cooling the area gently. Cooling is especially recommended when the pain is very severe. When they have calmed down then heat treatment is recommended - it is therefore advisable to have both cooling and heating available.
5. Pain Relief - Heating: Warming up tight muscles can increase blood circulation and reduce pain. We recommend the following reusable hot / cold gasket (click here to read more about it) - which can be used both for cooling (can be frozen) and for heating (can be heated in the microwave).
Recommended products for pain relief for shoulder pain
Biofreeze (Cold / cryotherapy)
Also read: 8 Exercises for Shoulder Pain
Symptoms and Clinical Signs of Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain can cause a variety of symptoms and clinical rashes, but some of the most common symptoms include:
That one cannot work with the arms above shoulder height
Reduced shoulder movement
Pain in the shoulder when lifting the arms to the side or straight forward
Pressure relief when touching affected muscles, tendons and joints
Pain inside the shoulder (the pain feels like it is inside the shoulder joint)
Increased incidence of neck pain and neck headache
A publicly licensed clinician (normally a physiotherapist or modern chiropractor) can help you investigate and investigate the cause of your shoulder pain. Among other things, they will be able to investigate:
Movement in the shoulders.
Functional shoulder movement testing.
Clinical tests to check for clamping syndrome.
Muscular testing to find out which muscles are involved
Examination of joint functionality and whether there are areas that do not move as they should.
Such a functional examination will form the basis for the diagnosis and layout of a treatment plan further.
Common Causes and Diagnoses of Shoulder Pain
The most common causes of shoulder pain are found in muscles and joints. Prolonged incorrect loading of these can over time lead to reduced joint movement, including stiff neck and thoracic spine and gradually related, dysfunctional muscles - better known as muscle knots or myalgias.
However, there are a number of other possible causes and diagnoses that we review in the list below.
Osteoarthritis and Arthritis of the Shoulder
Arthralgia can cause calcification (lime), cartilage and arthritis (arthritis) inside the shoulder. Such joint changes can naturally cause the shoulder joint not to move properly and the mobility is reduced. The diagnosis can also provide a basis for both front and back pain.
Clamping Syndrome (Impingement Syndrome)
Tight conditions inside the shoulder can put pressure on local muscles, tendons and / or nerves. When this happens, the diagnosis is called squeezing syndrome - also known as impingement syndrome. Such squeezing can lead to sharp, stabbing pain in the shoulder with certain movements and a feeling of constant pain inside the shoulder.
The symptoms will of course depend on which structures are clamped and the degree to which they are trapped. For example, a pinched nerve can cause numbness and radiating pain down the arm, as well as greatly increase local muscle tension. Also characteristically causes pain when sleeping on the shoulder involved.
Malfunction of Muscles and Joints
As mentioned, muscles, tendons and joints are among the most common causes of both short-term and long-term shoulder pain. Reduced joint mobility in the neck and chest are two common reasons for shoulder strain to become more static and one-sided. Over time, this develops to a gradual increase in linked muscle fibers and hyper-irritability in the soft tissue.
Physical treatment of muscles and joints can help you normalize the function of such malfunction. We also recommend regular use of elastic training (as shown in the videos above).
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulite in the Shoulder Joint)
Frozen shoulder is caused by an inflammation of the shoulder joint (capsulite). The condition often occurs after a period of a lot of pain that has led to not moving the shoulder much - or after shoulder surgery. The diagnosis goes through three different phases:
First Stage of Frozen Shoulder: The first phase involves a stiffening with associated, often quite significant, pain. The pain often gets progressively worse as the movement is restricted. This phase lasts from about 5-6 weeks (with treatment) or up to nine months (with non-treatment and home exercises).
Second phase of Frozen Shoulder: At this stage, mobility has been significantly reduced, but the pain has been good. This phase can last from 2 to 6 months. Again, we emphasize that this condition can be treated conservatively and that one can accelerate improvement by daily use of exercise exercises and weekly physical therapy.
Third Phase of Frozen Shoulder: This stage is also known as the "thawing" phase. Due to the fact that the mobility is gradually improved and that you can feel that the function comes back more and more. The last phase can last a total of four months to two years.
Pressure wave treatment, shoulder mobilization and home exercises can make the condition go over much faster than without treatment. Failure to do so may take one to two years for your shoulder to recover.
Rheumatic Arthritis of the Shoulder
Rheumatic arthritis is a special form of rheumatism in which joints break down due to the body's own immune system attacking the joints. This leads to deformations (often very evident in the hands - as in Jan Teigen) and gradual breakdown of cartilage in the joints. The condition requires drug treatment and regular physiotherapy, as well as exercise.
Tendon injury or tendonitis in the shoulder
A tendon injury in the shoulder is known as a tendinosis. A tendonitis is known as tendinitis. Both conditions are usually caused by prolonged failure overload or acute overload which has resulted in microtrauma to the tendon fibers. The diagnoses can be treated conservatively using shoulder exercises, physical therapy and possibly also pressure wave.
In particular, the muscles infraspinatus and supraspinatus are affected by such tendon injuries.
Shoulder Dislocation (Shoulder out of joint)
Getting your shoulder out of the joints is ranked as one of the worst pain you can experience - and that is precisely why many people faint if this happens. This is also because structures, including nerves, can get pinched when the shoulder goes out of joint. The shoulder should only be put back in place by medical personnel.
Subacromial Mucosal Inflammation (Shoulder Bursitis)
At the front of the shoulder we have an area called subacromialis - ie below the acromion joint. A mucositis typically causes redness of the skin, swelling and significant, sharp pain when touching the front of the shoulder. The condition can be treated with conservative treatment - but in some cases, anti-inflammatory drugs are needed (especially in people with reduced immune systems).
Imaging Diagnosis and Examination of Shoulder Pain
Normally, imaging will not be required to make a shoulder diagnosis, but in some cases it may be medically indicated. Below are examples of how an MRI examination and other imaging diagnostic methods can help to make the right diagnosis.
VIDEO: MR Shoulder (Normal MRI Survey)
MRI description: «» R: Nothing pathologically proven. No findings. "
Explanation: This is a composition of MRI examination images from a normal shoulder without MRI findings. The shoulder was sore, but there were no injuries visible in the pictures - it turned out later that the pain came from joint restrictions in the neck and thoracic spine, as well as active muscle knots / myalgias in the rotator cuff muscles, upper trapz, rhomboidus and levator scapula.
The solution was stabilizing rotator cuff training, chiropractic joint correction, muscle therapy and specific home exercises. Thank you for sharing such photos with us. The photos are anonymized.
MRI image of the shoulder (axial section)
MRI of shoulder, axial section - Photo Wikimedia
Description of MR image: Here you see a normal MRI of the shoulder, in an axial section. In the picture we see the infraspinatus muscle, scapula, subscapularis muscle, serratus anterior muscle, glenoid, pectoralis minor muscle, pectoralis major muscle, coracobrachialis muscle, anterior labrum, the short head of the biceps tendon, the deltoid muscle, the long head of the biceps tendon , deltoid muscle, head of humerus, teres minor tendon and posterior labrum.
MRI image of the shoulder (coronal section)
MRI of shoulder, coronal cut - Photo Wikimedia
Explanation of MR image: Here you see a normal MRI of the shoulder, in a coronal cut. In the picture we see the teres major muscle, the latissimus dorsi muscle, the subscapular artery, the subscapular muscle, the glenoid, the suprascapular artery and the suprascapular nerve, the trapezius muscle, the clavicle, the upper labrum, the head of the humerus, the deltoid muscle, the lower labrum, and the humeral artery.
X-ray of shoulder
Description of the shoulder radiograph: Here we see an image taken anterior to posterior (taken from front to back).
Diagnostic ultrasound examination of shoulder
Description of the ultrasound examination image of the shoulder: In this picture we see a diagnostic ultrasound examination of the shoulder. In the picture we see the biceps scene.
CT of shoulder
Description of CT examination image of shoulder: In the picture we see a normal shoulder joint.
Treatment of Pain in the Shoulder
The treatment of shoulder pain will normally consist of muscular work, joint mobilization and adapted instruction in home exercises. The treatment is performed by publicly authorized health professionals with expertise in muscles and joints - the three professions that have this expertise and authorization include physiotherapist, chiropractor and manual therapist.
These protected occupational titles also often utilize intramuscular needle therapy and pressure wave therapy to optimize patient outcomes and improvement.
Physiotherapy for Shoulder Pain
A physiotherapist can help you address tense muscles, tendon injuries and reduced shoulder function. This is done, among other things, by using muscular techniques and adapted exercises.
Modern Chiropractic Against Bad Shoulders
A modern chiropractor has 6 years of education and treats muscles, tendons and joints. Their long and extensive education makes them experts in both the assessment and treatment of problems throughout the musculoskeletal system - including dysfunction of tendons, muscles, joints and nerves.
The treatment usually consists of customized joint mobilization to normalize joint mobility, muscle treatment of tight muscle knots and shoulder mobilization to release space in the shoulder joint. In certain shoulder diagnoses medical pressure wave therapy or intramuscular acupuncture treatment is also used.
Pressure wave treatment of shoulder problems
There are a number of shoulder diagnoses that respond specifically to positive pressure wave therapy. This is a form of treatment that we strongly recommend that you only receive from a clinician with a protected title (chiropractor, physiotherapist or manual therapist).
The research has shown significant good effect on lime shoulder, tendon damage and tendon inflammation. The treatment technique works by pressure pulses causing controlled micro-damage in the injured areas, thus breaking down the damage tissue and forcing the natural healing process.
A randomized controlled trial showed that pressure wave therapy is also effective for chronic shoulder injuries that contain tendon calcification (Cacchio et al., 2006).
Also read: Have You Tried Pressure Wave Treatment?
Exercises and Training for Shoulder Pain
Did you bring the two training videos at the beginning of the article? If not, scroll up and try these. There you will also find a link to our Youtube channel which contains a number of good exercise programs for your shoulders. This is because exercise and exercises are essential for maintaining good function and pain-free shoulder mobility.
Here you also see an overview and list of exercises we have published in connection with the prevention, prevention and relief of shoulder pain, shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, shoulder injuries and other relevant diagnoses.
Overview - Exercise and exercises for shoulder pain and shoulder pain:
5 good exercises for sore shoulders
5 yoga exercises for shoulder pain
7 exercises for stronger and more stable shoulder blades
Exercise for the chest and between the shoulder blades
References and sources
- NHI - Norwegian Health Informatics.
- Heins, G. Chiropractic management of shoulder pain and dysfunction of myofascial origin using ischemic compression techniques. J Can Chiropr Assoc 2002; 46 (3).
- Cacchio, A. Efficacy of radial shock-wave therapy for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder: single-blind, randomized clinical study. Phys Ther. 2006 May; 86 (5): 672-82.
- Punnett, L. et al. A Conceptual Framework for Integrating Workplace Health Promotion and Occupational Ergonomics Programs. Public Health Rep. , 2009; 124 (Suppl 1): 16–25.
Frequently asked questions about shoulder pain
I have pain in my shoulder and upper arm that feels like toothache. What could be the cause?
Pain in both the shoulder and upper arm can be caused by nerve irritation in the area we call the brachial plexus or in the neck. This may be due to tight muscle, joint restrictions and general impaired muscle and joint function in the shoulder and neck complex.
Have shoulder pain on the right side that I feel is coming from the neck. Can this be true?
Yes, shoulder pain is often more complex than one would think and often involves malfunction / dysfunction in several related structures, such as the neck, shoulder blades and chest.
Muscles that can refer pain to the right shoulder from the neck are the middle trapezius, levator scapula and scalenii (front, middle and back) to name a few.
In the case of nerve irritation in the lower part of the neck, for example in the lower neck vertebrae called C5-C6-C7, one may also experience pressure or pain towards the right shoulder and sometimes further down the arm on the same side.
Can children get hurt in the shoulder?
Children can also get pain in the shoulder and the rest of the musculoskeletal system. Even though children have a much faster recovery rate than adults, they can still suffer from dysfunction in joints, tendons and muscles.
Can a leg hurt if a nerve is trapped in the back of the shoulder?
No, a pinch of a nerve in the shoulder cannot refer pain to the legs. They have absolutely no anatomical connection. In contrast, a nerve irritation in the shoulder can cause nerve pain in the upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand or fingers.
Shoulder pain on touch? Why is it so painful?
If you have pain in the shoulder when touching then this indicates dysfunction or Damageand Pain is the body's way of telling you this.
Feel free to note if you have swelling in the area, blood test (bruising) and the like. Use icing protocol (RICE) in case of a fall or trauma. If the pain persists, we recommend that you visit a clinic for examination and any treatment.
Shoulder pain when lifting? Cause?
When lifting, it is impossible not to use shoulders and shoulder muscles. If the pain is localized to the shoulder, then there is a chance that you have an overloaded muscle or other form of strain injury. You are advised to consult a clinician for further examination.
- Related questions with the same answer: Shoulder pain due to strain? Shoulder pain when lifting?
Shoulder pain after dips?
More and more people have seen the link between dips and pain in the shoulder. The exercise itself puts very high demands on the shoulder and rotator cuff muscles, and this mistake is quickly made.
It may also be an indication that you have not trained sufficient rotator cuff muscles. This causes the shoulder to come forward too much during the execution of dips and thus put undue pressure on the shoulder structures. We recommend that you take a rest break from dips and replace it with an alternative exercise.
Shoulder pain after exercise?
If you have a sore shoulder after exercise, this may be due to overload or incorrect loading. Often it is muscles around the shoulder joint and neck that have been overloaded.
Other muscles that can be affected are the rotator cuff, triceps, biceps or levator scapula. Rest from causative exercise and eventual icing may be appropriate measures.
- Related questions with the same answer: Shoulder pain after cycling? Shoulder pain after golf? Shoulder pain after strength training? Sore shoulder after cross-country skiing? Shoulder pain when exercising upper arms?
Sore shoulder at night. Cause?
One possibility of shoulder pain at night is an injury to muscles, tendons or mucous sac (read: olecranon bursitis). It can also be one strain injury.
In the case of night pain, we recommend that you consult a clinician and investigate the cause of your pain. Don't wait, get in touch with someone as soon as possible, otherwise you could risk deteriorating further.
Remember: If you have questions that are not covered by the article, you can ask your question in this comment field (or via our facebook page). We will then do our best to answer you within 24 hours.
Hello. I am a woman of 37 years and have for several months had pain and stiffness in the shoulders, neck, arms, hands, wrists and fingers.
During the worst periods, I ache a lot from the back of my shoulders to my fingers. It feels like all the tendons are too short. The wrists, fingers and upper forearms are always stiff. I am otherwise sore all over my body - especially my back. And when I press lightly in different places, I feel like it's tender long afterwards.
On the right hand, it often feels like I am wearing a tight glove. And the ring finger on this hand is very stiff and would rather be bent. Sometimes I get lazy in both hands at night. And the hands must be thawed in warm water to "work" when it is cold outside.
Otherwise, I often have stitch pain in my upper body. Especially in the right shoulder blade and chest - it sometimes radiates down into the arms as well. And there is pinching sometimes. I'm short of breath when I'm out walking, and my body is heavy. Tired. Has low metabolism. Hope you can tell me what this is and how it can be treated. I have a very heavy job. Thank you very much. Regards. Monika
Hi Monika,
Your problem seems very extensive, and has most likely built up over time - most likely in connection with the heavy job you mention (what kind of job do you have, by the way? Lots of lifting?). This combined with too little movement and too little exercise has probably led to the muscles, joints and tendons not being ready for the heavy physical strain through your work - and thus you get some ongoing muscle recovery processes in the affected areas - in other words, so your body will never recover to normal status. Which causes you to start the next day with tired muscle fibers (and thus most likely poor movement patterns), which in turn leads to secondary ailments elsewhere in the body.
Is it worse on the right side of the shoulder and inside the shoulder blade, you say? Tight shoulder muscles and muscles against the collarbone can irritate the nerves that go down into the arm, forearm, wrist, wrist, hand and fingers. A possible functional diagnosis for this is TOS syndrome (thoracic outlet syndrome), in which the brachial plexus nerves become irritated due to overlying myalgias and myoses.
Must be a little strict with you and say that to us it sounds like you need comprehensive treatment combined with training guidance (preferably already yesterday!) - yes, you simply need a "full service". We recommend that you contact a clinical nutritionist (nutrition is an important part of a healthy, healthy body), chiropractor (a chiropractor can do more than just joints and can refer you to a specialist examination if necessary), manual therapist, masseur or physiotherapist ( physical therapy + exercise). If you wish, we can find a recommended therapist near you.
Low metabolism? If you have had it proven through blood tests - do you know if it is Hashimoto's thyroiditis syndrome you are affected by?
Regards.
Alexander v / Vondt.net
Hey,
I'm not sure if I can take up several things at once, ie several areas of the body where I have pain?
When I was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis in May 2015, I became very ill and bedridden large parts for a whole year almost until now.
I have thin mucous membranes in the oral cavity and cracks in the tongue which then sting and burn when eating. as well as swollen salivary glands and withdrawn gums. this is very troublesome and significantly reduces the quality of life. has lost his appetite in connection with UC and lost 15 kg involuntarily in 2015. has gained a few kilos again now after great efforts.
I have also had occasional pain in my arms and from the hip and down the thigh that comes and goes. constant pain in the left shoulder that has been suggested frozen shoulder.
My question is mainly can all this come as a result of inactivity, poor nutrition, weight loss as well as UC?
have never before struggled with anything on the contrary had very good immune system and health.
Very grateful for answers or how I should ask differently if it is not possible in this way.
Regards
Ann C
(Answered via email)
Hello. I have struggled with neck and arm pain and radiance to my fingers for about 2 years. MRI showed some bending and tightness for one nerve that goes out in the arm I have pain in. This has calmed down over time, but with a little activity it worsens considerably. Especially when twisting / rotating the neck.
I recently had an MRI of my shoulder and hand that hurts the most. In the shoulder there is chronic inflammation and I have ganglion cysts in the wrist (do not seem). Can the inflammation cause the same symptoms as bending / prolapse?
I understand that the cysts most likely press on the nerves of the fingers. Gets a little hopeful that maybe the neck is not so bad?
The cysts can be done something with, and all the pain I get rid of is good =) the arm is completely useless at times. Missing things, can not carry shopping bags etc. Hair washing / brushing hair is a sight. And it hurts a lot 24/7. I do not know if it is relevant, but I have "brittle" connective tissue, and am supposedly hypermobile (without giving me any benefits) I have been referred to the mtp ganglions, but the shoulder has nothing to do with it.
In both cases, both with the neck problems and with the cysts, the nerves will be pinched. So it is not unlikely that the pain picture overlaps or gives equal pain. You really can not see what is what until you have had the cysts treated. Take away a problem and then see what is left of the pain. Have the same problem with overlapping diseases. Do not know which ailments belong to which disease.
PS - Considering that the pain is most present during movement, it is also clear that there is some involvement of joint problems and muscle pain in the picture.
Hello. Has just received a response from MRI ang left shoulder which has been stiff and sore for almost a year. Has damage to ligaments and tears (rupture), really strong in the joint capsule. Plus wear and cracks. Anyone know of or have had surgery for this? Is referred to an orthopedist.