Definition
A discomfort you feel around the shoulder joint. It can be weakness aching or throbbing, stiffness, soreness or popping. Severe shoulder pain due to injury may cause sharp stabbing pain, limited ability to move the arm, swelling, bruising, pain that does not go away, discomfort that wakes you up from sleep.
Causes
• Arthritis inflammation in the shoulder joint over time leads to cartilage loss which causes pain and stiffness that decrease range of motion.
• Bursitis, Subacromial, is a most common type of bursitis.
• Shoulder impingement or dislocated shoulder; pain that happens when the top outer edge of your shoulder blade pinches your rotator cuff. Rotator cuff tendinitis is swelling and irritation of the tendon.
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis); pain and stiffness that starts slowly and gets worse over time. It occurs when the joint capsule becomes thick and inflamed.
• Bone, muscle or soft tissue injury.
• Tendinitis: Rotator cuff tendinitis or shoulder impingement
• Rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that connect your shoulder blade to the upper arm bone (humerus). We use a rotator cuff to raise our arm overhead and to rotate the arm towards and away from our body.
Diagnosis
• History and physical exam
• Imaging studies, x-rays MRI and ultrasound.
• Diagnostic nerve blocks and shoulder injections.
Treatment
• Rest – physical therapy to improve strength and range of motion. Ice: To decrease pain. Anti-inflammatory meds.
• Evaluation with pain specialist for non-surgical cases to consider: Steroid injections, PRP or a stem cell, radiofrequency ablation, peripheral nerve stimulation for prolonged pain relief and improved functionality.