Shoulder pain

The shoulder joint forms a ball inside a cavity (Ball and socket joint), and connects three main bones: Humerus bone, Collar bone, and Shoulder blade. The shoulder is the softest and broadest joint of the body. for movement; As it allows moving the shoulder forward and backward, as well as moving the arms in all directions, as a result of the rotator cuff muscles and tendons responsible for connecting the muscles to the bones, and any damage to any part of the building parts of the shoulder may cause pain; Consequently, it leads to a deficiency in the ability to move it normally and do many normal activities.


In general, shoulder pain is due to a defect in the shoulder joint, or the muscles and tendons surrounding it. However, in some cases of shoulder pain, the cause is not related to the shoulder itself, but to other parts of the body; Such as the heart, abdomen, lungs, etc., in what is known as referred pain. The main causes of shoulder pain, whether the pain is in the right or left shoulder, can be stated as follows:


Shoulder pain can result from any problem in one of its parts, and this may occur due to repetitive movement, manual work, sports, or even age; As the tissues surrounding the shoulder usually begin to degenerate after the age of sixty, and the pain can be due to an accident or fall, and the following is a statement of the most prominent causes of shoulder pain:

• Osteoarthritis: where cartilage covers the ends of the bones where they meet in the joints, but some injuries, in addition to advancing age, may lead to a defect in the composition of the cartilage, which leads to friction of the bones of the joint together, and thus to osteoarthritis or what Known as degenerative arthritis, symptoms of inflammation in one of the shoulder joints include pain, swelling, and stiffness.
• Neck and upper back injuries: In some cases, shoulder pain may be due to a defect in the nerves in the neck or upper back, and the pain in this case is in the back of the shoulder and extends to the upper arm.
• Axillary nerve injury: This injury results from a dislocated shoulder, or a fracture of the humerus, and the pain in this case is usually accompanied by a weakness in the ability to move the arm away from the body.
• Rotator cuff injury: Rotator cuff tendinitis is the most common cause of shoulder pain, and it may result from a physical injury, or it may occur gradually over time. Deficiency in the ability to use the shoulder in severe cases.
• Frozen shoulder: It is also called adhesive capsulitis , and it results from not moving the shoulder for a long time, and leads to pain, shoulder stiffness, and a limitation in its range of motion.
• Synovitis: Synovitis, the membrane lining the joints (Synovium) , this inflammation results either from a physical injury, or from rheumatoid arthritis, which leads to shoulder pain.

If the shoulder pain is caused by a defect in one of its parts; The patient feels a change in the intensity of the pain when trying to move the shoulder, but in cases of referred shoulder pain, there is no change in the nature and intensity of the pain when moving the shoulder, and the pain may be accompanied by some other symptoms: severe pain below the shoulder bone, or pain extending from the neck To the shoulder, and numbness or burning in the shoulder, and the following is a statement of some of the most important health conditions that cause recurrent pain in the shoulder:

• Heart diseases: such as a heart attack and angina pectoris. In these cases, the patient may feel chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain in the back, arm, jaw, or neck.
• Lung disorders: such as pneumonia, lung cancer, lung tumors, and emphysema.
• Blood clotting in the lung: or the so-called pulmonary embolism , and this pain may resemble muscle tension, but it is usually more severe, and leads to a disturbance in the ability to lie down or sleep.
• Abdominal disorders: gallstones and pancreatitis; As the pain resulting from these cases may move to the shoulders, the pain in these cases is usually accompanied by some other symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, and pain in the pelvic area.
• Laparoscopic surgery , as exposure to this process leads to the accumulation of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) in the abdominal area, which leads to irritation of the nerves and the spine; Hence the feeling of shoulder pain.

Shoulder pain treatment depends mainly on the cause, and the patient should consult a doctor for treatment if the pain persists for more than two weeks, but in some cases the pain may be mild and can be treated by following some tips at home, and it should be noted that the feeling of improvement begins after Usually two weeks, and the pain may take 4-6 weeks before it goes away permanently, and the following is a statement of some of the most important methods used in the treatment of shoulder pain:

• Rest: The patient with shoulder pain is advised to rest the shoulder until the inflammation is gone, but it should be avoided not to move it for a long time; Because this may lead to frozen shoulder.
• Cooling and heating: Ice bags are used to relieve pain and swelling caused by a shoulder injury. It can also be applied after performing physical activities to prevent inflammation. As for heating the shoulder, it is recommended to apply it before doing the activity to relax the muscles and reduce stiffness.
• Exercise: It is recommended to exercise to increase the strength of the shoulder and restore its natural range of motion. It is also recommended to practice these exercises for a period of no less than 6-8 weeks to prevent the return of pain.
• Pain-relieving medications: such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and paracetamol. Some topical treatment options are also available. Such as creams and gels. In some cases, the patient may need an injection of cortisone at the site of the pain.