Causes of Shoulder Pain

Throughout this article, we will cover the many causes of shoulder pain, possibly helping you best identify which shoulder issue you have and preventing it in the future. Typical shoulder issues usually fit into the following main sections: arthritis, fracture, tendon inflammation/tear, and lack of stability.

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​Rotator Cuff Tendinosis

A tendon is a flexible piece of tissue that connects the muscle to the bone, and the rotator cuff is what keeps the ball of the upper arm bone centered in the socket (this allows you to raise and rotate your arm).
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When you overuse your shoulder doing the same/similar movements repeatedly, it can lead to inflammation in the tendons of the rotator cuff, also known as tendonosis. Therefore, going forward you may want to have it checked out by a chiropractor.
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Rotator Cuff Tear

Unlike tendinitis where the tendon is inflamed, a rotator cuff tear is when there is either a partial or complete tear of the tendon. This usually stems from repetitive movements or possibly damage to it through a single incident (for example falling). Most of the time it is a partial tear of the tendon. 
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In regards to who is best to see, chiropractors are best trained to access the degree of injury, and if need be will refer you to the GP for a scan. This will ultimately help with knowing how to go forward with the treatment and rehab.

​Arthritis

Another cause of shoulder pain is arthritis. Although there are numerous kinds of arthritis, the most typical one is in the shoulder. This is known as osteoarthritis, and usually occurs throughout your middle age after wear and tear on the joint. With this arthritis, it progresses slowly and often leads to a stiff joint. Therefore, this then leads to many people trying to avoid large ranges of motion in the shoulder.

Again, in terms of improving this situation you would want to see a professional and experienced chiropractor. They may allocate strengthening exercises and and carry out some manual therapy as treatment.
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​Fractured Shoulder

A shoulder fracture is where one of the related bones has been broken. This often includes the upper arm bone (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle). This type of incident usually originates from high trauma incidents such as a car accident. Symptoms will usually include swelling, bruising and high levels of pain around the shoulder. 

Of course due to the severity you would need to see a doctor and they will be able to tell you if the bone has been displaced enough to require surgery or if it can simply be healed via sling. 

If you have any shoulder pain, book an appointment at Duston Chiropractic Clinic. We can help diagnose the issue for you and give you advice on the best plan of management, whether that is treatment, rehabilitation or referral for scans.

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post and possibly have a better understanding as to the many causes of shoulder pain. If you have any enquiries visit our contact page or call us on 01604 754456.