Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel a tightness in your shoulder area, but you don’t have an accident history? The shoulder is an interconnection of joints held together by tendons and muscles to enable movement. The constant use of the shoulder can lead to the soft tissue’s wear and tear, resulting in pain.
The pain is either felt when moving your shoulder or without any shoulder movement. Since most muscle-related pain is short-lived, the pain may go away by itself, but it is crucial to seek remedies if it lasts longer than a day. Below we will look into the various causes of shoulder pain and some ways to care for the pain.
Causes of shoulder pain
Bursitis
Bursae are fluid-filled sacs found in various joints in a human body. Usually, the bursae cushion soft tissues from bones by reducing the friction. Excessive use of the shoulder can lead to the inflammation of these glands, leading to subacromial bursitis. This condition is painful and makes it hard to handle normal arm operations.
Tendon inflammation
Tendons are connectors between muscles and bones. When the tendons get inflammation, a condition called tendinitis occurs. Tendinitis can take two forms, either acute or chronic, depending on the severity. This condition mostly affects the tendons close to the biceps, and the four-rotator cuff.
Tendon tears
Taking part in excess workouts may lead to the tearing of tendons on the shoulder due to wear and tear. A tendon tear varies from partial to total splitting from the bone, and it can be excruciating when trying to lift something. Most tendon tears affect the rotator cuff and bicep tendons.
Arthritis
In some patients, shoulder pain can be a result of wear and tear arthritis. This condition starts with swelling and tenderness, which slowly develops into a painful condition. Due to the pain when moving their shoulders, most patients prefer to restrict movement, worsening the situation.
Fractures
A shoulder fracture most likely results from the breakage of either the collarbone, humerus, and the scapula. Fractures can result from many forms of accidents, such as falls, motor vehicle accidents, and the use of excess energy.
How to care for shoulder pain
Chiropractic adjustments
When different parts of the spine move out of alignment, you are most likely to experience shoulder pain. A soft adjustment by a professional chiropractor can help align the parts normally, easing the pain. A chiropractor can either do it manually or use various tools as speeder boards or reflex hammers.
Stretching
When done well, shoulder stretches help relieve shoulder tenderness. Stretching has multiple positive effects on shoulder pain, such as improved flexibility, improved motion, and eliminates the tightness that comes up whenever you move your shoulder.
Anti-inflammatory medicines
NSAIDs help in reducing shoulder pain, as well as reducing any kind of inflammation. The most common anti-inflammatory drugs are Aspirin and Ibuprofen.
Cold compress
A cold compress works on reducing the inflammation, as well as numbing the pain. A cold compress is a DIY procedure, done by applying an ice pack on the inflamed shoulder part for 20 minutes. The cold pack should be wrapped in a towel before applying it to the sore area.
Rest
Since shoulder pain may have resulted in excessive activity, it is essential to either stop undertaking the activity or reduce the intensity. Rest gives the shoulder’s tissue enough time to heal itself and recover.
Surgery
When the shoulder pain is excessive, and all the above measures fail to work, surgery can be the last resort. The need for surgery can result from severe problems such as constant fractures and dislocations, or acute tendon tears. Surgery is also applicable in shoulder reconstruction or replacement, as well as scar tissue removal.
Prevention is considered the best cure, and it is advisable to avoid activities that can lead to shoulder injuries. As some of these activities are not avoidable, constant work out leaves your shoulder healthy and able to cope with intense exercise.