Causes of Shoulder Pain

The ability to move around and be mobile is something a lot of people take for granted. As people get older, the ability to do certain movements can become limited. One cause of this can be unexpected pain, that can occur for seemingly no reason. One part of your body where movement can get limited with age is the shoulder. Pain in this area can become too much when doing simple tasks such as reaching for the salt shaker at the dinner table. But what exactly causes shoulder pain? Below we’ve listed three major causes of shoulder pain:

Tendon Inflammation

Shoulders are made up of several joints that combine with tendons and muscles. Shoulder pain can occur when one of the shoulder tendons becomes inflamed. When your tendons become inflamed, this is known as tendonitis. There are two types of Tendinitis, acute and chronic. Acute Tendinitis often occurs when doing a sport that involves excessive ball throwing. It causes acute pain and tenderness, making it difficult to move the affected joint. Chronic Tendinitis can occur from degenerative diseases like arthritis or repetitive wear and tear due to age. Chronic Tendinitis is longer term and should be treated by a doctor immediately so it does not get worse.

Instability

Shoulder instability, also known as a dislocation, occurs when the head of the upper arm bone is forced out of the shoulder socket. Shoulder dislocations happen because of sudden injury or from overuse. Once loose, this dislocation can cause pain and unsteadiness when you move your arm. Even when popped back in, shoulder dislocations can reoccur more frequently.

Arthritis

Shoulder pain can also come from Arthritis. This is a common occurrence that could happen anywhere in the body and not just the shoulder. The most common type of Arthritis found in the shoulder is osteoarthritis. This type of Arthritis can occur with normal wear and tear, so the sudden feeling of pain can be unexpected. Typically, this pain occurs with people who are middle-aged. It develops slowly and can worsen overtime if not treated.

If you experience shoulder pain, please consult your doctor to develop a proper plan of care.

For more information on shoulder pain, click here.

Article written by William Graves.