The shoulder joint is a common source of pain.
What are the possible causes for my shoulder pain?
Shoulder pain may be caused by various factors and conditions including:
- Muscle strains. This may either be due to an injury or to overuse (i.e. postural and lifestyle factors mentioned above).
- Tendonitis. This is an inflammation of the tendon, which is a ‘cord’ connecting your muscle to the bone (i.e.biceps tendonitis).
- Tendon tear. This is when your tendon partially or completely rupture because of an acute injury or because of degenerative changes (i.e. rotator cuff tear).
- Bursitis. This is an inflammation of the bursae, which is a small fluid-filled sac located in the joint (i.e.subacromial bursitis).
- Impingement. This is when the acromion (part of your shoulder blade) is compressing the underlying soft tissues during movement of your arm.
- Instability & hypermobility.
- Osteoarthritis. This means that you have some wear and tear in the shoulder joint.
- Fractures.
What are the different symptoms associated with shoulderpain?
If you are suffering from shoulder pain, this may feel sharp, shooting, achy or dull. You may notice that the pain gets worse when you are moving your arm or your shoulder. The pain may travel from your neck down into your arm. You may also experience muscle tightness and weakness. Your shoulder may feel stiff, and you may have observed a decreased in your shoulder joint mobility.
GUESS WHAT? OSTEOPATHY CAN HELP
How can osteopathy help?
- Reduce pain
- Improve joint mobility
- Reduce muscle tension
- Enhance blood supply to the tissues
- Encourage the body to heal
- Lifestyle advice – stretching and strengthening exercise, postural advice, pain relief advice
What can I do at home to ease my shoulder pain?
- Stay active – continue with your normal daily activities as much as possible
- Do some gentle movements with your shoulder
- Minimise doing things that seem to make your shoulder pain worse
- Heat pack – may be helpful particularly if your muscles feel tight and sore
- Cold pack – may be helpful after a minor injury or it’s more swollen/warm than the other side
- Practice ‘good posture’ – avoid leaning forwards and resting on your arms, take regular breaks, sit in upright position
ATTENTION If the pain does not go away after a few weeks or if you have other symptoms (pins and needles, numbness, weakness, cold arm) – consult your GP or an osteopath.
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