Shoulder pain and what lies behind it
Author Dr. Bálint Major | 2023.08.17.
The shoulder, or more specifically the shoulder girdle, is one of the most complex areas of the body. When it is healthy, we don't realise how important a role it plays in our everyday activities. But when we experience shoulder pain, we realise that lifting a glass of water or getting dressed can be a challenge.
In many cases, shoulder pain can creep into our lives and make our lives miserable, “unnoticed”, from one moment to the next, without any particular trauma.
Shoulder pain can occur in young people, the elderly, athletes and office workers.
Why does shoulder pain develop?
What can we do about it?
The following lines provide the answer.
Structure of the shoulder
The structure of the shoulder, or shoulder girdle, is extremely complex. It is made up of many bones, muscles, cartilage, ligaments and other tissues. shoulder joint, which is the the joint with the greatest range of motion. The price of mobility is joint sensitivity, which means that prone to injuries, illnesses. It is therefore worth paying extra attention to your health.
Parts of the shoulder girdle:
- It consists of three main bones, the humerus, the scapula and the clavicle.
- There are several muscles that run through this area, of which the rotator cuff is a prominent one. The sheath is made up of 4 muscles, which together provide the movement and stability of the arm.
- Other parts of the shoulder girdle include ligaments, tendons and cartilage. The joint also contains a so-called bursa (bursa sac), which plays an essential role in reducing friction.
Shoulder pain? - Identifying the causes and types of shoulder pain
There are many different causes of shoulder pain. The complexity of the body makes it prone to injury and inflammation.
The problem can be triggered by a simple strain, pulling, a bad movement, incorrect posture, joint wear and tear, or even the cold air in air-conditioned rooms. The nature and intensity of the complaint usually depends on the individual body type and sensitivity. Shoulder pain can be persistent, occurring at night, or just on certain movements is.
The shoulder pain by type can be:
- Arrow
- Asterisk
- Burning
- Tompa
- Cramped
- Numbness radiating into the arm
The psychological background of shoulder pain
In the vast majority of cases, there are physical problems/triggers behind shoulder pain. However, the power of the mind and psychosomatic conditions should not be forgotten.
This means that physical pain can also be the result of psychological conflicts, stress or untreated negative emotions.
Most often the excessive responsibility (over-commitment) to fear of rejection, the strong sense of guilt and repressed anger underlies psychosomatic shoulder complaints.
The most common diseases that cause shoulder pain
Sudden onset shoulder pain is often no more than a one-off complaint, but in the vast majority of cases it is a sign of a more serious problem.
The most common shoulder conditions that require medical treatment are:
- Rotator cuff syndrome
- Rotator cuff calcification
- Impingement syndrome
- Bursitis
- Frozen shoulder
- Shoulder peak pain
- Joint wear
- Neck and back problems that radiate to the shoulder (not shoulder related)
Treating shoulder pain
Shoulder pain in the absence of a specific injury or trauma can be insidious. In most cases, it starts with mild, intermittent complaints of dull aching and numbness at night. These symptoms tend to be ignored and we tend to rely on the healing power of time, saying, “It will go away on its own.” This tactic can sometimes work, however, if the shoulder pain persists after 3-4 weeks, or even gets worse, you should see a doctor.A shoulder specialist can help with more severe complaints, and a rheumatologist can help with minor and mild pain.
Doctors will perform physical and imaging (e.g. MRI, X-ray, UH) tests to find the cause of the pain. In the light of the results, determine the accurate diagnosis, then the sa personalised treatment plan.
The treatment can be conservative therapy, but in severe cases it can also be surgical. It is important that shoulder surgery is performed by a shoulder specialist, the rheumatologist can only help with conservative solutions.
The BMM shoulder specialist Dr. Bálint Major. Our doctor with decades of experience offers both conservative and surgical solutions for patients who wish to heal.
Conservative methods
In most cases, shoulder pain is perfectly manageable with conservative therapy. Depending on the type and severity of the problem anti-inflammatory medicines, various injections and the physiotherapy great tools for healing. Shoulder exercises under the guidance of a physiotherapist are key to treating shoulder problems. By moving the affected part of your body, you can avoid restriction of movement and relieve pain.
Surgical solutions for shoulder pain
The most common complaints treated by our gynaecologists:In severe cases, such as rotator cuff tears, advanced joint wear, or certain types of company fucking surgery alone can be the key to recovery. The doctor will decide whether this is necessary. The doctor and the patient decide on the possible surgery after careful consideration of the benefits and risks.
Why focus on preventing shoulder pain?
Even if shoulder pain persists, it is true that it is better to prevent the problem than to treat it. Shoulder complaints are most often caused by the characteristics of modern lifestyles. Therefore worth being aware and live a healthy life within our means.
This includes the preventive gymnastics, which focuses on strengthening and mobilising the muscles around the shoulder and shoulder blade.
It is also a good idea to focus on getting the right vitamins and trace elements. Moderate sugars and eat healthily, drink plenty of water.
When weight training or using the shoulders proper warm-up and stretching are essential for sports activities. Conscious exercise can prevent accidents and injuries.
Office work it also does not hurt to be aware. Prolonged “hunching” over a computer can also cause shoulder pain and shoulder joint inflammation. So always make sure you have the right posture, stand up every 1 to 2 hours and move your body and shoulders.
And in physical work, attention should be paid to repetitive movements, limit them or make movements in opposite directions.
If we live our lives consciously and take care of our physical and mental health, we can prevent shoulder pain. If, despite our best efforts, our shoulder becomes injured or starts to hurt for a long period of time, we should be vigilant.
Get medical help early and say goodbye to shoulder pain as soon as possible!
