The shoulders are the most mobile joints in the human body. Since the ball of the upper arm is anatomically larger than the socket that holds it, they are supported by muscles, tendons, and ligaments to ensure they remain in a stable or normal position. Because the shoulder can be unstable, it is often a site for many common issues to develop. Below are 5 common causes of pain and their associated symptoms.

Rotator Cuff Tear

Rotator cuff tears are a very common type of injury. The rotator cuff is made up of a group of four muscles: the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the subscapularis, and the teres minor. Every single one of these muscles is attached to the bones of the shoulder by tendons, functioning to support, stabilize, and allow the arm to move up, down and rotate. The rotator cuff ensures that the arm remains in the socket. Damage or injury from an accident or progressive degeneration can result in inflammation to this important set of muscles. A severe injury can then result in a rotator cuff tear. The common symptoms for a rotator cuff injury include: aching and weakness in the shoulder while lifting the arm, swelling and bruising of the area, followed by pain and inflammation.

 Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive Capsulitis, otherwise known as frozen shoulder (FS), is a condition caused when the capsule around the joint contracts and develops scar tissue, greatly limiting mobility and causing pain. FS is considered the second most common cause of pain and discomfort. The cause for this condition still remains unknown and is often misdiagnosed but, a careful observation of the symptoms of adhesive capsulitis can help distinguish the condition. The pain associated with the condition can be described as a dull, aching pain and on occasion, the pain can extend down the upper area of the arm. The most significant symptom of frozen shoulder is stiffness.

Bursitis

Bursitis is a condition which results in the inflammation of the bursa in the shoulder joint. A bursa is a sac-like structure filled with fluid that serves as a cushion between the bones and tendons found in the human body, functioning to make movements between the joints smooth as well as decrease friction. When these fluid-filled sacs become inflamed, it develops into shoulder bursitis. Shoulder bursitis can occur due to overuse of the shoulder through repetitive overhead movements of the arms, due to injury from a fall, or while lifting heavy objects. The common symptoms for this condition include: pain and inflammation, swelling, and loss of motion of the shoulder joint which in turn may also develop into frozen shoulder. Visibly, shoulder bursitis causes the skin around the affected area to turn red.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is a condition caused by the inflammation and swelling of a tendon due to irritation, specifically in the shoulder region. The tendons are fibrous bands of tissue that attach the muscles to the bones. Rotator cuff tendonitis, or shoulder tendonitis, is among the most common site for tendon damage or injury. Overuse during constant overhand motions, lifting heavy objects, or direct trauma from an injury may cause tendonitis. Also, as people age, the tendons lose their elasticity and fluid content, becoming more prone to irritation. Tendonitis symptoms include: shoulder pain with increased tissue temperature, swelling, and redness, followed by inflammation, and tenderness.

Fractures

Fractures can occur in the different bones that make up the joint, the humerus (the arm bone), the clavicle (the collarbone), and the scapula at the glenoid (shoulder blade).  In a humerus fracture, injury usually occurs at the top of the humerus, or the top of the arm bone, which forms the ball of the ball-and-socket joint. Clavicle fractures are the most common type of fracture, occurring on the bone over the top of the chest. Glenoid fractures, typically considered rare, occur at the socket of the ball-and-socket joint. And last, scapula fractures, also considered uncommon, occur on the flat bone that rests behind the rib cage. Fractures mainly occur from overuse and trauma from a previous accident. The symptoms suggesting the presence of a fracture include pain with simple movements, swelling of the shoulder and arm, bruising around the affected area that may travel down the arm, and joint deformity.

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractic care is often the treatment of choice for shoulder pain because it is minimally invasive and it works. As is often the case, pain in one part of the body can cause pain in other areas. In the case of shoulder pain, the spine and neck may become inflamed. Chiropractic care addresses all areas of the body to relieve pain without drugs and gets the patient on the road to healing quicker.

 By Dr. Alex Jimenez

Chiropractic Clinic Extra: Sport Injury Treatment