Causes of shoulder pain. ⭐️ Possible diseases. Description of the symptoms, methods of diagnosis and treatment of shoulder pain.

Pain in the shoulder joint

Shoulder pain can appear at any age. Short-term or constant, strong or weak, acute or aching, it is the result of a banal overload or signal a life-threatening condition. When pain occurs, it is important to contact a specialist in a timely manner in order to identify their cause and take the necessary measures.

general information

The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile in the body. The head of the humerus is spherical, and the corresponding surface of the scapula is almost flat. The design is additionally fixed by a strong articular bag, numerous tendons and ligaments. As a result, a person can move his hand in any direction.

The cause of pain can be any of the elements of the articular apparatus, as well as nearby nerve bundles and muscles. The problem can also come from neighboring structures: the spinal column, heart, stomach, esophagus. Often, only a doctor can accurately determine the cause of pain in the shoulder joint of the arm and prescribe the correct treatment.

Causes of pain

Pain in the shoulder joint can occur under the influence of various reasons, among which the most common are:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• excess body weight;
• excessive load on the articular apparatus (weight lifting, vibration, professional sports);
• incorrect posture;
• previous injuries and operations on the joint;
• age over 50 years (tissue regeneration worsens, especially cartilage);
• infectious and autoimmune lesions;
• metabolic disorders;
• disruption of the endocrine glands, as well as abrupt hormonal changes (pregnancy, menopause);
• hereditary predisposition to diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

These unfavorable factors cause the development of certain pathologies, which, in turn, cause pain in the shoulder.

Possible diseases

Pain in the shoulder joint can be caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system, nervous and cardiovascular systems, oncological and other processes.

Arthritis

One of the most common causes of shoulder pain. The disease is associated with the development of an active inflammatory process in the shoulder joint, which is accompanied by:

• severe pain syndrome;
• fever and swelling of the affected area;
• redness of the skin over the affected joint.

Pathology occurs against the background of trauma, infectious diseases, hypothermia, high physical activity, allergic and autoimmune reactions. Depending on the duration and severity of symptoms, it can be acute and chronic.

arthrosis

Arthrosis of the shoulder joint is a chronic degenerative disease in which the gradual destruction of cartilage tissue occurs. As a result, the contacting sections of bones lose smoothness. Increased friction in motions causes pain, which gradually increases as the disease progressing. In the future, bone expansions (osteophytes) are formed inside the articular cavity, the bones themselves are deformed, and the movements are almost completely blocked. In addition to pain, the disease manifests itself with a tug excitement of the affected joint and a characteristic coarse crunch.

Bursitis

Bursit is an inflammatory disease at which the liquid accumulation is accumulated inside the articular bag. Most often arises against the background of injury. Pathology manifests itself:

• acute pain when driving and less pronounced alone;
• Increased body temperature (in light cases, only the area of ​​the affected joint becomes hot);
• Squeezed swelling, when pressed to which the movement of the liquid inside the limited cavity is clearly.

Capsulit

Chronic inflammation of the capsule surrounding the joint and stabilizing it. The second name "frozen shoulder syndrome. As a result of a long pathological process, the capsule is reduced, and the surrounding ligaments are partially atrophy. The pain usually occurs at night, and the disease itself is wearing a wave-like character and is sharpened, it fades. After attenuation of active inflammation, a person feels a pronounced difficulty of movements, especially the rotation of the hand of the duck.

Plecelopath periartitis

The inflammatory process is striking the fabrics surrounding the shoulder joint, as a result of which the expressed pain syndrome develops, which increases when driving. A person cannot raise his hand up and start her behind her back. When the process is transition to the chronic phase, there is a noticeable stagnation.

Tendinit

Inflammation of the tendon – tendinite – arises against the background of significant physical overload of the shoulder area. Depending on the severity of the pathological process, pain is provoked by physical activity or is also alone. The defeat can capture various tendons, which determines the symptoms.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

The disease is associated with the formulation of intervertebral discs, resulting in pinching of nerve endings. The intensity of pain depends on the degree of lesion, often enhances when turning and inclined heads. The process may also be accompanied by hand numbness, sharp "striking". Often, pain spreads to other parts of the body.

Calcine ligaigs

The disease is associated with the deposition of calcium salts in tissues of ligaments. Exact reasons have not yet been studied. The process becomes the cause of intense pain when driving and alone.

Neuritis shoulder nerve and shoulder plexitis

Arthrosis of the shoulder joint is a chronic degenerative disease in which the gradual destruction of cartilage tissue occurs. As a result, the contacting sections of bones lose smoothness. Increased friction in motions causes pain, which gradually increases as the disease progressing. In the future, bone expansions (osteophytes) are formed inside the articular cavity, the bones themselves are deformed, and the movements are almost completely blocked. In addition to pain, the disease manifests itself with a tug excitement of the affected joint and a characteristic coarse crunch.

Bursitis

Bursit is an inflammatory disease at which the liquid accumulation is accumulated inside the articular bag. Most often arises against the background of injury. Pathology manifests itself:

acute pain when driving and less pronounced alone;

Increased body temperature (in light cases, only the area of ​​the affected joint becomes hot);

• Squeezed swelling, when pressed to which the movement of the liquid inside the limited cavity is clearly.
• Capsulit
• Chronic inflammation of the capsule surrounding the joint and stabilizing it. The second name "frozen shoulder syndrome. As a result of a long pathological process, the capsule is reduced, and the surrounding ligaments are partially atrophy. The pain usually occurs at night, and the disease itself is wearing a wave-like character and is sharpened, it fades. After attenuation of active inflammation, a person feels a pronounced difficulty of movements, especially the rotation of the hand of the duck.
• Plecelopath periartitis
• The inflammatory process is striking the fabrics surrounding the shoulder joint, as a result of which the expressed pain syndrome develops, which increases when driving. A person cannot raise his hand up and start her behind her back. When the process is transition to the chronic phase, there is a noticeable stagnation.

Tendinit

Inflammation of the tendon – tendinite – arises against the background of significant physical overload of the shoulder area. Depending on the severity of the pathological process, pain is provoked by physical activity or is also alone. The defeat can capture various tendons, which determines the symptoms.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

The disease is associated with the formulation of intervertebral discs, resulting in pinching of nerve endings. The intensity of pain depends on the degree of lesion, often enhances when turning and inclined heads. The process may also be accompanied by hand numbness, sharp "striking". Often, pain spreads to other parts of the body.

• Calcine ligaigs
• The disease is associated with the deposition of calcium salts in tissues of ligaments. Exact reasons have not yet been studied. The process becomes the cause of intense pain when driving and alone.
• Neuritis shoulder nerve and shoulder plexitis
• The lesion of the shoulder nerve or nerve plexus in this area usually arises against the background of injury, supercooling or infectious disease. The pain captures not only the shoulder, but the whole hand is often accompanied by numbness, burning, feeling of goosebumps running around the skin. In severe cases, paralysis of individual muscles may develop.

Tumors

Pathological formations in the shoulder area appear quite rarely. As they grow, they squeeze the surrounding tissues. As a result, the patient first experiences discomfort and a sense of a foreign body in this area, and then pain of varying degrees of intensity.

Diseases of internal organs

• Of all the diseases that are not associated with the musculoskeletal system, but causing pain in the shoulder, myocardial infarction is the most dangerous. Painful sensations are usually squeezing or burning character and appear first in the oversized region or between the blades, and then spread wider, including on the left shoulder, hand, left half of the neck and face. Pathology is usually accompanied by:
• harsh weakness;
• sweating;
• dizziness;
• feeling a shortage of air;
• Fear.

This state is deadly and requires emergency medical care.

If the cause of the problem was acute cholecystitis or biliary disease, pain will begin in the field of solar plexus and will be given to the right shoulder. The attack often arises against the background of overeating and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Injuries

• Ears, stretching, breaking and tensions of ligaments, dislocations of the joint, bone fractures inevitably cause acute pain. Depending on the type of defeat, it may be accompanied by:
• restriction of mobility;
• visual deformation of the joint;
• the formation of hematoma;
• pathological mobility of bones and crunch of fragments.
• The diagnosis is usually no doubt because the patient himself clearly binds the appearance of pain with injury.
• Character of pain
• Understanding the nature of pain and the ability to describe it will be useful to everyone, since the quality and speed of diagnosis depends on it.Often, already according to the features of sensations, the doctor may assume the presence of one or another pathology. Pain can be:

Acute: there is sharply and, often, unexpectedly, it is usually sweeping and has a high intensity; often occurs against the background of injury, pinching the intervertebral nerve;

NOTIE: The intensity of sensations is small, often they are drawn; Symptom often accompanies chronic diseases (arthrosis) and inflammatory processes (arthritis, bursitis, shoulder-paint periatritis, etc.) during the recovery period;

Motion-related: characteristic of most pathologies of the shoulder joint and the surrounding muscles; It is important to note which movements are caused by the strengthening of pain, as it helps to put the correct diagnosis;

• Reflected: the epicenter of sensations is located not in the shoulder area, the pain wave captures this area; The symptom is characteristic of cardiovascular pathology: angina, myocardial infarction, as well as biliary diseases, pleurrites, pancreatitis;
• shooting, pulsating: sharp pain impulses are characteristic of damage to spinal roots, muscle spasms, etc.;
• Permanent: the sensations do not pass during the day nor at night, while moving can increase them; Characteristic for inflammatory processes.
• In addition to the description of the nature of pain, it is important to tell the doctor about the concomitant sensations. So, damage to nerves is often accompanied by burning and tingling, loss of sensitivity, etc.

Diagnostics

• To determine the reason why a person hurts shoulder, the doctor uses the following methods:
• Survey: identification of the nature and intensity of pain, the circumstances of its occurrence, the presence of concomitant diseases, etc.;
• Inspection: The doctor assesses the volume of movements in the joint, the color and temperature of the skin, the presence of edema, movement restrictions, etc.; Neurologist assesses the sensitivity of tissues, muscular strength, the quality of reflexes;

X-rayography and CT: snapshots and tomograms make it possible to assess the state of bone tissue and partially cartilage; This is an indispensable method of diagnosing arthrosis, dislocation, cracks and bone fractures, spinal osteochondrosis;

• MRI: Magnetic resonance tomography allows you to see the condition of not only bones, but also soft tissues, making virtual sections in the specified planes;
• Ultrasound: Ultrasonic examination of the area of ​​the shoulder joint allows you to see the foci of inflammation, the accumulation of fluid in the articular bag, abscesses and neoplasms;
• Laboratory diagnostics: General blood test provides information on the presence of inflammation or allergies; In suspected rheumatoid arthritis, an analysis is taken on C-jet protein, etc.;
• Sustain puncture: the diagnostic puncture of the articular bag through which the analysis of the synovial fluid is taken or the artroscopy is carried out (inspection of the joint from the inside with the help of a miniature chamber);
• Electromiography: Evaluation of the performance of muscle fibers.
• If necessary, consults of narrow specialists and additional methods of examination are appointed: an electrocardiogram, an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, and the like.

Treatment of pain in the shoulder

• Treatment of pain in the shoulder joint depends on its cause. If the problem is related to the musculoskeletal system, the anesthetic agents come out:
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of injections, tablets and capsules, ointments and creams, patches, rectal candles; necessary to quickly stop the inflammatory process and pain relief;
• glucocorticosteroids: apply in the form of tablets and injections, including for intra-articular administration;

Miorolaksanta: Used to remove muscle spasms during arthrosis, osteochondrosis and other pathologies;

• Warming agents in the form of ointments: improve blood circulation in the affected area.
• Depending on the cause that caused pain, the doctor may assign:
• antibiotics (with inflammatory diseases);
• chondroprotectors (with arthrosis);

Vitamins of group B (with neurological pathology), etc.

In case of acute processes and injuries, the immobilization of the hand is an important healing factor. Special dressings and orthoses reduce the volume of movements and allow tissues to fully recover.After active inflammation subsides, various physiotherapy procedures are prescribed:

• magnetotherapy: exposure to the affected area with magnetic waves;
• shock wave therapy: the destruction of pathological bone growths with sound waves of a certain length;
• ozone therapy: introduction of a special gas mixture into the joint;
• electromyostimulation: the impact on the muscles with electrical impulses to reduce them;

phonophoresis and electrophoresis: saturation of tissues with drugs using ultrasound or electric current;

laser therapy: deep tissue heating with a laser beam.

These techniques are aimed at improving microcirculation in tissues and stimulating regeneration processes.

• physical therapy and mechanotherapy;
• massage;
• traction of the joints to minimize the load.
• In the presence of indications resort to surgical treatment:
• joint puncture with removal of pathological contents (fluid, pus, blood);
• restoration of the integrity of bones or ligaments after injury;
• arthroplasty: replacement of a joint with an artificial one in case of advanced osteoarthritis;

removal of tumors.

Possible consequences

The effects of shoulder pain depend on its cause. Without examination and treatment, damage to the musculoskeletal system and nerves can lead to:

• limitation of mobility due to arthrosis;
• the transition of inflammation to bone tissue (osteomyelitis);
• loss of sensation and motor function;
• pronounced deformity of the limb, etc.
• If a person has a myocardial infarction, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, the consequences can be much more serious, even fatal. It is important to consult a doctor in time, and not to do with folk remedies.
• Prevention
• Prevention of pain in the shoulder is, first of all, the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It includes:

dosed physical activity without striving for records;

exclusion or minimization of occupational hazards;

wearing the right shoes;