Shoulder Joint Pain – Top 5 Symptoms and Causes You Must Know

Introduction

Basically, the humerus, the scapula, and the clavicle are all three bones found within the shoulder. The humerus is referred to is found on the upper side of the shoulder, the scapula is known as the shoulder blade, while the clavicle is referred to as the collarbone.

The joint of the shoulder is made up of both muscles and tendons which are all perfectly placed to fit into the shoulder socket.

The shoulder joints are highly stable and mobile. However, at any given point in time, the shoulder joint always sacrifices stability for mobility which actually puts the shoulder at a very high risk of getting injured.

Primarily, shoulder joint pains are as a result of injuries which can lead to inflammation of the tendons. Fractures are also a major cause of shoulder joint pains.

What are the Symptoms and Causes of Shoulder Joint Pain?

Arthritis

This is one of the leading causes of shoulder joint pains. In most common cases, the symptoms of arthritis are subtle and may remain unnoticed for a certain period of time.

Since there are many types of arthritis, the most common type of arthritis^[1] the most common type of arthritis associated with shoulder joint pains is osteoarthritis.

This type of arthritis, which is also known as osteoarthritis, causes symptoms such as swelling, pain and stiffness. This type of pains and joints which are caused by arthritis are related to risky activities such as sports, work injuries, as well as chronic wear and tear.

Many people with osteoarthritis often avoid shoulder movement in order to avoid pain. However, this may cause shoulder stiffness, and tightening of the joints which only works to escalate the pain.

Shoulder Instability

Shoulder instability not only comes from an injury, but it may also be as a result of overuse of the shoulder joint.

Some of the time, the instability can be permanent but only in a few severe cases. This dislocation happens in such a manner that, the whole part of the ball that brings the joint together becomes completely dysfunctional.

However, in most of the cases, the shoulder dislocations are usually partial in a process called a subluxation. In this condition, the shoulder joint pains only occur on a temporal basis and may disappear after the joint is treated.

When such symptoms occur, you should always seek help from the appropriate people such as a qualified medical practitioner.

However, failure to do this may result in further joint dislocations and all the muscles around the shoulder may become loose. This is considered dangerous since such recurring dislocations may lead to permanent dislocation of the joint.

Also Read – Acromioclavicular joint pain

Bursitis

The shoulder joints and other joints all around the body are filled with small sacs commonly known as Bursae. Their main function in the joints is to provide a kind of cushion between the bones and the adjacent shoulder tissues.

They are utterly important due to the fact that they help in the reduction of friction as well as gliding between muscles and joints.

The Bursa can experience conditions that may cause the shoulder to become swollen^[2]. In addition, apart from selling of the shoulder joints, other parts that may significantly be affected include the shoulder’s joints, and the acromion.

This condition caused by the excessive use of the shoulder and may accelerate the symptoms of shoulder joint pains. As this condition becomes worse, many other tissues of the shoulder joints may become extremely painful. This may hinder your day-to-day activities that require frequent use of your hand such as getting dressed and even doing household chores.

Tendinitis

This condition that primarily affects the shoulder joints is caused of wearing down of the tendon. In simple terms, a tendon attaches the bone to the muscle.

However, after repeated use, they may slowly become worn out over a certain period of time. Just like any material gets worn out after being used for a prolonged period of time, the tendon may become worn out due to overuse.

Many patients with shoulder joint symptoms are commonly affected by either acute or chronic tendinitis. Acute tendonitis is caused by activities such as work and sports while chronic tendinitis may be due to an overuse of the tendons within the joints of the shoulders.

Basically, since the rotator cuff is the one that helps control both the motion and the stability of the shoulder it is the most affected by shoulder joint pains and you may, therefore, feel some pain whenever this part is attacked by such a condition. You should, therefore, visit a medical practitioner to ensure that the shoulder joint pains are always in check.

Tendon Tears

This is one of the main symptoms of shoulder joint pain. Shoulder joint pains of this type may be as a result of injuries incurred from tearing of the tendons.

The causes of tendon tears range from a number of causes such as an advance in age, using the tendons over a long period of time, as well as injuries that may be acquired from risky behaviors and sports.

The tears are dangerous since they may completely split the tendons into two separate pieces. However, in most symptoms of shoulder joints pains, the tendon tears are partial and last for only a short period of time.

The wear and tear process also known as tendon injuries^[3] majorly affect not only the shoulder but all the surrounding body parts such as the biceps.

Read Next – Get Rid of Joint Pain – Top 10 Ways To Follow

Conclusion

Although there are a huge number of treatments for shoulder joint pains, it is good to prevent them beforehand. This may be done by avoiding unnecessary movement of the shoulder joints as well as engaging in risky sports that may cause injury to your joints. On the other hand, as discussed above in the article, we have noticed that aging can be another cause of shoulder joints pain due to wear and tear. If symptoms of shoulder joints pain increase, you should always consult a doctor for treatment.

READ NEXT – Shoulder Arthritis