Pain Shoulder Joint Causes and Treatments

Your shoulder has several joints that work together in certain movements. Even though all joints are susceptible to injury, it is most common for injuries to occur at the largest joint where the shoulder blade and arm connect. Generally when pain shoulder joint is diagnosed, this will refer to the largest joint, whereas any injuries to the other, smaller joints are called by the technical name of the specific joint or tendon. The reason the main shoulder joint is injured so often is because it sits in a very small, shallow socket. However, if the joint was not in such a shallow socket, you would not have the range of motion necessary to accomplish most of your daily functions.

A lot of people will suffer from rotator cuff tendonitis. This occurs when the rotator cuff tendons that surround the shoulder become inflamed. Rotator cuff tendonitis is mostly caused by overuse of your shoulder, but it is also possible to be diagnosed after a serious shoulder injury such as a fall or an accident.

Because of the amount of use your shoulder gets every day, you may also have a muscle strain. Muscle strain affects the larger muscles that run from your shoulder over to your neck. It is usually caused by keeping your shoulders lifted, either to support a sore neck, from lifting a heavy object incorrectly, or doing anything else that would cause the muscles over the shoulder to strain. On the other hand, a constant slouching can affect the muscles between the shoulder blades, causing back pain that may radiate outwards to your shoulders.

Another condition that may not be quite so common is something called "frozen shoulder." No one is really sure of the exact cause of this condition. The only thing that is known about frozen shoulder is that it most commonly occurs after shoulder surgery or a serious injury when the patient avoids using their shoulder or arm due to pain or stiffness. It is not uncommon for doctors to begin physical therapy as soon as a week after the surgery in order to avoid this condition.

Some of the risks we take that may cause shoulder injury include letting our joints become weak or fatigued so that our shoulder joints are not as strong as they could be. If your joints and muscles are weak, this can cause a soft tissue injury. The bursae in the joints may also become irritated, causing bursitis as well.

Repetitive movements above the head can lead to injuries or irritation of the joint and muscles as well. Many people who play the position of pitcher in baseball or softball or quarterbacks on the football team will suffer from soft tissue injuries and rotator cuff tendonitis. By keeping your joints strong (especially your rotator cuff), you will be able to avoid a lot of these injuries.

If you suspect that you may have one of these conditions, contact your doctor and they will be able to help decide which treatment may be best for you. In the meantime, it may be a good idea to take a natural anti-inflammatory medicine to help relieve some of the stiffness and pain until you are able to heal the tendons, muscles and joints.