Know-how: Shoulder Pain
It is a condition where your shoulder hurt when you try to move them. There might be several reasons behind your shoulder problems as they are made up of a complex ball and socket joint structure. Sometimes it is caused due to a condition called arthritis or can even generate from other portions of your body.
Complex Mechanics:
Your shoulder comprises of
(a) Humerus – upper arm bone
(b) Scapula (shoulder blade)
(c) Clavicle (collarbone)
So, it calls for a professional diagnostic and treatment, if home care fails in the long run.
Shoulder Injury Symptoms:
To identify shoulder injury symptoms, run yourself through some queries like-
- Are you able to do normal stuff (lifting/moving standard weights) with that shoulder?
- Does that shoulder joint feel loosely placed?
Most shoulder injuries can be treated at home with crepe bandages and cold treatment (ice) for a few days. But some of them need professional interference. You should seek shoulder treatment from a shoulder specialist if-
- You can’t move your shoulder at all.
- The joint looks deformed.
- The pain persists (2 -4 weeks) and increases by the day.
- The pain couples with swelling, fever, or redness/discoloration.
Types of shoulder problems:
The different types of shoulder problems are-
- Posterior Instability: It is a condition in which the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) dislocates or subluxes posteriorly from the glenoid (socket portion of the shoulder) as a result of significant trauma.
- Frozen Shoulder/Stiff Shoulder: It is a common condition in which the articular shoulder capsule (a sack of ligaments surrounding the joint) swells and stiffens, restricting its mobility. It typically affects only one shoulder, but one in five cases affect both.
- SLAP (Superior Labrum Anterior To Posterior) Tears: It is a tear in the top part of the glenoid labrum in the shoulder that extends from the front to the back of the labrum.
- Bicep Tendon Disorders: It is a condition that occurs when you have inflammation in your upper biceps tendon.
- Fractures Around The Shoulder: It involves at least one of three bones in the shoulder: the scapula (shoulder blade), clavicle (collarbone), or humerus (upper arm bone).
- Recurrent Dislocation Of The Shoulder: a condition where the shoulder dislocates multiple times, even after a previous dislocation or surgical repair.
- Massive Rotator Cuff Tears And Superior Capsular Reconstruction: a full thickness tear of at least two of the four rotator cuff tendons, a full thickness tear greater than 5 centimetres in diameter, or both.
- Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries/ Shoulder Separation: a damage to the ligaments that connect the collarbone to the shoulder blade.
- Rotator Cuff Tears And Rotator Cuff Repair: a tear in the muscles and tendons of the shoulder that can cause pain, weakness, and limited range of motion:
Sometimes your shoulder may be a victim of referred pain- caused due to another issue in your body such as lungs or neck.
Home Care:
For your shoulder treatment at your place of stay, you can-
- Apply ice treatment on the shoulder area for around 10 mins and keep it off for the same timing. Continue doing this for around 4 days with a frequency of 3 times per day. Remember-never apply direct ice on your skin.
- Try to return to regular activities, post treatment.
- Medication to be taken in consultation with a doctor/physician.
In case of rotator cuff issues, your shoulder treatment at home should include proper stretching (yoga) with the help of an expert physician.
When to Seek a Professional Help?
Unexpected left shoulder pain might also be a cause of mild heart related issues. You must call an ambulance to your nearest hospital if the pain originates from your chest to the left jaw, neck, or arm followed by shortness of breath, sweating, or dizziness.
You must report to a hospital’s emergency ward if your shoulder shows signs of swelling, bleeding, or redness of the skin around the shoulder area even after self-treatment.
Shoulder Pain Treatments
The treatments depend on your type of shoulder injury-
- For a dislocated shoulder, a closed reduction or manipulation is necessary by a doctor to put it in the socket properly.
- For a separated shoulder- a sling treatment works best.
- For shoulder fractures, a sling will help with surgery if needed.
- In the case of rotator cuff tears- can be cured with a sling but sometimes doctors recommend NSAIDs and physical therapy.
So, your takeaway is that- in case of mild shoulder problems you can treat is at home but for prolonged issues you should consult a doctor from a reliable one in a metro city. A quick tip would be- you can try out shoulderandkneeclinic.com to get the most experienced Arthroscopic surgeons in Mumbai.