What could be causing

my shoulder pain?

By ShareMD Connect

Statistically speaking, shoulder pain often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Many people who have shoulder pain choose to “live with it,”. Shoulder pain tends to last for months, and 40 to 50% of people report persistent pain or recurrence after 12-months.

So what causes shoulder pain, and why is it so hard to get rid of?

The Most Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

Your shoulder is a joint where your upper arm fits into a socket, called the glenoid. Inside, the joint is cushioned by tissue, muscles, and tendons, and that’s called the rotator cuff. Your rotator cuff attaches your upper arm bone to your shoulder blade. 

Rotator Cuff Injury

Because your shoulder works pretty hard, rotator cuff injuries are quite common, and most are caused by tears or inflammation. Depending on the severity, they can be very painful and take a long time to heal completely. We don’t often realize how much we need our rotator cuff until we injure it. Suddenly, doing simple things like reaching, pulling, pushing, and gardening are very painful and sometimes impossible to do.

Tears and inflammation to the rotator cuff can be caused by an injury, or it could be due to wear and tear over time. Tears are most commonly associated with falling or getting your arm yanked, either of which could happen doing normal daily activities or playing sports. Wear and tear over time is often associated with repetitive overhead activity or prolonged bouts of heavy lifting which can irritate or damage the tendon.

Osteoarthritis

Other causes of shoulder pain include osteoarthritis, which usually happens when the cartilage in your shoulder wears down, and the joint loses its ability to cushion. As a result, the bones rub together, causing pain and arthritic inflammation. 

Calcific Tendinitis

When calcium deposits in the tendons build up, you may experience sudden and often severe pain. This condition is most common among older adults and people who have diabetes. 

Adhesive Capsulitis

Sometimes referred to as “frozen shoulder,” adhesive capsulitis happens when tissues stiffen around the shoulder joint. This condition is most common in adults between the ages of 40 and 60, it is also more frequently seen in women and those who have diabetes, thyroid disorders, or high cholesterol. 

There are many treatment options available for shoulder pain, but before your doctor can offer treatment options, they need to make sure they have an accurate diagnosis.