As one of the most complex joints in the body, the shoulder is formed where the humerus joins with the scapula creating a ball and socket mechanism. Apart from the humerus and scapula, other bones found around the shoulder include the acromion, clavicle and coracoids.
As a result of the ball and socket structure, the shoulder is able to have a wide range of movements. You can move your arm forward, backward, to the sides and upwards. All these movements are accomplished with ease until pain becomes present.
Causes of shoulder pain
It is quite common to injure yourself when working, training or even when sleeping on the wrong side. Furthermore, there are diseases that may affect your body and cause discomfort around the shoulder.
While these diseases do not affect the shoulder directly, they do affect other organs in the body such as liver, heart, gallbladder and spine. As a result of the diseases adverse effects, the shoulder will be affected.
Furthermore, as one gets older, normal wear and tear weakens the ball and socket structure. There are other sources that result in pain around the shoulders. They include:
1. Shoulder joint instability
2. Frozen shoulder
3. Dislocation
4. Bone fractures
5. Strain
6. Pinched nerves
7. Tendonitis
8. Rotator cuff pain
How to diagnose shoulder pain
It is a common practice among people to seek help from the internet when they experience pain on their body, for example, shoulder pain treatment. While information available on the internet is credible and can help you to self diagnose a problem, the first step you need to take is make an appointment with a shoulder joint pain doctor.
At the hospital, the doctor will start examining your shoulder pain rotator cuff before making any recommendation. A physical examination will be carried out to determine what area of the rotator cuff is problematic.
Furthermore, the doctor will check for any redness, swelling or even signs of dislocation. If any of the symptoms described above are present, the doctor will be able to make the right prognosis.There are occasions where the doctor may need further clarification to know if other problems are present.
This calls for the use of professional techniques like X-rays, MRI and blood tests. In an X-ray exam, plain x-rays will be used and help in revealing the narrowing of the space located between the joint bones. This is necessary so that the doctor can find out if any damage has occurred to the bones or signs of arthritis.
On the other hand, MRI helps to reveal more details about shoulder joint pain. This is because the equipment uses imaging technology assuring you of a non invasive procedure.If blood tests are carried out, the doctor will be able to learn the probability of polymyalgia rheumatic.
How to reduce symptoms of shoulder pain
Avoid strenuous activities
When training, your shoulder may sprain especially around the acromioclavicular joint. If this happens, your shoulder pain diagnosis doctor will advise you to avoid strenuous activities that involve moving your arms across your body, for example, engaging in weight lifting.
Instead, your shoulder must stay mobile by performing light tasks only. Heavy lifting should not be done for the next 8 to 12 weeks. If the problem persists, the doctor may provide a sling that you will be required to wear and support your shoulder for the coming weeks.
Apply cold press
As noted earlier, it is quite common to injure your shoulder when training whether in the field or at the gym. The injury will result in you experiencing pain around the shoulder.
To ease the discomfort and prevent any further damage, it is highly advisable to apply an ice pack. This will help in reducing inflammation as well as pain.
One thing you need to note when applying an ice pack is to avoid direct skin contact. Instead, wrap the ice pack with a damp towel. This will help to prevent ice burn.
To ensure the inflammation or pain is reduce effectively, apply the ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes. Ease of pain in the affected area helps to promote healing.
Apply hot press
Instead of an ice pack, you will be applying heat to the affected area. There are two ways of accomplishing this. For starters, you may opt to stand in a slightly hot shower for 5 to 10 minutes. This will help to alleviate any swelling or inflammation.
Alternatively, you can fill a hot water bottle with hot water and apply it over the injured shoulder. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. The good thing about using a hot water bottle is that you can apply it while lying down comfortably.
By applying the hot water bottle a few times over the coming weeks, your shoulder will experience relief from pain and discomfort.
Massaging the problematic area
Apart from heavy training and other strenuous activities, bad posture and weak muscles play an important role when it comes to shoulder pain. Shoulder massage techniques have been found to provide relief in case of shoulder pain or inflammation.
It is important to understand that for the best relief, it’s wise to avoid self massage. Instead, seek the services of a professional massage therapist. Why?
1. They are in a good position to reach areas on your body that you
will be unable to.
2. They are well versed with different pressure points thus provide
relief within minutes.
3. They know how to apply just the right amount of pressure.
This will surely relieve shoulder pain discomfort.
One of the best massage techniques that assure you of relief is Swedish massage. Why? It helps to increase oxygen levels resulting in a decrease in muscle toxins as well as improve circulation in the body.
Final Thoughts
It is important to know that shoulder joint pain can be avoided by simply learning the proper techniques, especially when it comes to weight lifting and training. You can improve your posture while working at your desk or when walking.
If you dislocate your shoulder during training, seek medical assistance. Don’t forget to eat a balanced diet as this helps to nourish your body and allow new muscles to grow.
