what does it feel like to have a pulled muscle in your shoulder blade?

Some shoulder weather may become more mutual every bit yous age.

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You probably don't recall most your shoulders much, until you lot all of a sudden experience pain in one of them. Shoulder pain can make a unproblematic human activity — brushing and drying your pilus, reaching behind your back to fasten a bra, or grabbing something overhead — seem like a monumental job.

Every bit you historic period, y'all're more likely to experience shoulder hurting from a variety of mutual conditions. "Shoulder problems are very common," says Dr. Arun Ramappa, associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. The pain can come on gradually or abruptly, and it may range from mild to excruciating.

Below are some of the most common conditions you may encounter, and some tips for how to address them.

What to do if your shoulder hurts

If yous do feel shoulder pain, information technology's not e'er possible to figure out the cause. Sometimes problems in other parts of the body are actually the source of the pain, which so radiates to your shoulder. This tin happen with certain neck bug, including arthritis and disc herniations, says Dr. Arun Ramappa, associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School.

In general, if y'all are experiencing a lot of pain or know you injured yourself, information technology'due south best to meet a doctor correct abroad to have your shoulder status diagnosed.

But if you have full general, mild shoulder hurting, endeavor adjusting your activities, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and performing balmy stretches to see if the hurting improves on its own. Notwithstanding, if the pain doesn't go abroad afterward a few weeks, you lot should consult your doctor.

Rotator cuff injuries and irritations

Your rotator gage is a group of muscles and tendons that help tether your shoulder into the socket and permit you to move information technology in a circular motion. Some ii million people visit a doctor each year for rotator cuff–related bug, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery (AAOS). About problems with the rotator cuff fall into two categories: tears or inflammation. Suspect a rotator cuff trouble if you take pain or stiffness in your shoulder when you lot elevator your arm above your head to brush your hair or when you reach backside your back. "You won't be able to do a lot of things you desire to exercise, such as put dishes in an upper cabinet, play tennis, or do garden pruning," says Dr. Ramappa.

Rotator gage impingement. A rotator gage impingement happens when there is irritation, inflammation, or pinch of the tendons or bursa (the fluid-filled sac that sits between bones) in the shoulder. An impingement can be caused by an injury, but information technology tin can too simply outcome from general article of clothing and tear from daily life.

Rotator cuff tears. A tear in the rotator cuff will produce hurting that is similar to an impingement just has i additional differentiating feature. "If the pain is associated with weakness, information technology is likely caused by a tear, and if you just have hurting, it may only be a rotator cuff impingement," says Dr. Ramappa.

A tear can exist fractional, whereby just role of the tendon is ripped away from the os information technology is fastened to. Or at that place can be a total tear, causing the tendon to completely separate from the bone. "Although younger people can take rotator cuff tears, they go more mutual as people historic period, possibly considering the interface between the tendon and the bone weakens and becomes more susceptible to injury," says Dr. Ramappa. "The prevalence rises with each decade of life."

Compared with impingement, a tear is more likely to be acquired by an injury. Common causes include falling on the ice, getting pulled by a canis familiaris on a leash, or tripping and landing on your shoulder. In other cases, problems crop up seemingly without cause. "Yous might suddenly discover pain when lifting something over your head," says Ramappa.

If yous suspect a tear or are experiencing sudden pain from an injury, encounter a doctor right abroad, considering you may need surgery to set the trouble. Only if y'all aren't experiencing weakness and the pain is not severe, balance and anti-inflammatory medications may be plenty to ease your discomfort.

Calcific tendinitis. Pain from calcific tendinitis comes from calcium deposits embedded within the rotator cuff tendons. While it's unclear exactly what causes these deposits to form, some experts believe they may outcome from a healing process in the ligament gone awry. The condition causes sudden, severe pain that often starts in the morning. It'due south more common in center-aged and older adults and those who have diabetes.

Handling is aimed at relieving hurting and preserving range of motion of the shoulder. Options include anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy. If the pain is severe or persistent, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove the deposits.

Adhesive capsulitis. Usually referred to as frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis is acquired by a thickening and stiffening of the tissues around the shoulder joint. Information technology'south typically develops in people ages 40 to 60. Frozen shoulder is more than common in women than in men and in people with sure medical conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or thyroid disorders.

Frozen shoulder can occur after a rotator gage impingement, a tendon tear, or fifty-fifty small injury. Simply why some people go on to develop a frozen shoulder is not articulate, says Dr. Ramappa. Someone with shoulder pain may hesitate to movement the arm every bit a result of those problems, which and so leads to additional pain and stiffness. As a consequence, it may get virtually incommunicable to motion the shoulder for weeks or months. The trouble frequently goes away after a period of time — but that can accept up to three years, according to the AAOS. Physical therapy is sometimes recommended for frozen shoulder, simply this can exist quite painful in some cases, says Dr. Ramappa. Other interventions include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, or, in some cases, surgery. "But in most cases, it responds well to nonoperative treatment," he says.

Osteoarthritis. When people think of osteoarthritis, they may think of the articulatio genus and the hip, which are common sites for arthritis pain. But while osteoarthritis affects the shoulder less often, it'due south not uncommon, says Dr. Ramappa. The condition develops when cartilage cushions betwixt the bones in the shoulder erode, causing the basic to rub against 1 some other. In that location are numerous treatments for osteoarthritis, including residue, modifications to activities, anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, and surgery in some cases, says Dr. Ramappa.

While you may be tempted to stop moving when you experience pain from osteoarthritis, doing so tin can really make the problem worse because it allows the muscles to stiffen and shorten. This may ultimately make it even harder for you to move the mode you want to.

Performing uncomplicated stretches two to 3 days a calendar week (come across "Uncomplicated shoulder stretch exercises") tin can assistance keep your muscles flexible and reduce pain, provided your physician approves.

Simple shoulder stretch exercises

Seated shoulder stretch

Primarily stretches the shoulder

Reps: 2–ivHold: ten–30 seconds

Starting position: Sit up directly on a chair. Put your left hand on your right shoulder. Cup your left elbow with your right hand.

Movement: Curl your shoulders downward and back, then gently pull your left elbow beyond your chest as yous extend your left arm. Feel the stretch in your left shoulder. Hold. Return to the starting position, and so repeat on the contrary side. This is one rep.

Seated triceps stretch

Primarily stretches the back of the upper arm and the shoulder

Reps: 2–4Concord: 10–xxx seconds

Starting position: Sit upwardly straight. Place your correct hand on your right shoulder. Clasp your correct elbow with your left paw.

Movement: Keeping your shoulders down and dorsum, lift your correct elbow upward toward the ceiling to the point of tightness. Feel the stretch in the back of your upper right arm and shoulder. Hold. Return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. This is one rep.

Seated breast stretch

Primarily stretches the chest and shoulders

Reps: 2–ivHold: 10–thirty seconds

Starting position: Sit down up direct facing sideways in a chair without artillery.

Movement: Coil your shoulders down and back. Squeeze your hands behind you, intertwining your fingers so your palms face you. Gently lift your hands toward the ceiling to the betoken of tightness. Experience the stretch in the forepart of your shoulders and across your breast. Hold. Slowly return to the starting position.

Exercise photos by Michael Carroll

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all manufactures. No content on this site, regardless of engagement, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/ouch-shoulder-pain-and-how-to-treat-it

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