Our shoulders allow us to do a variety of things thanks to their wide range of motion. Without our shoulders functioning properly, we wouldn’t be able to do a wide variety of things from playing sports to lifting everyday items.
Which is probably why when they start to hurt, it’s something you notice right away. Maybe it’s achy when you wake up the morning? Maybe you notice a twinge when you reach to turn a door handle?
Whatever it may be, shoulder pain can be a serious problem. Luckily, the sooner you identify the source of shoulder pain, the sooner you can get on track to sorting things out and getting your shoulder back in working condition.
Understanding the Shoulder
The shoulder is what’s called a ball-and-socket joint. A ball-and-socket joint refers to the joints in the body that have the most mobility because of their structure. Two examples besides the shoulder could be the elbow and the hip joints.
When it comes to the shoulder joint, there are three bones involved: the clavicle (your collarbone), the scapula (your shoulder blade), and the humerus (the bone connected to your arm.) These three bones working together under chords of muscle is what allows you to have such a wide range of motion.
But what about the muscles? Yes, those can get injured too. One of the more common muscles people hear about is the rotator cuff.
The rotator cuff is made up of four tendons that connect the muscles of your shoulder to the bones we mentioned before. If they get injured it can be painful just to try and shrug your shoulder or to lay on that side of your body. It can even be painful to sit still!
Possible Causes of Shoulder Pain
With all of those bones and tendons working together, there can be a lot of reasons why you have shoulder pain (and we didn’t even list all of the muscles or tendons.)
However, it can be easy to get to the source of shoulder pain if you work with an experienced medical professional and identify some of your symptoms.
For example:
- Is there pain in your shoulder all the time or just when you move?
- Are you able to lift things or not at all?
- Can you still do everyday tasks comfortably?
- Is the pain sharp or achy?
- How long has the pain been going on?
These are the types of questions your doctor should ask you when they examine your shoulder and look for the cause of your pain.
Some reasons you could have shoulder pain include:
- Broken bones (such as the collarbone or arm)
- Dislocated shoulder
- Muscle strain (sports, accidents, etc.)
It’s also important to remember to not jump to conclusions about your shoulder pain. Rest assured that people hurt their shoulders all the time and shoulder pain doesn’t mean you have some sort of disease.
However, sometimes, diseases can be the cause, but with a little treatment and physical therapy, this kind of pain can be helped over time. Some examples of this could include:
- Arthritis
- Tendinitis
- Joint inflammation
As long as you’re open and honest with your doctor, you should be able to find the source of your shoulder pain rather quickly.
Make an Appointment Today
Shoulder pain can make the easiest tasks — brushing your hair, wiping your face off, or picking things up — the hardest things in the world. Honestly, any kind of pain in a muscle or joint can be energy sucking and make one feel hopeless doing everyday things.
Here at Cianci Chiropractic, our mission is pain relief and pain prevention without medication on any part of the body, including the shoulder. If you’re having shoulder pain, reach out, and schedule an appointment with us today.
Through regular chiropractic care and specialized treatment, we can help you identify the source of your shoulder pain and get you back to living the life you’re used to — pain-free.