Shoulder Pain Causes & Treatment

Shoulder pain can arise from a variety of underlying issues, and understanding these can help in seeking the right treatment. Some of the common causes of shoulder pain include:

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• Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis): This condition involves a thickening and tightening of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint, leading to pain and stiffness. 

• Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy/Tears: The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder and allow for a wide range of motion. Overuse, injury, or age-related degeneration can lead to inflammation (tendinopathy) or tears in these tendons, causing pain, especially with overhead activities.

• Shoulder Impingement Syndrome: This occurs when tendons of the rotator cuff become compressed as they pass through a narrow space beneath the acromion (outer part of the shoulder blade). This can lead to pain, weakness, and difficulty lifting the arm.

• Bursitis: Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles around joints. Inflammation of these sacs (bursitis) in the shoulder can cause pain and tenderness, particularly with movement.

• Osteoarthritis: This "wear and tear" arthritis can affect the shoulder joint, leading to the breakdown of cartilage, resulting in pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.

• Referred Pain: Sometimes, pain felt in the shoulder may originate from another area of the body, such as the neck or upper back. This is known as referred pain.

• Instability: Shoulder instability occurs when the head of the upper arm bone (humerus) is forced out of the shoulder socket. This can happen due to injury or overuse and can lead to recurrent dislocations or subluxations (partial dislocations), causing pain and a feeling of looseness in the joint.