Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Shoulder Pain

It’s part of living to get occasional aches and pains. Our bodies move all day long, and sometimes, we can experience injuries or develop conditions that lead to pain. However, if the aching doesn’t get better with time or go away with the RICE (rest, icing, compression, elevation) method, you could be looking at a serious issue that needs professional treatment.

Among the most widely used joints in the body are the shoulder joints. Our shoulder joints allow us to hold, lift, carry, push, pull, write, type, and more. As much as possible, you want to maintain the flexibility and mobility of your shoulders. To do this, you need to see a doctor and not ignore pain when it presents itself. The biggest reason why you shouldn’t ignore shoulder pain is that it will most likely continue to get worse without treatment. As such, seek treatment as quickly as possible, so that you don’t have to worry about long-term discomfort.

Here are two of the most common reasons for shoulder pain.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

Pay close attention to how your shoulders and arms feel. One of the most common shoulder injuries is a rotator cuff injury. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that connect your humerus and upper arm bone.

With age, the tendons and tissues that make up the rotator cuff muscles may degenerate and easily become inflamed. Overuse and repetitive overhead motions can also strain and damage the connective tissues and cause a dull ache deep in the shoulder. You could have torn your rotator cuff tendons partially or completely. The danger in ignoring shoulder pain due to a rotator cuff injury is that delaying treatment can cause further damage to the tendons. Eventually, you may lose shoulder and arm function, which makes combing your hair, brushing your teeth or feeding yourself difficult.

Rotator cuff injuries can happen to anyone – not just athletes. Weekend warriors can also injure their rotator cuff muscles and tendons.

Osteoarthritis

Another common cause of shoulder pain is osteoarthritis, which is a wear and tear disease that causes the protective cartilage over the shoulder joint to become thin. Eventually, the bone begins to rub against bone, causing pain, swelling, and limited range of motion. Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease and may seem like a minor ache in its earliest stage, but the pain will become more severe with time. The chronic inflammation from osteoarthritis can even cause bone spurs to develop.

Shoulder arthritis can be slowed down when it is treated early on. With early treatment, you may be able to reduce the speed of the breakdown of cartilage. Physical therapy, NSAIDs, temperature therapy, and lifestyle changes can help reduce inflammation that accelerates the breakdown of the cartilage in your shoulder.

Shoulder pain could be due to an underlying medical condition. See an orthopedic doctor for expert treatment of shoulder injuries and disease. Your shoulders deserve nothing less.

Shoulder Pain Treatment in St. Charles County, MO

The orthopedic surgeons at Advanced Bone & Joint can handle a wide range of conditions affecting the shoulders. We are experienced in treating tendonitis, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff injuries, and osteoarthritis. We aim to relieve your pain and restore the normal function and mobility of your shoulders and arms. Besides treating your shoulder condition, we also provide physical therapy services to help protect and strengthen your shoulder joints. To make an appointment with any of our orthopedic surgeons, call (636) 229-4222 or use our convenient online request form.