Shoulder Pain

Understanding Shoulder Pain

The tendons and muscles of your shoulder combine into an incredible work of engineering that allows your body to have a wide range of motion. With this mobility, however, there are complex elements to your shoulder that can become injured all too easily.

Your shoulder is a complex piece of anatomy made up of three different bones. It consists of your humerus bone (the upper arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collarbone).

The top of your upper arm bone (the humerus) meets your torso inside a round socket called the glenoid. This glenoid in your shoulder is the socket that allows your shoulder to act as a ball-and-socket joint. You have a total of four ball-and-socket joints in your body, with one on either side of your hips and two on your shoulders. These work by allowing one of your bones to move within the hollow of another bone.

Beyond the bones of your shoulder, there is a network of muscles and tendons that are all centered within your shoulder socket. We refer to these muscles and tendons of your shoulder as your rotator cuff. The tissue of your shoulder plays a key role in covering the top of your upper arm bone and attaching this bone to your shoulder blade.

What Is the Main Cause of Shoulder Pain?

There are many different causes. Some common issues that bring people to our Singapore clinic include the following:

• Bursitis: When the small, fluid-filled sacs (called bursae) that cushion and lubricate the bones, muscles, and tendons become inflamed, you have a painful condition called bursitis. This can be caused by overuse in cases of athletes as well as trauma and other underlying conditions. The pain can be sharp or dull and will often create heat, swelling, tenderness, and a limited range of motion.
• Osteoarthritis: A degenerative condition that can affect any joint in your body, osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage inside of your joint deteriorates over time. The condition becomes more likely with age and overuse but there are also genetic risk factors and other issues like obesity that increase your likelihood of developing osteoarthritis.
• Tendinitis: If the tendons that connect your muscles and bones and bones become inflamed, you have tendinitis. Tendinitis causes pain, tenderness, weakness, and stiffness. It can be caused by overuse, poor form during movements, trauma, or an underlying condition. As you age, developing tendinitis becomes increasingly common.
• Rotator Cuff Tear: The muscles and tendons that surround your joint can tear due to trauma or general long-term wear and tear. This condition is characterised by pain, weakness, limited range of motion, instability, nighttime pain, and eventually muscle atrophy.
• Impingement: When your rotator cuff tendons are squeezed or crushed between the bones of the joint due to repetitive motions (especially overhead) you may experience pain, weakness, and a reduced range of motion. This condition can cause pain, weakness, a limited range of motion, and a telltale clicking or catching sensation in your joint. Impingement is common among athletes and becomes increasingly common with age.
• Instability: A shoulder injury resulting from the upper arm bone being pushed out of the socket.
• Factures: Broken your upper arm bone (humerus), collarbone (clavicle), or shoulder blade (scapula) will cause intense shoulder pain.
• Adhesive Capsulitis: Often referred to as frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis cause your shoulders to be stiff and painful. This condition also brings symptoms of pain, stiffness, and a limited range of motion. Having adhesive capsulitis becomes more common after the age of 40.
• Shoulder Dislocation: When your humerus bone slips out of the joint, which most often occurs during sports or an accident, you will experience extremely intense pain.
• Separation

To help you decide which one you might be dealing with, there are a few telltale symptoms to consider.

How Do I Know What Type of Shoulder Pain I Have?

When you arrive at our Singapore clinic, our specialist will review your symptoms to help determine the cause. Here are a few of the common questions that you may be asked about your condition.

• What Is Your Pain Like?
• Dull or achy
• Sharp or severe
• When Did it Start?
• It was gradual?
• It came on suddenly?
• What brings on the pain?
• Many or most of your daily activities?
• A specific injury?
• Overuse or exercise
• Painful when not moving
• Are you experiencing any other
• symptoms?
• Inability to move your shoulder?
• Muscle spasm
• Pins and needles sensation of numbness or tingling
• Weakness
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Visible deformation