Dealing with Shoulder Pain – Causes and Relief

Shoulder pain is a problem, and it can be debilitating when it goes unchecked.

A bigger problem is that it impairs one of your limbs – your arm – and that has downstream issues attached. Atrophied muscles, tendons that fall into disrepair through lack of use and flexibility all take a hit when you have shoulder pain. Now that we are dealing with a pandemic that has left many of us scrambling to work from home, the problem of shoulder pain becomes exacerbated.

Your home office is nothing like your regular office; chances are that it is less than an ergonomic paradise that your traditional office is when you work there. It doesn’t matter where the shoulder pain originates from – an old or recent injury or a degenerative condition – losing the use of the shoulder due to pain will reduce your ability to fulfill your work requirements.

When you face shoulder pain due to circumstances beyond your control and need to work from home, there is hope for you. Your friends at Care-Med have medical devices to alleviate shoulder pain caused by a plethora of problems you are afflicted by.

A change in posture can cause your shoulder pain due to pain in other areas, and that is why you need the professional help that Care-Med will provide in your hour of need.

At Care-Med, we would like to help you identify your shoulder pain problems and tell you that we are ready to assist you when you require a device to eliminate the pain you are suffering from.

Shoulder pain, identifying problems

• Is there a problem moving your shoulder, is shoulder stiffness causing pain?
• Does the shoulder feel loose, like it could pop out at any moment?
• Does your shoulder feel weak, and you can’t perform tasks?
• Does your shoulder resemble a deformed joint?
• Is the problem that you can’t use your shoulder at all?
• Are you suffering from intense pain?
• Is there swelling in your shoulder?
• Is your hand or arm weak or numb?

Shoulder injuries, common problems

A dislocated shoulder

• When your shoulder is pulled too far back or rotated in a manner that the shoulder won’t support, your arm will be dislodged from the socket. Instantaneously, you will feel a sharp, intense pain that causes your shoulder to become weak. A byproduct of the injury is swelling, bruising and a numbing of the area that is afflicted.

A separated shoulder

• A separated shoulder comes about when the ligaments are pulled away from where the collarbone and shoulder blade meet. A misalignment of the collarbone will cause a bump to appear at the apex of your shoulder.

A fracture

• If you fall or absorb a hard impact on your torso or the arm, you can break or fracture the collarbone or the arm bone. The pain will be intense, and if you have fractured your collarbone, your shoulder will sag because it has no support from the collarbone.

Torn cartilage

• After repetitive tasks for an extended period, the cartilage around your shoulder joint will begin to degrade. This isn’t the only cause of a torn cartilage; you can tear it in a fail or due to a massive blow to the shoulder area too. You will know if you have a torn cartilage because you feel that your shoulder is grinding, locking in place, or it feels like the shoulder is catching on something. The pain will be prevalent, and your shoulder will feel weak when you attempt to raise your shoulder over your head.

Torn rotator cuff

• Your rotator cuff controls the movement of your arm and holds it in place with a series of tendons and muscles doing the work. Damage to the rotator cuff can be sustained through a fall or overuse, and it will degenerate over time as you age. If you feel pain at night or when trying to lift things or hear what sounds like a click in your shoulder area, know that your rotator cuff is failing.

Your shoulder feels frozen.

• A buildup of tissue bands – this is abnormal – will stop your shoulder from moving to reduce your range of movement. When you have this condition, your shoulder will ‘freeze’ during movement when the pain becomes too intense; this condition can come from surgery and allowing it to fester will create tissue buildup in the shoulder.

Your shoulder is impinged.

• Shoulder impingement happens when your rotator cuff’s tendons get caught between bones and are ‘pinched.’ If you have a job where you lift your arms over your head regularly, this problem can become prominent.

Bursitis

• Your bursa is a sack filled with fluid and acts as a cushion for your shoulder joint. Repeated motions irritate the bursa sack, but it can result from a fall or heavy impact. If you have pain in the shoulder when moving your shoulder, it could indicate that you have bursitis.

Degenerative causes of shoulder pain

Osteoarthritis

• Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease and is the single most common form of arthritis. When the cartilage between bones starts to dissipate, bone on bone rubbing occurs, and pain results. Pain and stiffness will be critical indicators of the problem.

Rheumatoid arthritis

• This is a disease that attacks the lining of your joints. It will cause pain and stiffness in your shoulder and a reduction in the range of movement when you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Referred pain

• Shoulder pain can come from the most unlikely sources, even when nothing seems to be wrong. If you suffer from this condition, it is an education that problems with your gall bladder, liver or other organs are about to surface.

Potential heart attack

• If your shoulder hurts and you have trouble catching your breath or breathing, and your chest feels tight, get medical help immediately.

Inflamed tendons

• Also known as tendinitis, the tendons around your rotator cuff will become inflamed. It can happen as a result of a fall or a heavy hit to your shoulder area.

Bone spurs

• The medical term for this condition is called ‘osteophytes,’ and it occurs when small, smooth bones rub up against your rotator cuff. When the problem arises, it prevents your shoulder from moving as it should and will lead to tears in the rotator cuff or tendinitis.

What to do next?

Consult your physician for a diagnosis to determine the problem with your shoulder. At that point, your physician will recommend several things that will help alleviate the pain and produce a good health outcome for your injury or degenerative condition.

At Care-Med, you can count on our credentialed certified professionals to work with your physician’s recommendations and fit you with the best shoulder brace on the market to restore your pain-free lifestyle.

If your financial situation allows for an insurance claim, we accept extended health insurance, Veteran’s Affairs benefits, Circle of Care, ODSP, ADP and Ontario Works financial support.