Ache in upper arm muscle: 13 Causes for Upper Arm Pain: Is it from my shoulder, my neck, or a simple injury?

26.06.202311.06.2023 by alexxlab

Causes of Severe Upper Arm Pain

Upper Extremities & Hands

Severe Upper Arm Pain

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Top causes of severe upper arm pain—and how to treat them.

Written by

Benjamin Schwartz, MD, FAAOS.

Orthopedic Surgeon, Sports Medicine North

Last updated February 13, 2022

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Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)

Shoulder arthritis (glenohumeral arthritis)

Neck arthritis (cervical disc disease)

Bruised upper arm muscle

Other possible causes

When to call the doctor

Should I go to the ER for severe upper arm pain?

Treatment

Table of Contents

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Written by

Benjamin Schwartz, MD, FAAOS.

Orthopedic Surgeon, Sports Medicine North

Last updated February 13, 2022

Severe upper arm pain quiz

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4 most common causes

Osteoarthritis

Frozen Shoulder

Shoulder Arthritis

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Bruised upper arm muscle

Severe upper arm pain quiz

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Most common questions

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Your upper arm is the meeting point of different bones, joints, muscles, arteries, and nerves. These all work together to keep your shoulder, arm, and hand functioning properly. But if something happens to any one of these parts, it can cause pain in the area—along with other symptoms like bruising, heat, visible deformities, burning or tingling sensations, and decreased strength.

Severe pain in the upper arm can be caused by trauma from an injury. These could include a fracture, muscle or tendon tear, nerve compression. Things like falling on an outstretched arm, a motor vehicle accident or bicycle fall, or a forceful pull trying to lift a heavy object.

But severe pain can also be caused by chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder. These can be in the arm or even in the neck and spine, which could cause pain to radiate down the arm. Bone spurs or bulging discs in the neck can put pressure on the nerves, causing severe shooting or electrical pain.

It can also be caused by repetitive activities, especially those that involve reaching over head like painting, stocking shelves, or lifting objects over shoulder level. These can cause irritation and inflammation of the shoulder tissues including the bursa and rotator cuff tendons

Sudden injuries may require you to seek medical treatments. In general, pain can be eased with ice, heat, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories.

Pro Tip

In orthopedics, we consider the arm (sometimes referred to as the upper arm) to be the area from the shoulder down to the elbow. The area from the elbow to the wrist is called the forearm. —Dr. Schwartz

1. Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)

Symptoms

Stiffness in the shoulder joint that gets worse over time
Pain with movement
Difficulty sleeping

Frozen shoulder is a condition where the shoulder gradually gets stiffer and stiffer. As the shoulder stiffens, it becomes painful when you try to move it. You may also have dull, aching pain at rest and pain that makes it difficult to sleep at night. Symptoms usually start gradually (freezing stage), stabilize (frozen stage), then gradually improve as your range of motion returns (thawing stage).

Treatment for frozen shoulder includes physical therapy, pain-relieving medications, and sometimes cortisone injections. It usually improves slowly over time, but it can take 12 to 18 months (or in some cases up to 3 years) for the range of motion to improve completely. Rarely, surgery may be necessary.

2. Shoulder arthritis (glenohumeral arthritis)

Pro Tip

While it is more common to develop arthritis in the knee or hip, some patients can develop arthritis of the shoulder. Normally, the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the human body. However, arthritis can cause stiffness that limits shoulder motion. —Dr. Benjamin Schwartz

Symptoms

Dull aching pain in the shoulder and outer arm
Stiffness, making it difficult to raise your arm overhead
A clicking or grinding sensation with movement
Pain at night and difficulty sleeping

Arthritis is a wearing away of the smooth cartilage that normally lines the ends of the bones that make up a joint. As the cartilage wears away, the bones get closer together, and eventually, they can touch. While the hip and knee are the most common joints to be affected by arthritis, shoulder arthritis can develop with aging or if you have had a shoulder injury in the past.

Treatment of shoulder arthritis usually starts with physical therapy, modifying your activity, and pain-relieving medications. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a cortisone injection to help reduce pain and inflammation. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary when the pain and limitations become too great. The surgical treatment of shoulder arthritis is shoulder replacement where the arthritis is removed and replaced with metal and plastic parts.

Learn more about shoulder arthritis.

3. Neck arthritis (cervical disc disease)

Symptoms

Neck pain
Pain that shoots into the back of the shoulder
Pain that shoots into the arm
Numbness or tingling in the arm

Neck arthritis causes narrowing of the discs that cushion the neck bones. This can cause the discs to bulge out from in between the bones. These bulging discs can then put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves that run into the arm.

Neck arthritis can also cause bone spurs to form around the nerves and spinal cord. These bone spurs can also place pressure on the nerves in the neck.

These “pinched nerves” can cause severe pain in the neck, shoulder, and arm. The pain can be a burning or lightning sensation and you may feel numbness or tingling in the arm.

Most cases of neck arthritis and pinched nerves respond to treatments such as physical therapy, regular use of NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs), and modifying your activity.

In rare cases, neck arthritis can place severe pressure on the nerves or spinal cord leading to weakness in the arm or a condition called cervical myelopathy. This can cause difficulty walking, clumsiness, loss of balance, and urinary urgency. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop any of these symptoms.

4.

Bruised upper arm muscle

Symptoms

Constant upper arm pain
Known injury to the affected area—back of the arm (tricep) or front of the arm (bicep)
Swelling of one arm
Upper arm bruise

A bruised muscle is when there is trauma to the area that damages the blood vessels that return blood to the heart (the capillaries and veins). This causes blood to pool, which is why you get a blue or purple colored bruise. A bruise will stay visible until the blood is either absorbed by the surrounding tissue or cleared by the immune system.

If your tricep is bruised, the back of your upper arm muscle will feel tender and probably have a visible bruise on the skin. In the case of a bruised bicep, the front of the arm is painful.

Treatment involves RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation).

Other possible causes

Dr. Rx

Pain in the upper arm usually is often caused by problems with the neck or shoulder but may also come from the bones or muscles in the arm. —Dr. Schwartz

A number of conditions may also cause severe upper arm pain, though these are either rare or severe upper arm pain is not usually the defining symptom. They include:

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Unexplained severe pain that usually occurs after an injury or prior surgery.
Brachial plexopathy: Upper arm nerve pain as a result of excessive stretching of upper arm nerves.
Septic arthritis: Sudden and severe shoulder pain often associated with fevers, chills, and warmth. Any motion of the shoulder is extremely painful.
Osteomyelitis: An infection in the upper arm bone that usually occurs after a severe injury or from prior surgery on the shoulder or upper arm.

When to call the doctor

You should contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms of upper arm pain:

Pain that worsens or does not respond to 3 to 6 weeks of conservative treatment
Severe loss of shoulder motion
Worsening weakness or numbness in the arm

Should I go to the ER for severe upper arm pain?

You should go to the emergency department if you have any of these signs of a more serious problem:

Severe pain with any attempt to move the shoulder or upper arm.
Upper arm or shoulder pain associated with fevers, chills, or redness.
Difficulty walking, loss of balance, and loss of bowel/bladder control associated with severe neck and shoulder pain.

Severe upper arm pain treatments

At-home care

Low-impact exercise, yoga, or meditation may be helpful in resolving pain.
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Ice or heat. One is not better than the other, but ice is good for reducing pain and swelling and heat is good for loosening tight muscles and joints.
Resting the arm or avoiding activities or motions that cause pain can help relieve discomfort.

Other treatment options

Surgery may be necessary to remove bone spurs or disc bulges in the cervical spine that could be causing symptoms.
Prescription medications including antibiotics for infections or steroids for severe inflammation.
Physical therapy or rehabilitation to help you restore range of motion, strength, and stability to your shoulder, especially after an injury.
Acupuncture to help control severe pain.
Injections of cortisone into the shoulder joint or around pinched nerves in the neck can reduce local inflammation.

Benjamin Schwartz, MD, FAAOS.

Orthopedic Surgeon, Sports Medicine North

Dr. Schwartz is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Member of the Buoy Medical Advisory Board. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the College of William and Mary (1998) with a B.S. in Biology, then obtained his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia (2002) where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. After completing his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Bost…

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Treating upper arm muscle injuries

Speaking of Health

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Topics in this Post

Orthopedic Health

Sports Medicine

Having well-defined, muscular upper arms often is the goal of anyone seeking a fit, toned appearance. But there’s more to these hardworking muscles than good looks. The biceps, the muscle in front of your arm, and triceps, the one at the back, do the heavy lifting when flexing or extending your arm and making twisting motions.

What can go wrong

Despite their strength, these muscles can be damaged through overuse or forceful injury, such as lifting a heavy object out of a truck bed or incorrectly using weights at the gym. Overuse can irritate the tendons, which connect muscles to bones, causing pain and inflammation. A forceful injury can tear or rupture the tendon.

Injuries to the upper arm muscles and tendons are most common in men 30–50, but women may also experience them.

If the tendon ruptures, you may feel a tearing sensation and actually hear a pop, usually around the elbow but sometimes at the shoulder. The muscle tends to ball up, forming a “Popeye” bulge that doesn’t improve. It’s usually accompanied by swelling, bruising, cramping and extreme pain, as well as loss of function.

The sooner a rupture is treated, the better the recovery since scar tissue can form and the arm muscles can begin to weaken or atrophy. Consult with an orthopedic surgeon to learn about both nonsurgical and surgical options.

Treating upper arm injuries

Some patients choose to forego surgery. However, pain, arm function and appearance (the Popeye bulge) won’t improve over time.

If a tendon ruptures, the first line of treatment is to reattach it to the bone using sutures and anchors. This surgery is typically an outpatient procedure, with patients going home the same day.

Recovery may take three months or more. After surgery, the arm is immobilized by a splint with a 90-degree bend at the elbow and sling for several weeks, giving the repair time to heal.

Passive therapy, where someone moves your arm for you, is designed to help you regain range of motion and prevent the elbow from stiffening. You may want to continue using the sling for protection and comfort.

At four to five weeks post-op, active motion helps you regain strength. At that point, you’ll be able to do light activities such as getting dressed, personal care and working at a computer. By three months, you’ll be gradually rebuilding strength through increased activity.

Preventing injury

To prevent injury to your upper arm muscles and tendons, maintain overall strength, avoid overloading your arm muscles and be sure you’re using proper technique when working with weights at home or the gym.

Douglas Bartels, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Topics in this Post

Orthopedic Health

Sports Medicine

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Shoulder muscle pain

Differential diagnosis of pain in the muscles of the shoulder

One of the most common upper musculoskeletal pain symptoms is shoulder muscle pain . Pain can be associated with inflammation of the bone tissue, joints, but more often they are directly caused by the pathology of the periarticular structures – ligaments, muscles, tendons.

A high percentage of diagnosed diseases of the soft tissues of the shoulder is explained by the specifics of the biomechanics and anatomical structure of the shoulder joint, as well as the physiological features of the structure of the tendon and muscle tissue.

It should be noted that the generally accepted concept of “shoulder” is somewhat different from the definition of this anatomical zone by doctors:

The shoulder is the upper area of the arm, starting at the shoulder joint and ending at the elbow.
The shoulder girdle is the entire upper surface (girdle) of the arms that connects them to the body, including the deltoid, minor and major, supraspinatus and infraspinatus, round and subscapularis muscles.

The shoulder joint and its surrounding tissues are considered to be one of the most complex and multifunctional structures of the body; the range of movements in it is varied due to the mobility of the periarticular system, including muscles. The developed musculoskeletal apparatus of the shoulder allows a person to perform rotational, circular, flexion, extensor, rotational and many other types of movements, however, as much as the system of soft tissues and tendons is multifunctional, it is so vulnerable to various diseases.

Pain in the muscles of the shoulder may be the result of inflammation, damage to the actual periarticular tissues, but it may also be a concomitant background symptom of an underlying disease that is not directly related to the musculoskeletal system. That is why it is so important to identify the causes of pain, timely diagnosis.

Causes of shoulder muscle pain

Periarticular pain in the shoulder is most often provoked by joint instability, which in turn can be caused by such factors:

Overexertion, sprain of the ligaments of the shoulder girdle during intensive strength training.
Damage, inflammation of the articular bag.
Stretching of the muscles located near the articular capsule, as a result of compensatory self-correction of the function of the joint.
Glenoid cartilage injury, lack of support for the biceps.

In general, the causes of pain in the muscles of the shoulder can be divided into three nosological categories:

Insulation Degenerative, inflammatory or traumatic injury to muscle tendons:
- Rotator cuff tendonitis.
- Calcific tendonitis.
- Biceps tendinitis.
- Various types of tendon ruptures.
Widespread (diffuse) lesion of the shoulder joint capsule of a non-inflammatory nature – capsulitis
Complex damage to the periarticular system – subacromial syndrome.

A detailed description of the causes of pain in the muscles of the shoulder.

Tendinitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Tendon injury inevitably entails pain in the muscles of the shoulder due to the close anatomical relationship of these structures. Tendonitis can affect both the rotator cuff muscle and the biceps, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles. In addition, there is calcific tendonitis, in which calcifications accumulate in the tissues of the tendon.
Inflammation of the tendon of the inner zone of the shoulder, flexor muscle, tendonitis of the biceps. The pain is characterized by intensity, constancy, aggravated by the movement of the hands.
Inflammation of the joint – bursitis. The disease is closely related to overexertion, sports injuries. In addition to the pain symptom, bursitis is manifested by swelling in the bursa zone, often the pain radiates to the arm, limiting the range of motion.
Frozen shoulder syndrome or retractile capsulitis. This is a syndrome of reflex dystrophic damage to the shoulder joint capsule with parallel damage to bone structures in the form of osteoporosis.
Shoulder-scapular periarthrosis is a syndrome that is still being actively studied, since its true etiology has not been elucidated. In addition, the nature of pain in shoulder-scapular periarthrosis can vary from acute, intensifying pain to aching, constant. The pain does not subside at rest, may be accompanied by insomnia, significantly limits the movement of the hand.
Myofascial pain syndrome is a typical disease of muscle tissue in various areas of the body, however, the favorite location for MFPS is the shoulder girdle, lower back. Myalgia that accompanies tense muscles develops in well-defined places – trigger points.
Vertebrogenic causes of pain in the muscles of the shoulder most often lie in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, when a secondary complication develops – radiculopathy. It is believed that osteochondrosis can be one of the factors provoking humeroscapular periarthritis, periarthrosis.

Also, pain in the muscles of the shoulder girdle can be caused by such syndromes, diseases:

Impingement syndrome.

Polymyalgie rheumatica – polymyalgia rheumatica.

Neuralgic amyotrophy, myelopathy.

Herniated disc of the cervical or thoracic spine.

Pain in the muscle tissue of the shoulder as a reflected symptom in diseases of the broncho-pulmonary system, heart, diaphragm, liver.

Since the pain muscle symptom is most often not acute, it is not always possible to identify its causes in a timely manner. More often, the patient goes to the doctor with an already formed chronic pain syndrome and many accompanying reactions, signs, which greatly complicates the diagnosis of muscle pain in the shoulder girdle.

Shoulder muscle pain symptoms

Pain in the shoulder girdle can have dozens of different causes, respectively, the symptoms of pain in the muscles of the shoulder can be variable depending on the etiology and pathogenetic mechanism of development. The most significant and most common pain in the shoulder is nociceptive, which in turn is accompanied by many side effects and reactions. In addition, the nociceptive nature of the symptom allows you to launch a cascade of psychosomatic, psychogenic sensations, which makes it extremely difficult to quickly diagnose and relieve pain. It is believed that in 65-70% of cases, pain develops slowly, gradually as a reflex tonic response to a systematic overstrain of the muscles of the shoulder girdle. The load on the shoulders can be both dynamic and static, in any case, muscle hypertonicity is accompanied by constant aching sensations that do not subside at rest and even at night.

Symptoms of pain in the muscles of the shoulder can be localized at the sites of damage to the tendons, joints, ligaments, but can also be diffuse my fibromyalgia, myofascial syndrome.

How to identify the area of damage? Pain symptom and restriction of arm movement

What can become inflamed, damaged

Pain when pulling one or both arms back
Damage to the subacromial bursa, inflammation in the supraspinatus muscle, in the tendon (inflammation, tendon sprain)
Shoulders hurt when both arms are fully raised vertically
Inflammation, degenerative change of the clavicular-acromial joint and damage to the surrounding muscles
Pain when trying to comb your hair, throw your arms behind your head, with external rotation of the arms
Teres minor or infraspinatus tendon strain
Aching pain when putting the arm back behind the back
Subscapularis tendon strain or inflammation
Pain symptom when bending the arm at the elbow and when lifting loads, turning the hand – the key in the door (shoulder supination)
Sprain, inflammation of the biceps of the shoulder girdle, tendon
Pain when moving the arm behind the back (removing an object from the back pocket)
Pain with internal rotation of the shoulder
Injury (stretching, inflammation) of the subscapularis muscle of the shoulder
All arm movements, head movements, neck movements cause pain, movements are severely limited
Inflammatory process in the capsule of the shoulder joint, in the periarticular tissues.

Shoulder muscle pain diagnostics

Diagnosis of pain in the muscles of the shoulder can be accurate if:

Specific location of pain.
The debut of pain and diagnosis in the initial period of the development of the syndrome.
Absence or presence of specific signs accompanying muscle pain.

Diagnosis of pain in the muscles of the shoulder may include the following steps:

Examination of a patient with pain in the shoulder.
Determination of the symmetry of the location of the shoulder blades, arms, collarbones (with paresis, the lowering of the shoulder from the side of the lesion is clearly visible).
Visual detection, palpation examination of muscles for the presence of hypotrophic areas. Muscle hypotrophy is especially characteristic during a long neurogenic process (more than 14 days).
Tests to identify possible paresis.
Tests that reveal the balance and ratio of active and passive movements.
Test to determine the resistance force, function of the large and small muscles of the chest, muscles of the shoulder girdle.
Determination of the strength of the flexor and extensor muscles.
Identification of symptoms similar to signs of radicular syndrome.
Evaluation and definition of tendon reflexes.
Palpation of points of radicular exits, identification of signs of radicular lesions.
Identification of diagnostically important trigger points for the confirmation of fibromyalgia, MFPS (myofascial pain syndrome).

Also, to specify the diagnostic findings, an x-ray of the spine (cervical-shoulder, chest area) can be prescribed, neurovisual methods can be used – MRI, CT, ultrasound of the joints, as well as vascular Dopplerography and electrophysiological examinations to determine muscle tone

How to distinguish joint and muscle pain in the shoulder girdle

Diagnostic signs of various pains.

Articular pathologies

Characteristics of the pain symptom of joint pain

The pain is constant, does not subside at rest, slightly increases with movement.
Pain develops in response to a specific movement
Shoulder pain area
Pain is often diffuse, diffuse
Pain is clearly localized, bordered
Dependence on active or passive movements
Significant limitation of the volume of all types of traffic
Reducing the volume of active movements and at the same time maintaining all types of passive movements unchanged
Presence or absence of edema
Often swelling is visible to the naked eye, effusion is detected

Diseases of muscle tissue (periarticular structures)

Muscle pain often provokes body asymmetry, and is also characterized by swelling in the joint area with bursitis

Shoulder muscle pain treatment

The general rules that involve the treatment of pain in the muscles of the shoulder are very similar to the stages and methods of therapy for diseases of the joints, musculoskeletal system. .

Treatment of muscle pain in the shoulder girdle:

Neutralization of all factors provoking pain – immobilization of the arm, shoulder, often – complete rest.
Anti-inflammatory drugs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in tablet form, as well as in the form of ointments, gels.
Pain relief with compresses (30% dimexide solution).
Injection of corticosteroids into the affected area is possible.
Periarticular administration of homeopathic remedies – Traumeel, Zeel.
Activation of the trophism of periarticular tissues, improvement of metabolic processes with the help of physiotherapy procedures.
Purpose of a complex containing vitamins of group B, microelements.
Muscle massage, including massage with joint development.

As a rule, therapy for mild muscle pains that have developed as a result of muscle overstrain does not last more than 3-5 days. A reasonable rest, adjustment of training exercises and a gentle, warming massage are quite enough. The remaining cases require a comprehensive diagnosis, often a dynamic examination (observation of the state of the shoulder girdle in motion) and the appointment of a course of drugs that reduce the perception of pain, improve the trophism of muscle fibers, and neutralize inflammation.

Prevention of shoulder muscle pain

Preventive measures aimed at getting rid of pain in the shoulder girdle, first of all, depend on the cause, the identified provoking factor. Basically, the prevention of pain in the muscles of the shoulder is a training system designed for athletes who actively use the shoulder girdle. The following rules for strengthening the “corset” of periarticular tissues also help reduce the risk of developing muscle pain in the shoulder:

It is necessary to ensure the proper rigidity of the bed, sleep on a small pillow.
Daily warm up of all muscles, including muscles, tendons of the shoulder.
At the slightest painful symptoms in the shoulder, limit the movement of the arm on the side of pain and give them a little rest.
If a person, on duty, performs monotonous, rhythmic movements with his hands (painter, conveyor line operator, and so on), massages of the shoulder area should be performed regularly, possibly using essential oils, warming and relaxing gels.
All exercises from the complex of physiotherapy exercises should not be performed intensively and for a long time, charging should not exceed 15-20 minutes in the morning and no more than 30 minutes during the day (2-3 sets, each for 15 minutes).

Pain in the muscles of the shoulder is a very common symptom inherent in our age of speed and physical inactivity. Unfortunately, shoulder symptoms provoked by physical exercises do not exceed 25-30% of all cases, they are based on overstrain of the shoulder muscles as a result of a long static posture, hypothermia and atony, muscle weakness. That is why strengthening the muscle corset, maintaining the normal state of the muscles, observing the regime – tone-relaxation, this is the way to avoid discomfort in the shoulder girdle.

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Why does my shoulder hurt? Main reasons

Article author: Oganesyan Sergey Samvelovich ,
Head of the Center for the treatment of sports injuries, orthopedic traumatologist

Shoulder pain is experienced by people regardless of age. Pain worsens the quality of life, affects the ability to work and self-service opportunities. In some cases, it is difficult for a person to perform elementary actions – raise his hands, turn around, dress. Why can the shoulder hurt and what to do if unpleasant symptoms appear? With these questions, we turned to the head of the Center for the Treatment of Sports Injuries, an orthopedic traumatologist, Oganesyan Sergey Samvelovich.

How the shoulder joint works

The joint has a complex anatomy. It is spherical in shape, which allows it to perform movements in all planes. Consists of the head of the humerus and the articular cavity of the scapula. The cavity of the scapula itself has the shape of a concave disc, and the articular head of the humerus is rounded. The head of the shoulder is surrounded by the main muscles: subscapular, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and also small round. Together they create the rotator cuff. These muscles allow you to perform a wide range of movements: lift, rotate, move to the side and put your hands behind your back. They are also responsible for the stability of the shoulder joint.

Usually, pain in the shoulder joint should not occur, except after training or any other intense physical exertion.

But it happens that the pain arises abruptly and prevents you from living your former life: it becomes painful to move, stretching for any objects. In this case, it is necessary to find out the cause of the pain syndrome and, based on this information, prescribe treatment.

Why pain occurs

Let’s take a look at four of the most common reasons.

Partial or degenerative damage to the tendon of the rotator cuff. Every day, the tendon rubs between the head of the humerus and the acromion, which eventually leads to inflammation. Pain can also appear due to injury – a fall on the arm or a sharp awkward movement. In this case, the acromial process of the scapula, like a guillotine, cuts the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle. The main symptoms in this case: the inability to raise the arm, a sharp pain in the shoulder area.
Inflammation of the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle. It occurs due to friction (for example, when doing exercises incorrectly in the gym). Thus, the bag of the joint becomes more and more inflamed every day, squeezed and causes pain.
Problems in the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ). This is a low-mobility joint that takes on compressive loads. It is compressed, deformed and inflamed (for example, after performing incorrectly selected training exercises). A tubercle forms in this area, and when pressed, pain is felt. With every incorrect physical activity, the risk of joint instability increases.
Friction in the tendon of the outer head of the biceps brachii. When inflammation occurs, friction occurs, the tendon itself thickens, and the bed remains the same size. Instead of sliding freely during muscle contraction, excessive friction occurs, which re-inflames the tendon. This cycle repeats itself endlessly.

Often in the shoulder joint with rotational movements and lifting of the arms, the patient feels pain. Many people mistakenly believe that the deltoid muscle is damaged.

With incorrect diagnosis and treatment, chronic tendinitis of the long head of the biceps occurs, which is not always amenable to conservative treatment.

Therefore, it is very important to contact competent specialists or get a “second opinion”.

What to do with shoulder pain?

First of all, you need to contact an orthopedic traumatologist. The doctor will conduct a detailed survey to find out the main symptoms, the dynamics of their development and the circumstances of their appearance. During the examination, you may also need to relax your hand, which the doctor gently raises and examines.

Diagnostics

Various diagnostic methods are used to assess the condition of the shoulder joint. The most informative of them are radiography and ultrasound of the shoulder joint. X-rays will determine the traumatic injury to the joint or bone. Ultrasound diagnostics examines the joint not only in a static state, but also in motion. The pictures clearly show tendon injuries, inflammatory processes, soft tissue edema and other pathological changes.

To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor can also refer you for additional diagnostics.

Ache in upper arm muscle: 13 Causes for Upper Arm Pain: Is it from my shoulder, my neck, or a simple injury?

Causes of Severe Upper Arm Pain

4 most common causes

Severe upper arm pain quiz

Most common questions

1. Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)

Symptoms

2. Shoulder arthritis (glenohumeral arthritis)

Symptoms

3. Neck arthritis (cervical disc disease)

Symptoms

4.

Symptoms

Other possible causes

When to call the doctor

Should I go to the ER for severe upper arm pain?

Severe upper arm pain treatments

At-home care

Other treatment options

Treating upper arm muscle injuries

What can go wrong

Treating upper arm injuries

Preventing injury

Related Posts

Shoulder muscle pain

Causes of shoulder muscle pain

Shoulder muscle pain symptoms

Shoulder muscle pain diagnostics

Shoulder muscle pain treatment

Prevention of shoulder muscle pain

Why does my shoulder hurt? Main reasons

How the shoulder joint works

Why pain occurs

Diagnostics

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