Shoulder Pain: What can I do about it?

Are you tired of having shoulder pain every time you reach for something? Did you finally finish that painting you had intended to finish for months, only to suffer with shoulder pain afterwards? Sometimes shoulder pain can last for months while other times it resolves within days. There are multiple causes for shoulder pain. One of the most common is soreness of the tendons of the rotator cuff. Chronic pain associated with the rotator cuff affects one in 50 adults.

You may wonder what a tendon is and what the rotator cuff is. A tendon is a cord that attaches muscle to bone and the rotator cuff is a group of tendons that work together to allow circular motion of the shoulder. The rotator cuff tendons keep the shoulder steady as the arm moves. This pain associated with rotator cuff problems has several names, including: rotator cuff tendonitis or tendinopathy, impingement syndrome and shoulder tendonitis. The rotator cuff tendons are often injured with prolonged or repetitive overhead activities because these tendons become squeezed between the arm bone and the acromion (the bone on the outside of the shoulder) when you are reaching overhead.

Rotator cuff issues are common in athletes who throw repetitively, and in laborers who work with their arms overhead. Often there is a history of using your arms overhead for a prolonged time prior to the pain, but not always. People over 40 years are at increased risk for tears of the rotator cuff. If you are experiencing shoulder pain at night, weakness when lifting your arm from your side, and you are over 40, you should visit your doctor for further evaluation. Rotator cuff tears require surgical repair which is best done within three weeks of injury.

Maintaining activity despite the pain of rotator cuff problems is important to help avoid the complication of a frozen shoulder. A frozen shoulder is a thickening of the casing around the shoulder joint leading to loss of motion and increased pain. This usually is a result of immobility after shoulder injury. Range of motion exercises and resistance training can help avoid this complication and will likely be explained by your doctor or physical therapist.

Most people who have shoulder pain because they have overworked the shoulder fully recover within three to six months. You may wonder how to control pain in the meantime, so you can stay active and avoid complications. Reducing activity to decrease the repetitive work of the damaged tendon should reduce pain and encourage healing. Ice is helpful, especially in acute flare-ups of pain or immediately after injury. It can be applied through a wet towel for 10 minute periods. Steroid injections into the shoulder may also give relief; however, they may reduce the strength of the tendon and inhibit healing. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (brand name: Advil or Motrin) or napoxen (brand name: Aleve) may help control the pain. However, most people with chronic shoulder pain don’t necessarily have pain because of inflammation. Chronic shoulder pain is indicative of degenerating tissues – the body’s ability to heal isn’t keeping up with the rate of damage to the tissue. MyoNatural cream has been designed to help the body repair itself when tissues become injured. Those who have used the cream for shoulder pain report that their pain is better within minutes of application.