Shoulder Pain: Has Your Shoulder Been Hurting? Here's What You Should Know And Tips To Make It Better

Shoulder pain may be caused because of damage to shoulders, repetitive movements, manual labour, sports and ageing. Shoulders may also be damaged because of falling or an accident. Shoulder pain can limit movement of arms and cause discomfort. Humerus, clavicle and scapula are the three major bones in shoulders. The long arm bone is humerus, the shoulder blade is scapula and clavicle is the collarbone. All of these bones interact at four joints. Glenohumeral or shoulder joint is the one which connects the upper arm bone with shoulder blade. And even though this joint is supported by surrounding structures, it is susceptible to injury.

Shoulder pain causes

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These Are By Far The Best Exercises To Reduce Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is a common problem, which can affect your lifestyle. Read more, as we talk about effective exercises, which can help in reducing shoulder pain.

Attention! Rotator Cuff Injury May Be The Reason Why You Are Not Able To Sleep On A Particular Side: Know All About It Here

Rotator cuff injury is referred to as dull pain on one side of the shoulder. It happens to those who have to perform overhead motions repeatedly as part of their jobs or people who are involved in sports.

Shoulder pain can develop in any part of the shoulder. Fall, accident, injury or repetitive movements are some of the top causes of pain in shoulders. Dislocations, separations and fractures can also be responsible. Here are other cause of shoulder pain:

• Rotator cuff injury (usually caused by repetitive activity(
• Biceps tendinopathy (caused by repetitive lifting and reaching overhead)
• Osteoarthritis (or wear and tear arthritis, caused by wearing off cartilage - which causes bones to rub together)
• Fractures
• Dislocation (which occurs when the ball of upper arm bone pops out of its socket)
• Separation (caused by tearing off of ligaments)

Also read: Frozen Shoulder: Effective Home Remedies That Can Help You Treat A Frozen Shoulder

Shoulder pain exercises

Exercising for shoulder pain can help in reducing pain and even treating the injury in the long run. They can also improve range of motion and flexibility. Following are the exercises that can be helpful for shoulder pain relief:

• Shoulder rotation
• Child's pose
• High to low rows
• Reverse fly with dumbbells
• Cross body shoulder stretch

All of these exercises are simple and can be done anytime, anywhere. Doing them regularly can offer relief from shoulder pain.

Also read: Suffering From Arthritis Of The Shoulder? Here Are Some Great Exercises To Ease The Pain

Shoulder pain symptoms

Shoulder pain that has been going on for too long must not be ignored. You needn't visit the doctor immediately. If the aforementioned exercises for shoulder pain can offer relief, you can skip the visit. However, if you experience the following symptoms, you must visit the doctor immediately:

• Deformity
• Sudden swelling
• Intense pain
• Weakness in arms and shoulders
• Numbness
• Inability to use shoulders

Also read: These Are By Far The Best Exercises To Reduce Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain treatment

1. Pain in shoulders can be managed at home by following a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly. Avoiding activities that cause pain and avoiding to be in the sleeping position that triggers shoulder pain can help in offering relief.
2. Hot and cold compress can help in getting relief from shoulder pain, injury and swelling.
3. You can use sling for temporary comfort. Slings are also helpful in managing dislocations, fractures and separations.
4. Work on reducing inflammation by either having medicines or anti-inflammatory foods like leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil, fatty fish salmon, mackerel and tuna, and fruits like strawberries, cherries, oranges and blueberries.

Anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens can offer relief from shoulder pain
Photo Credit: iStock

You might also need a surgery in case the injury is too severe.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.