Shoulder pain symptoms & treatment
Find an ortho specialistYour shoulders consist of a set of muscles, tendons and joints that work together to allow for a wide range of motion in the arm. Up to 70% of people will experience shoulder pain at some point in their lives, and it becomes more common with age. Shoulder problems can keep you from doing the things you enjoy, and they can even make it difficult to do everyday tasks like driving or reaching up to a cabinet. Shoulder pain can also make it hard to sleep.
Rest, medication and physical therapy are enough to resolve most shoulder problems. But if the pain continues, it’s important to get your shoulder problems diagnosed to prevent further damage. Severe or ongoing shoulder pain may require shoulder surgery.
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From recent injuries to nagging aches and pains, our orthopedic specialists can help. Schedule an appointment in LiveWell, online or by phone.
Shoulder pain expertise
We’re one of the largest local health systems in Wisconsin, treating thousands of patients every year for shoulder pain and shoulder injury. People come to us for answers about their shoulder problems because we offer:
- Expert orthopedic and sports health doctors: We have a large team of more than 70 orthopedic specialists, many with additional training in sports medicine. Our depth of experience means we can diagnose and treat almost any shoulder injury, helping you get back to the activities you love with the best possible outcome. Meet our sports health team.
- Streamlined diagnosis and treatment: Many of our doctors offer same-day appointments to help you get answers and relief as quickly as possible. Our integrated medical records system also means you won’t have to waste time tracking down images and test results to bring to appointments.
- Convenient access: With locations throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, it’s easy to get care close to where you live, work and train.
What causes shoulder pain?
Shoulder pain can be caused by deterioration of muscles, tendons, cartilage or joints over time. It can also be caused by a shoulder injury from a fall or repetitive overuse.
If you have both right and left shoulder pain at the same time, the cause could be poor posture or activities that require both shoulders such as lifting or carrying heavy objects.
Conditions that cause shoulder pain
A variety of conditions can cause shoulder pain, including:
Arthritis
A deep pain in the back of your shoulder may be a sign of shoulder arthritis. The pain happens when your cartilage breaks down and no longer cushions the ends of your bones.
Heart attack
Sudden left shoulder pain can sometimes be a sign of a heart attack. Call 911 if you feel sudden pressure or a crushing pain in your left shoulder, especially if the pain also runs through your left jaw, chest and left arm.
Rotator cuff tear
A rotator cuff tear can happen with a single event like falling or from gradual deterioration of the rotator cuff tendons over time. If you have shoulder pain at night that makes it hard to sleep or jolts you awake, you may have a tear in one or more of your rotator cuff tendons.
Cartilage injury
Your shoulder cartilage can be damaged from overuse during sport or from arthritis. This condition can be treated by surgically repairing the cartilage injury or replacing the damaged cartilage.
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
This injury causes your shoulder to become so stiff that you can’t move it. It happens when the connective tissue in your shoulder joint thickens and stiffens. Frozen shoulder is more frequent in people with diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. It can last several months.
Shoulder instability
Shoulder instability means the top of your arm bone repeatedly pops out of your shoulder socket. It can happen after you dislocate your shoulder once or several times. Once the muscles and tendons are damaged, it becomes easier for your joint to slip out.
Crepitus (joint popping)
If you hear a cracking or popping sound when moving your shoulder, you most likely have crepitus. It simply means that air is moving inside your joint, and it’s usually harmless. If you also experience pain, you should see your doctor.
Separated shoulder
This condition happens when the ligaments between the collarbone and shoulder blade tear. A separated shoulder is usually caused by a fall, car accident or sports injury. Most people recover within two to 12 weeks without surgery.
Shoulder injury symptoms
The following symptoms often indicate a shoulder injury:
- Sudden and sharp shoulder pain
- Decreased range of motion
- Pain along with swelling, pressure or bruising
- Constant pain or pain that continues to worsen
- Pain that prevents you from falling asleep or wakes you up
- No pain relief after several days of rest, icing and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
Shoulder pain tests & imaging
We use advanced diagnostic tools to get to the source of your shoulder pain. Tests to pinpoint the cause of your pain may include:
- X-rays: An X-ray is a quick imaging procedure that takes pictures of your bones. This test can help doctors see whether an injury in your shoulder bones is what’s causing your shoulder pain.
- CT scan: A CT scan uses X-rays and computer imaging to create cross-section, or slice images of your body. The test gives doctors different views of the same part of the body, providing more detailed information than regular X-rays.
- MRI: This type of scan uses radio waves and magnets to create detailed images of your bones and connective tissues. An MRI can provide more detail for diagnosing soft tissue injuries.
- MRI arthrogram: An MRI arthrogram is a two-step imaging test that provides especially detailed images of your joints. For this test, a radiologist first injects a special contrast dye into your shoulder before taking an MRI.
Find out more about orthopedic diagnosis.
Treating shoulder pain
Doctors use a variety of techniques to treat shoulder pain. Our orthopedic and sports medicine experts start with the least invasive treatment methods, only moving to more invasive treatments if necessary.
Depending on your specific injury, your doctor may recommend:
- Medication: Over-the-counter or prescription medications can help with shoulder pain and swelling.
- Physical therapy: Specific exercises can help you improve strength, flexibility and control of your shoulder muscles. In many cases, physical therapy alone can be enough to resolve shoulder pain.
- Holistic medicine: We offer a wide range of integrative medicine treatments for shoulder pain, including acupuncture, massage therapy and chiropractic care.
- Injections: Certain conditions that cause shoulder pain may benefit from occasional cortisone injections for joint pain, which relieve swelling.
- Shoulder surgery: Some injuries and conditions require shoulder surgery. Our orthopedists specialize in minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery for many types of shoulder pain. This type of surgery requires just a few small incisions, speeding up recovery and leading to less scarring.
- Rotator cuff surgery: Surgically repairing your rotator cuff may include shaving off bone spurs that are pinching the shoulder or repairing torn rotator cuff tendons or muscles in the shoulder. Surgery helps restore the function and flexibility of the shoulder and relieve pain that can’t be controlled by other treatments.
- Shoulder replacement: If your shoulder pain is caused by deteriorating joints and medication and physical therapy aren’t working, your doctor may recommend shoulder replacement surgery.
If you have general, mild shoulder pain, try adjusting your activities, taking acetaminophen or an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to see if the pain improves on its own. Mild stretching can also help.
If your shoulder problems get worse or don't go away after a few weeks, you should consult your doctor.
We also offer a wide range of additional services to treat shoulder pain, including:
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