Shoulder Pain and Common Shoulder Problems

Shoulder Pain and Common Shoulder Problems:

What most people call the shoulder is really several joints that combine with tendons and muscles to allow a wide range of motion in the arm — from scratching your back to throwing the perfect pitch.

Mobility has its price, however. It may lead to increasing problems with instability or impingement of the soft tissue or bony structures in your shoulder, resulting in pain. You may feel pain only when you move your shoulder, or all of the time. The pain may be temporary or it may continue and require medical diagnosis and treatment.

Cause:

Most shoulder problems fall into four major categories:

• Tendon inflammation (bursitis or tendinitis) or tendon tear
• Instability
• Arthritis
• Fracture (broken bone)

Other much less common causes of shoulder pain are tumors, infection, and nerve-related problems.