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[New York Pain Management] How Your Shoulders Can Cause You to Feel Pain

Updated: Jun 1, 2023


shoulder pain management

If you've ever experienced shoulder pain, then you know that it can take quite a toll on your day-to-day life. Shoulder pain is something that most of us have had at some point. Whether it was something that went away quickly or something we've lived with for years.


Not only do you suffer from discomfort and disfigurement, but you also feel limited when performing simple tasks like; cleaning, washing your hair, driving, or even changing clothes. In addition to the physical injury, there's no telling how much emotional distress you may experience.


Continue reading to learn more about your shoulders, how they work and when you should seek help from a New York pain management specialist.


Your Shoulders Can Become Misaligned

Your shoulders are complex joints with many muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow them to move in multiple directions. The more flexibility you have in your shoulders, the more likely it is that some of those joints will become misaligned.


You can cause your shoulders to become misaligned by sitting at a computer all day with your shoulders hunched forward, carrying heavy bags on one side of your body, sleeping on one side of your body, or sleeping with your hands behind your head.


You can also cause your shoulders to become misaligned by doing exercises incorrectly or by having an injury such as a broken bone in your arm or dislocated shoulder joint. The tendons connect the muscles to bone, so when you work out or lift weights, these tendons get stretched out very far.


If you don't stretch out before working out, then when you start lifting weights, your tendons will be too tight, and they will pull on the bones, causing pain. This is why people who don't warm up before exercising often experience shoulder pain during or after their workout sessions. There are also many nerves that run through our shoulders which can cause pain if they get irritated or pinched together in a certain way while exercising (or any other time).


Consult a physical therapist for proper exercise techniques that won't strain your joints or muscles. The therapist will perform an evaluation and then create an exercise program specifically for you.

Your Shoulders are Connected to Your Neck and Back

woman with shoulder pain

If you're feeling pain in your shoulders, you need to find out what's causing it. Your shoulders are connected to your back, so if you have a problem with your shoulders, there could be an issue with your back as well.


The main muscles that control your shoulders are called the trapezius and levator scapulae muscles. These muscles connect at the top of the neck and run down into the upper back and chest area. They can become tight and overworked if they are not properly stretched or flexed on a regular basis.


Tightness in these muscles can cause pain in the neck, upper back, or chest area. The muscles will also pull on tendons which attach them to bones in other areas of the body like the spine and head. This can put pressure on nerves that travel through these areas causing pain as well as numbness or weakness in those areas as well.


The first step is to determine which area is causing pain. It might be best to see a pain specialist for an accurate diagnosis. The sooner you can get the appropriate treatment, the better your chances will be at getting your shoulder back to normal.


Overuse or Disuse Can Cause Pain in the Shoulder

The muscles that surround this joint keep it flexible and stable. If these muscles become weak or inflexible due to injury or age, they cannot stabilize the joint properly, leading to instability and pain.


Shoulder alignment problems often occur when there is too much stress on one side of the joint rather than both sides evenly distributing it around the joint capsule. Over time this causes pain because certain muscles get overused while others become weak from disuse.


If you have been lifting heavy weights for a while, you have likely experienced shoulder pain. This can be caused by a number of different factors. One of them is the way you are holding your body while lifting. If you are holding your body too far away from the weight, it will put unnatural stress on your shoulders.


The most common cause of shoulder pain is an injury to the rotator cuff tendon. This can happen when lifting heavy weights, especially if you are doing it incorrectly. The rotator cuff tendon is located under the shoulder joint and connects the muscle to the ball and socket joint. When this tendon gets injured, it can cause pain, weakness, and tenderness in the shoulder joint.

Your Shoulder Problem Can Cause Other Pain

The shoulder is a complex joint that is made up of three bones (the clavicle, scapula, and humerus) and many muscles. It's held together by ligaments, tendons, joint capsules, and muscles.


Your shoulder alignment can cause pain in your neck and back. The shoulder blade has multiple attachments at the thoracic spine, ribs, and scapula. When you have poor posture or slouching, these muscles can become overworked and tight. This can cause pain in the back of your neck or upper back as well as headaches.


Tightness in the chest muscles (pectorals) causes them to pull on the shoulders and create tension in the neck area. This can lead to headaches as well as shoulder pain when throwing or reaching overhead.


Over time, this tension builds up and creates a vicious cycle where it becomes more difficult for you to perform daily activities without pain because of tightness in your chest muscles pulling on your shoulders and causing more tension in your neck area.


It is a good idea that you should address any pain immediately with treatment from a professional.


Your Shoulders Have A Lot of Responsibilities

The reason why shoulders are so painful is that they have a great deal of responsibility. Shoulders go through a lot during the day and must also support our weight on top of that. Over time, this can result in accumulated stress and pain, as well as damage to the joints in this area of the body.


Damage to the shoulder joints can result in immobility and loss of strength in the shoulder muscles. This is why it's so important that if you are experiencing shoulder pain, you should never turn a blind eye and hope it goes away.


Suppose you have chronic shoulder pain; if your pain is worse with certain movements and during certain activities, it might be worthwhile to take a look at how you are moving and doing those activities, along with your level of overall activity.


Everyone's shoulders operate differently, but if you notice that you have pain when doing certain things or moving in a certain way, then it's worth talking to a physician about your symptoms to get further guidance on what could be causing your pain.


Your Shoulder Is One of the Most Complicated Joints

They are positioned perfectly, allowing for freedom of motion, but if we don't take care of our shoulder health, all these movements can damage them. This can lead to shoulder pain and even injury. [See article: Keeping Your Shoulders Healthy Is Important]


Shoulder pain is a common complaint, and it can be caused by many things. The most common cause of shoulder pain is overuse or repetitive motion. This type of injury is typically caused by activities such as tennis, swimming, volleyball, or baseball.


Other common causes of shoulder pain include:

  • Sciatica (nerve irritation). This affects the nerves in your lower back that run down each leg.

  • Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). this condition causes stiffness and decreased range of motion in your shoulder joint. [See article: All You Need To Know About Frozen Shoulder]

  • Shoulder impingement syndrome. Your rotator cuff tendons become pinched between two bones in your shoulder joint.

  • Rotator cuff tendonitis (tendinitis). Tendons are thick cords of tissue that attach muscle to bone and help move your joints.

  • Bursitis. The bursa are small sacs between bones where tendons pass over bone surfaces during movement.


You're Ignoring the Problem

painful shoulder

As you can see, the shoulder area is very complex. This makes it important to consult a specialist before taking any action to try and alleviate your pain. It is also important to learn how you may have hurt your shoulder in the first place so that you can prevent any further damage from occurring.


Pain is a way for our bodies to let us know something isn't right; it's a warning system that allows us to take care of ourselves before the problem gets worse. [See article: 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ignore Shoulder Pain]


Whether you've recently suffered an injury or have long-standing issues that haven't been treated, your first course of action should be to see a pain specialist in New York. Whatever your symptoms, they will be able to assess the situation and prescribe a treatment plan.


Shoulder Pain Can Be Treated with Non-Surgical Options

When you have shoulder pain, it can feel like there is nothing you can do to stop it. It can be difficult to get a good night's sleep and even to perform everyday tasks. The good news is that there are several non-surgical options available for treating shoulder pain. Shoulder pain can be treated with non-surgical options such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, PRP therapy and injections.


If you are experiencing shoulder pain, the first thing you need to do is consult a pain doctor, who will be able to determine the cause of your pain and whether it has been caused by an injury, arthritis, or bursitis. With this information in hand, you can start trying some of the treatments suggested above with the goal of seeing positive improvement.


Takeaway

It is normal to experience occasional shoulder pain from time to time, as stress and overuse are common causes of muscle imbalance. Without a doubt, there will be some uncomfortable days ahead. However, if pain persists, it's important to see a New York pain management professional to avoid further damage and ensure proper healing.


This article is meant to give you a basic understanding of the anatomy of your shoulder and why they can be painful. Above all, hopefully, this article helps you understand what pain you feel in your shoulders may be caused and how to manage them.


Whether it's a physical problem, such as a pinched nerve, or an emotional/mental one, such as stress or depression, it's important to understand what the root cause is so that you can take the necessary steps to deal with the problem. With the proper treatment, right adjustments in your daily habits and lifestyle, you will not only see but feel the difference.

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