Shoulder Pain

Understanding your pain and finding a way forward

Shoulder pain can affect your ability to work, exercise, play sport and carry out everyday activities such as reaching, lifting or getting dressed.

It can develop gradually over time or appear following an injury or change in activity. Sometimes there is an obvious trigger, while in other cases shoulder pain can develop without a clear cause.

Shoulder symptoms can have several different causes, which is why understanding your individual presentation is an important part of finding the right approach to care.

At Castle Eden Chiropractic, we take the time to understand your symptoms, lifestyle and goals before developing a personalised approach to your care.

What can cause shoulder pain?

There isn’t always one single cause of shoulder pain. Your symptoms can be influenced by the structures around the shoulder as well as the neck and upper back.

Common contributing factors can include:

• Changes in activity or exercise levels

• Repetitive reaching or lifting

• Gym or sporting activities

• Previous injuries

• Changes in training load

• Sustained or repetitive positions

• Irritation of the muscles, tendons or other structures around the shoulder

• Symptoms referred from the neck

Sometimes shoulder pain develops without an obvious trigger. This does not necessarily mean that there is serious damage to the shoulder.

What does shoulder pain feel like?

Shoulder pain can feel different from person to person. You might experience:

• An ache around the shoulder

• Pain when reaching or lifting your arm

• Pain when putting your arm overhead

• Discomfort when reaching behind your back

• Pain during gym or sporting activities

• Stiffness or reduced shoulder movement

• Pain that is worse at night or when lying on the affected side

• Discomfort extending into the upper arm, neck or upper back

The location and behaviour of your symptoms can provide useful information about what may be contributing to your pain.

When can neck problems cause shoulder pain?

Not all pain felt around the shoulder originates from the shoulder itself.

Irritation of structures in the neck can sometimes cause pain that is felt around the shoulder, shoulder blade or arm. This is sometimes referred to as referred pain.

If your shoulder pain is accompanied by symptoms such as pins and needles, numbness or weakness in your arm or hand, this may indicate involvement of a nerve and should be appropriately assessed.

How can chiropractic care help?

Your first appointment will begin with a detailed discussion about your symptoms, health history and what you would like to get back to doing.

We will assess your shoulder, as well as other areas that may be relevant to your symptoms, such as the neck and upper back. Where appropriate, this may include assessing your movement, strength and neurological function.

This helps us understand your presentation and decide whether chiropractic care is appropriate for you.

Depending on your individual needs, your care may include:

• Hands-on treatment

• Manual techniques may be used to help manage pain and improve movement where appropriate.

• Exercise and rehabilitation

• Specific exercises may be recommended to help improve strength, movement and your ability to tolerate everyday or sporting activities.

• Advice and education

• Understanding your symptoms and knowing how to manage your activities can be an important part of recovery.

• A personalised approach

There is no single treatment that is right for everyone. Your care will be tailored to your symptoms, lifestyle and goals.

Should I stop exercising with shoulder pain?

Not necessarily.

In many cases, maintaining movement and gradually building your tolerance to activity can be helpful. However, you may need to temporarily modify movements that significantly aggravate your symptoms.

If your shoulder pain is affecting your gym training, swimming, golf, cricket, football or another sport, we can help you work out how to adapt your activity while you recover.

The aim isn’t always to avoid using the shoulder completely, but to find an appropriate level of activity that allows you to gradually rebuild strength and confidence.

When should I seek medical advice?

Most shoulder pain is musculoskeletal, but some symptoms require further medical assessment.

Seek urgent medical attention if your shoulder pain:

• Develops following a significant injury and you cannot move your arm

• Is associated with significant swelling or an obvious deformity

• Is accompanied by new or significant weakness or loss of sensation

• Is associated with severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, sweating or feeling faint

• Is accompanied by other symptoms that make you feel seriously unwell

If you’re unsure about the cause of your symptoms or are concerned about them, it’s always appropriate to seek advice from your GP or another healthcare professional.