Shoulder and Arm Pain

Being the most volatile joint of the body, the shoulders are the most unstable as there are a number of motions performed by the joints of the shoulder and arm. It can be easily injured as the ball of the upper arm is comparatively larger than the sockets of the shoulders which holds it. It's the ligaments, tendons and muscles which are responsible for anchoring the shoulder joints. Most of the shoulder problems, especially severe shoulder and arm pain is caused if there is a disruption of these tissues due to injury, under use or overuse of the shoulders. There are other problems which occur due to degeneration, wherein the tendons and tissues break down and so they are no longer able to perform well.shoulder pain symptoms which you need to look out for, so that if you get them, you can take necessary steps.

Causes of Pain in Shoulder and Arm
One of the most common severe shoulder pain causes is dislocation of the shoulder joint. Typically in a dislocated shoulder, there is a sudden impact which forces the ball of the joint to move outwards. Whenever there is a dislocation of the shoulder, the condition is called shoulder instability.

Separated shoulder is another cause of shoulder and arm pain, wherein the collarbone and the shoulder blade comes in contact with each other. Whenever the ligaments holding these body parts together are torn completely or partially. This results in pain as the clavicle, a type of bone around the shoulder, may slip, thereby causing a fracture. Usually such a condition happens due to a blow to the shoulders when a person falls with an outstretched hand.

Impingement syndrome, bursitis and tendinitis are other conditions due to which shoulder pain may result. There is a close relation between these conditions and they may occur in combination or alone. In impingement syndrome the tendons in the muscles of the rotator cuff becomes inflamed and irritated if they are squeezed between the acromion, the outermost point of the spine and the shoulder blade, and the humerus, the bone which extends from the shoulder to the elbow. In tendinitis, there is inflammation of the biceps or rotator cuff, due to pinching by surrounding muscles. The other causes of this condition includes arthritis and fracture of shoulder bones. In arthritis torn cartilage in shoulders is the main cause of pain. On the other hand a fracture means a crack in the bone, which is due to a sudden impact on the bone.

Shoulder and Arm Pain in Women
Not only in women but in men as well, shoulder and arm pain may indicate the start of heart attack. If it's a heart attack the pain would not be as profound as with other shoulder pain causes, but there would be a tingling pain in the shoulder and arm. Pain in the shoulder blades due to heart attack is more common in women than in men. If that's the case then you need to seek medical help immediately, or else it may be fatal.

Shoulder and Arm Pain While Sleeping
Many a time you may find that there is shoulder and arm pain at night when you are asleep. This is mainly caused if you sleep with your arms under your head in a sidewards position, and the main reason for this is that the nerves in this region gets pressed. There are several causes of pinched nerve in shoulder, which may lead to shoulder and arm pain.

So there may be several reasons for shoulder and arm pain which you need to look out for. It's always better to consult a doctor immediately as there may be other underlying condition which may cause pain, which if not taken care of may aggravate the situation.