Top of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain affects people from all walks of life and any time in their lifetime. The movements of the shoulder joint are very complex, hence the shoulder is extremely vulnerable to sprains strains, tears and inflammation of the capsules, muscles, ligaments, etc. Top of shoulder pain often radiates into the side of the upper arm into the deltoid muscle and further down the arm, even into the fingers.

Causes of Top of Shoulder Pain

There are a number of reasons which can give rise to pain in shoulder area.

• Soreness of the tendon of the rotator cuff is the most common cause of top of shoulder pain.
• The other common cause is soreness of the subacromial bursa, which is a sac of fluid under the highest part of the shoulder.
• Nerve impingement (pinched nerve), which originates in the neck, causes pain which starts at the top of shoulder and radiates down into the arm, is another cause which can give rise to top of shoulder pain.
• Damage caused to the bones and cartilage, due to arthritis is also known to cause top of shoulder pain.
• If the pain in the shoulder is accompanied by a tingling sensation, it may be caused due to problems in the neck and is actually felt over the shoulder. This pain is known as referred pain.

Treating Top of Shoulder Pain

The first strategy to treat shoulder pain is active rest. Active rest is where you should move your shoulder, but do not do strenuous activities like lifting heavy objects, playing tennis, etc. Application of ice is another strategy which helps to relieve pain. If the pain is unbearable, anti-inflammatory medicine can be taken. Injection of anti-inflammatory steroids is another treatment method, but it is rarely utilized. If none of the methods work, have yourself examined by your physician. He will be in a better position to treat the condition. Along with medicines, shoulder exercises may also be prescribed. Exercises help in the rehabilitation process. The exercises are simple range of motion exercises. Scroll down to know which exercises will be of help in treating the top of shoulder pain.

Top of Shoulder Exercises

Before you do any of the exercises, it is recommended you talk to your health care professional to know if you can do these exercises.

Range of Motion Exercise
To do this exercise, stand up and bend down to look at the floor. Let your arms dangle straight down. Draw circles in the air with your arms. Initially draw small circles and then draw bigger circles. This exercise is to be repeated about 5 to 10 through the day. In case you feel pain, then stop the exercise and do the exercise some other time.

Rotator Cuff Strengthening Exercise
You will need a rubber tubing to do this exercise. To do this exercise, stand close to a closed door, which has a doorknob. Loop the rubber tubing around the knob. With the hand next to the door, bend your arm at an angle of 90 degree and grab the loop of the tubing. Now pull the band across your tummy. Try to do this exercise for 1 set of 10 counts. Gradually increase the number of sets, when the shoulder pain decreases.

When the top of shoulder pain decreases, you can start off with the upper extremity strength training exercises. You can try weight-lifting program using weight machines or using free weights. In case none of the treatments works, surgery is the last option, which will have to be used. There are different techniques, which are used to perform shoulder surgery like keyhole techniques, conventional surgery, shoulder joint replacement, etc. More often than not, surgery is necessary when the shoulder pain is caused due to arthritis. However, even after the surgery, physiotherapy and exercises will be required.