Why You Should Never Ignore Shoulder Pain

There are a variety of reasons why a person’s shoulder might hurt. Often, these conditions are easily treatable; other times it could be a subtle way of your body letting you know something else is occurring.

Whether it’s a random ache that comes and goes, or a consistent pain that comes along with overuse, here’s what to know about shoulder pain injuries.

Shoulder Injury Signs

To understand if it’s just a muscle ache or an injury, you’ll have to evaluate the situation at hand. An injury is often present if you have limited mobility due to stiffness and pain, you can no longer do your daily activities, and it feels as if it could pop out the socket. If this is the case, a dislocation, separation, or fracture could all be present.

Visit a doctor immediately for shoulder pain if:

• The use of your arm is limited or you’re unable to lift it
• There is bruising or swelling around the joint
• The pain occurs at night
• Other unusual symptoms are tied along with it

Early Treatment is Best

One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is injury, and the best plan of attack is to get it taken care of immediately. The longer you wait, the more damage you could do to the joints and tendons. Because the pain can easily be ignored and doesn’t always affect your quality of life, it’s easy to put off, but the quicker you see a specialist, the higher your chances of nonsurgical treatment will be.

What Your Shoulder Pain Means

One of the key ways to identify your injury is by discussing the type of pain you are experiencing:

• Achy Pain: Is often a sign of a SLAP tear, frozen shoulder or rotator cuff tear.
• Radiating Pain: Arthritis or tendonitis in the rotator cuff could be present.
• Burning Pain: Often a sign that your bursa is inflamed or irritated, leading to bursitis.

If you are living life with constant shoulder pain, Wyoming Orthopedics and Spine (WYOS) is here to help in Gillette, Wyoming. We can evaluate your orthopedic options, so you can rest assure that you get the best possible outcome and are back to your daily routine in no time.

To enjoy an active and healthy life at any age, call WYOS at 307.686.1413 or visit www.wyomingorthospine.com to learn more.