joint. The "ball part of the joint is the top part of your upper arm bone. The "socket" part of your joint is a cup shaped indentation in your shoulder blade. Strong bands called ligaments and muscles hold these bones together.
Four muscles called the rotator cuff surround the joint. They help with movement and support. The four rotator cuff muscles hold the arm in the socket. These muscles are attached to the bones by bands of tissue called tendons.You also have bursae in your shoulder joints. A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac. It acts as a cushion between your bone and tendon. Bursae help the tendons glide and let your joints move easier.
When you raise your arm up to shoulder level, the space between the rotator cuff tendons and the tip of the shoulder blade gets smaller. If there is any irritation or swelling to any of these tissues, it can make the space even tighter. Shoulder impingement happens when the rotator cuff tendons and bursa get pinched when raising the arm. ‚
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What are the causes?
- Rotator cuff tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Bone spurs
- Doing the same movements over and over with your shoulder for a long time
- Prolonged pressure on the shoulder for a long time
- A direct blow or Injury to the shoulder
- Infection
- Rheumatoid arthritis
What can make this more likely to happen?
- Athletes who do overhead activities like swim; play baseball, tennis, or volleyball
- Middle-aged people
- Having a job where you do overhead motions, like a painter, welder, or construction worker
- If the tip of your shoulder blade is not normally shaped at birth
What are the main signs?
- Pain and shoulder feels tender with activity and rest. It may start as an ache, or shoot down your arm. The pain may wake you from your sleep. The pain is worse when you:
- Raise your arm to shoulder level
- Reach
- Lift
- Put your hand behind your back
- Lower your arm from a raised position
- Do overhead motions like throwing or serving in tennis
- Swelling, warmth, or redness
- Catching feeling when lowering arm
- Loss of motion or strength
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your doctor will take your history and do an exam. The doctor will feel all over the painful part of your shoulder. Your doctor will have you move your shoulder into many positions and check your motion and strength. You may need to have: ‚
- Lab tests
- X-rays to check for bone spurs or an oddly-shaped shoulder bone
- MRI to look at soft tissues such as bursae and rotator cuff tendons
- Ultrasound
- Arthrogram
- Fluid removal
- Shot of a drug into the bursa. If the pain goes away, it can prove the problem is in the bursa.
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
- Rest. Avoid activities that make the problem worse.
- Ice
- Support or sling to keep your shoulder in a good position
- Exercises
- Physical therapy (PT) or occupational therapy (OT)
- Taking away fluid from the bursa
- Heat may be used later but not right away
- Surgery
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Fight an infection
The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Less shoulder motion
- Shoulder weakness
- Ongoing pain and stiffness
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Stay away from doing things that cause pain in the shoulder.
- Take breaks often when doing things that use repeated movements.
- Use good posture and avoiding slouching.
- Avoid doing prolonged overhead motions for long periods of time.
- Stay active and exercise to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
Helpful tips
Do not lay on the side where you have your shoulder problem. This will keep pressure off the bursae and tendons. ‚
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00032 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚