Shoulder

Learn about common causes of shoulder pain. Below you will find more information about your condition or use the information to understand the cause of your symptoms.

Impingement Syndrome

Shoulder bursitis and rotator cuff tendonitis are different ways of saying there is inflammation of a particular area within the shoulder joint that is causing a common set of symptoms. The proper terminology for these symptoms is 'impingement syndrome. Impingement syndrome occurs when there is inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons and the bursa that surrounds these tendons.

Shoulder Bursitis

Bursitis of the shoulder occurs when there is inflammation of the fluid-filled sac called the bursa that lies between a tendon and skin, or between a tendon and bone.

Biceps Tendinitis

In tendinitis of the shoulder the tendons of the rotator cuff or the tendons of the biceps become inflamed and irritated. This is often a result of being pinched by surrounding structures. This injury can be mild or severe. When the rotator cuff tendon becomes inflamed and thickened, it may get trapped under the acromion (the top of the shoulder blade). This squeezing of the rotator cuff muscles is called impingement syndrome.

Labral Tear

A labral tear is an injury to the shoulder joint. There are several patterns of a torn labrum and the type of treatment depends on the specific injury. Most labral tears do not require surgery, but there are certain situations where surgery may be recommended for a torn labrum.

 

 

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SLAP Lesion

The SLAP (Superior Labrum Anterior-Posterior) lesion of the shoulder is a type of labral tear. The most common cause is a fall onto an outstretched hand.

Biceps Tendon Rupture

A proximal biceps tendon rupture occurs when the tendon of the biceps muscle ruptures at the shoulder joint. This may cause pain and a lump in the arm, but seldom requires surgery.

Rotator Cuff Tear

Common rotator cuff problems include tendonitis and rotator cuff tears. This information on rotator cuff tears aids in understanding these conditions and the treatments and rehabilitation. A partial rotator cuff tear is a type of torn rotator cuff where only some of the tendon had been damaged. Determining if surgery is necessary for a partial rotator cuff tear depends on the success of other treatments.Common symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include pain and an inability to raise the arm above the head. A rotator cuff tear can be painful, cause difficulty sleeping, and lead to chronic shoulder problems. These are some of the signs and symptoms of a rotator cuff tear. Rotator cuff surgery is a surgical procedure performed when the rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder have been torn. Rehab after rotator cuff surgery is complicated. Finding a balance between allowing the repaired rotator cuff tendons to heal, and preventing stiffness of the shoulder is difficult.

Shoulder Arthritis

Shoulder arthritis is less common than degenerative changes to the hips and knees, but can be extremely debilitating. Patients with shoulder arthritis may try conservative treatments, but eventually may need shoulder replacement surgery.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition that causes restriction of motion in the shoulder joint. The cause of a frozen shoulder is not well understood, but it often occurs for no known reason. Frozen shoulder causes the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint to contract and form scar tissue. Most often, frozen shoulder occurs with no associated injury or discernible cause. There are patients who develop a frozen shoulder after a traumatic injury to the shoulder, but this is not the usual cause.