Pain in the Shoulder
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with Physician-supervised AI

Reviewed By:

Tomohiro Hamahata

Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedic surgery)

Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.

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People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • I have a pain in my right shoulder

  • Joint pain that is worse when moving the joint on your own, than if was moved with help

  • Shoulder hurts when trying to thread a belt through the back of my pants

  • Throbbing or stabbing pain in shoulder when sleeping

  • Shoulder aches when using shampoo on hair

  • My shoulder hurts when changing a shirt

  • Pain aggravated by moving arm/shoulder

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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023

About the symptom

Shoulder pain can be on either or both sides. The pain may be pressing, sharp or dull in nature.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Neck pain / stiffness

  • Swelling of the affected area

  • Back pain

  • Abnormal sensation (tingling, prickling)

  • Numbness / sensory disorder

  • Recent weight loss

Possible causes

  • osteoporosis

    Osteoporosis is a disease that makes your bones weak and brittle, resulting in the bone to fracture easily even with minor trauma or stress (for instance, after a simple fall). It may be caused due to long-term low calcium intake, estrogen deficiencies in women, and an inactive lifestyle.

  • Neuropathic pain

    Neuropathic pain is usually caused by an injury, disease, or problem with the somatosensory nervous system. This is a common long-term pain condition that greatly affects a person's quality of life. The nerves in this system are what let us feel things like temperature, pressure, and pain. This type of pain often feels like a burning, tingling, sharp, or stabbing sensation. It can be triggered by light touch or cold, and can be constant or come and go. It can also get worse when resting or at night. Neuropathic pain is often caused by viral infections like post-herpetic neuralgia, cancer, blood vessel abnormalities, alcoholism, diabetes, nerve pressure, nerve damage from surgery or accidents, and neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis and shingles.

  • Chronic pain

    Pain that is ongoing and typically lasts longer than six months. This kind of pain can persist even after the injury or illness causing it has healed or disappeared. It interferes with daily life and can lead to depression and anxiety.

  • Shoulder periarthritis
  • Migraine
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • Thoracic outlet syndrome

Related serious diseases

Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom

  • Do you have shoulder pain?

  • Is it more painful to move joints without aid than with help?

  • Does your pain worsen when you move arms or shoulders?

  • Is the affected area red?

  • Is the affected area swollen?

Other Related Symptoms

Similar symptoms or complaints

References

  • Greenberg DL. Evaluation and treatment of shoulder pain. Med Clin North Am. 2014 May;98(3):487-504. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2014.01.016. Epub 2014 Mar 22. PMID: 24758957.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025712514000315?via%3Dihub

  • Burbank KM, Stevenson JH, Czarnecki GR, Dorfman J. Chronic shoulder pain: part I. Evaluation and diagnosis. Am Fam Physician. 2008 Feb 15;77(4):453-60. PMID: 18326164.

    https://www.aafp.org/services/cq/aafp/link_out?pmid=18326164

  • Mitchell C, Adebajo A, Hay E, Carr A. Shoulder pain: diagnosis and management in primary care. BMJ. 2005 Nov 12;331(7525):1124-8. doi: 10.1136/bmj.331.7525.1124. PMID: 16282408; PMCID: PMC1283277.

    https://www.bmj.com/content/331/7525/1124

  • Shoulder pain

    https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shoulder-pain/

Reviewed By:

Tomohiro Hamahata

Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedic surgery)

Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.

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