Pain in the Shoulder

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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

  • Cannot raise arm because of shoulder pain

  • Shoulder aches when using shampoo on hair

  • Shoulder pain on the right and left side

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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

  • Chronic pain

    Pain that is ongoing and usually lasts longer than six months. This type of pain can continue even after the injury or illness that caused it has healed or gone away. It interferes with daily life and can lead to depression and anxiety.

  • Neuropathic pain

    Neuropathic pain is a type of pain caused by nerve damage or a problem with the nervous system. it's characterized by burning, tingling, sharp, or stabbing pain (even if touched gently) which can be continuous or intermittent (comes and goes) and worse at rest or night. Common causes of neuropathic pain include viral infections, cancer, vascular malformations, alcoholism, diabetes nerve pressure or nerve damage after surgery or trauma, neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

  • Shoulder periarthritis

    Also known as "frozen shoulder". This condition is caused by inflammation of the ligaments and tendons (cartilage) around the shoulder joint. As the disease progresses, patients find it increasingly difficult to move the shoulder joint. Risk factors include diabetes, advanced age, and injury to the joint.

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • Thoracic outlet syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Cancer pain

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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