Shoulder Stiffness

About the Symptom

This describes a limitation in the motion of the shoulder joint.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Altered mental status (delirium)
• Fainting with loss of consciousness
• Impossible to walk normally
• Visual field defect
• Muscle weakness in the limbs
• Neck pain / stiffness
• Difficulty breathing / breathlessness
• Abnormal sensation (tingling, prickling)
• Numbness / sensory disorder
• Back pain
• Photophobia
• Disorder of consciousness
• Slurred speech

Possible Causes

Generally, Shoulder stiffness can be related to:

• 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.

• Cervical Spondylosis

  A condition in which the neck bones (cervical spine) become damaged due to wear and tear. Risk factors include long periods of desk work and driving, previous neck injuries, and aging.

• Depression

  Depression is a mental illness that leads to low mood, reduced energy levels, and changes in sleep. This affects everyday activities like attending school and work. As the condition worsens, patients might have suicidal thoughts. Although stress and past trauma can cause depression, it can take time to identify and address causes, and genetic factors may also be at play.

• Peri-/Post-Menopausal Symptoms
• Hypothyroidism
• Tension Headache
• Migraine
• Adjustment Disorder

• Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL)

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Shoulder stiffness may be related to these serious diseases:

• Cerebral Infarction

  Cerebral infarction refers to damage to brain tissue resulting from a stroke. It occurs due to decreased blood supply and oxygen delivery to the brain, causing brain cell death and brain damage. It is typically caused by a blood clot or fatty/cholesterol plaques blocking a blood vessel to the brain, but can also occur if a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain.

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Are your shoulders stiff?
• How long have you had stiff and painful shoulders this time?
• Have you experienced stiff or painful shoulders before?
• How has the stiffness and pain in your shoulders changed since it started?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• Itoi E, Arce G, Bain GI, Diercks RL, Guttmann D, Imhoff AB, Mazzocca AD, Sugaya H, Yoo YS. Shoulder Stiffness: Current Concepts and Concerns. Arthroscopy. 2016 Jul;32(7):1402-14. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2016.03.024. Epub 2016 May 12. PMID: 27180923.

  https://www.arthroscopyjournal.org/article/S0749-8063(16)00265-6/fulltext