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shoulder-pain

Causes and Treatment of Sudden Shoulder Pain Without Injury

Shoulder pain can happen to people of any age, and most cases can be traced back to a few different causes. A common form of shoulder pain that affects middle-aged and elderly people is sudden shoulder pain without injury. Sudden shoulder discomfort might result from an injury, arthritis, bursitis, or pneumonia. An untreated situation could result in sudden shoulder pain without a mishap. The illness may have advanced slowly before causing pain.

What is Shoulder Pain?

Sudden shoulder discomfort without injury often causes side pain (especially when lifting your arm above) and nighttime aches. The discomfort is usually intense or throbbing. It often radiates to the elbow. A pinched nerve shoulder blade is the result of the compression of a nerve by the adjacent tissues, which results in discomfort and pain.

A doctor examines a patient's back to determine how pain between shoulder blades affects other areas. Your shoulder is a multifaceted system that must function similarly to an orchestra. All shoulder parts have specific functions. Any deviation from this pattern can cause left and right shoulder pain, dysfunction, and damage. This system is complex, but the diagnoses cause most sudden shoulder pain without damage.

Tendinosis/Bursitis

Age and rotator cuff degeneration cause tendinitis and bursitis. The shoulder range of motion decreases. Your body has tissue to reduce friction beyond your joints. Over 150 bursae are thin sac-like structures. They prevent skin, tendons, and ligaments from touching bones. Bursae are tiny and barely noticeable when working properly. However, excessive rubbing might irritate or inflame a bursa. If this happens, the bursa may thicken and create fluid. Sometimes it gets contaminated.

Most people get bursitis in their shoulders, elbows, or knees, even though you have bursae all over your body. It usually results from repetitive stress; however, it can sometimes start without a cause.

Rotator Cuff Tears

Rotator cuff issues affect a high percentage of people annually. A cuff-shaped group of muscles and tendons helps hold the upper arm bone's head in place in the shoulder socket. These injuries affect this function. The group lets you lift and rotate your arm. Treatment for torn rotator cuff without surgery includes physical therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes.

A tear is usually associated with trauma. Over time, rotator cuff tears can develop from wear and tear as well as physical injury. It's called a degenerative rotator cuff tear, and it tends to happen more often in the dominant arm as people get older. A rotator cuff tear without an injury is generally the consequence of cumulative wear and tear or degeneration. Risk factors for degenerative rotator cuff tears include:

  • Repetition stress

  • Low blood flow

  • Bone spurs

Rotator cuff injuries are more common in people over 40, especially those who conduct repetitive or overhead activities.

Frozen Shoulder

A frozen shoulder causes discomfort and stiffness. Cure begins at certain disorder phases for many. Often, people progress without treatment. Specialists rarely alleviate frozen shoulders; rather, pain management in Dallas assists you in navigating the process of self-healing.

Shoulder Arthropathy

The shoulder can have arthritis like other joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, gout, etc. are forms of inflammatory arthritis. Degenerative arthritis differs. Different joints have different participation. Since this is the most prevalent form of arthritis that occurs with age, it has been considered a ‘wear and tear’ issue. Deep and diffuse pain, limited motion, grinding, and impaired shoulder function are common shoulder arthritis symptoms.

Calcific Tendinitis

Despite being poorly understood, rotator cuff calcifications can occur. Most affected are 40- to 60-year-old women. Calcific tendinitis has three kinds. Calcifications in the first are mostly harmless and hard, like pebbles. Symptoms are infrequent, and therapy is generally unnecessary. Second, an immediate, painful inflammatory reaction occurs. The skin may feel heated. Pain makes movement difficult. The third form is chronic, low-level shoulder pain. Patients often describe agony. People of this kind can usually function normally.

One of the above diagnoses causes the most abrupt right shoulder pain without injury. Treatment and cure are likely for your conditions. Before your shoulder pain becomes persistent, get checked. You should contact a shoulder pain specialist in Dallas if you have persistent symptoms. 

What Are Shoulder Pain Without Injury Symptoms?

Shoulder pain can be subtle or severe. Most commonly the left shoulder pain without an injury may generate symptoms like:

  • Swelling

  • Warmth and tenderness around the joint

  • Redness

  • Stiff shoulders

  • Arm immobility

  • Weakness

  • Deformed joint

  • Hand or arm numbness

Premier pain centers offer the best shoulder pain doctors in Dallas. If you have shoulder pain, seek treatment immediately. A quick treatment can reduce your shoulder pain and improve your quality of life.

Possible Causes of Shoulder Pain Without Injury?

Causes of shoulder pain without injury:

  • Osteoarthritis

  • Rheumatic arthritis

  • Cervical nerve root compression

  • Thoracic outlet syndrome

  • Adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder

Possible causes of referred shoulder discomfort include:

  • A heart attack

  • Reduced heart blood flow (ischemia)

  • Pericardial inflammation

  • Pneumonia

  • Gallstones

  • Pancreatitis

  • Troubles like ruptured ovarian cysts

  • Shingles

  • The Paget disease

  • Thoracic outlet syndrome

  • Laparoscopic abdominal surgery

Treatment

Treatment for shoulder discomfort depends on the cause. Among options:

  • Behavioral changes or shoulder use physical therapy.

  • Treatments may include NSAIDs like ibuprofen, corticosteroid injections, heat or cold therapy, alternate medication use, and shoulder surgery.

  • Simple shoulder workouts stretch and strengthen rotator cuff tendons. 

  • Physical or occupational therapists can demonstrate proper technique. If you've had shoulder problems, ice for 15 minutes after exercise to prevent more. Daily range-of-motion exercises can prevent frozen shoulders after bursitis or tendinitis.

Fever, inability to move your shoulder, persisting bruising, heat, and discomfort around the joint, or pain after a few weeks of home treatment should be reported to your doctor. Contact a best doctor for shoulder pain near me if your discomfort is sudden and unrelated to an injury. It may indicate a heart attack.

Conclusion

Sudden shoulder pain without injury can result from arthritis, bursitis, gallstones, pneumonia, and heart disease. Shoulder pain may require medical attention. Early treatment may prevent complications like tendon ruptures. Without knowing the cause, shoulder pain can be difficult to treat. Symptoms include impaired movement, arm use, and sleep. A shoulder injury doctor in Dallas can diagnose shoulder pain to help you feel better faster.

Dr. Rao K. Ali M.D.

Dr. Rao Ali, a board-certified pain management physician, leads the clinic, which specializes in nonsurgical treatment. The physician has experience in the emergency room as well as training in pain management and rehabilitation. As a personal physician, he works with each patient to develop a treatment plan that will minimize or eliminate their pain. Providing expert diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions, Pain Management In Dallas, PA provides a comprehensive range of services. These services include neck pain, back pain, hip and knee pain, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome, headaches, migraines, and many others.