All about shoulder pain

Symptoms of shoulder pain

Shoulder pain can present itself in many forms, depending on the cause and the structure affected. The most common symptoms include:

Localized pain in the front, side or back of the shoulder
Limitation of movement (difficulty lifting arm, combing hair, fastening bra, etc.)
Nocturnal pain that interferes with sleep
Feeling of weakness in the arm or loss of strength
Clicking or feeling of instability in the joint
Radiating pain to the neck, scapula, or arm
Inflammation or joint stiffness

These symptoms can appear suddenly (due to injury or overexertion) or progressively, and in many cases worsen over time if not treated correctly.

Causes of shoulder pain

The shoulder is a very mobile but also vulnerable joint. Pain may be due to muscular, tendon, joint or even neurological causes. The most frequent causes of shoulder pain are:

Rotator cuff tendinopathy (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor)
Partial or total rotator cuff tendon rupture of the rotator cuff
Subacromial bursitis (inflammation of the bursa that cushions movement)
Subacromial impingement syndrome
Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
Glenohumeral instability or recurrent dislocations
Shoulder or acromioclavicular osteoarthritis
Biceps tendinitis
Fractures or traumatic injuries
Referred pain from the cervical spine, heart or diaphragm

An accurate diagnosis is key to choosing the most appropriate treatment and avoiding complications.

Types of shoulder pain

Shoulder Arthrosis

Shoulder osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the joint that joins the humeral head and the glenoid cavity of the shoulder blade. It occurs “through wear and tear” whereby the degenerative disease triggers a loss of the cartilage covering the articular surfaces, so that the joint space progressively disappears.

For more information click here.

Rotator Cuff Syndrome

The rotator cuff is formed by the tendons of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor muscles in their insertion in the different bones that are part of the shoulder joint. Their correct functioning allows performing the wide and complex range of movements that the shoulder is capable of executing. Inadequate postures, trauma or the mere passage of time can lead to its wear and tear, producing the condition commonly known as rotator cuff syndrome. This condition can range from minor alterations in the form of tendinitis to partial or total tendon rupture. Depending on the degree of deterioration, pain and functional impairment will vary.

For more information click here.

Shoulder bursitis

One of the most common pathologies at the level of the shoulder joint is the dreaded bursitis.

Before delving a little deeper into the injury, we can define the bursa as a structure, which is a kind of small sacs filled with synovial fluid placed strategically between different structures (one fixed and the other mobile or both mobile) in order to avoid excessive friction between them.

The suffix -itis is added when the bursa becomes inflamed by some cause external to it, which generates an increase of fluid formation within it and the increase in volume of the bursa. This growth of the structure can compromise the proper functioning of the sliding of adjacent structures and excessive pressure on the bursa causing pain by receptors in the walls of the bursa.

For more information click here.

Frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder, also known and named as adhesive capsulitis or retractile capsulitis, is a pathology that affects the shoulder joint.

It could be defined as “freezing of the joint capsule “. Its main characteristic is pain and limitation of movement.

For more information click here.

Treatments for shoulder pain

At MIVI Salud we apply a multidisciplinary and personalized approach to effectively treat shoulder pain. We combine medical expertise with the most advanced therapies in physiotherapy and interventional pain management. The most common treatments include:

Conservative treatment

Relative rest and modification of activities
Anti-inflammatory or analgesic medication
Postural education and ergonomics
Application of cold or heat according to the stage of the lesion

Specialized physiotherapy

Manual therapy to improve mobility and reduce stiffness
Therapeutic exerciserotator cuff strengthening and movement reeducation
Dry needling for myofascial trigger points
Electrotherapy, tecartherapy or laser to reduce inflammation and speed recovery
Stretching and functional retraining adapted to the patient

3. Interventional pain treatments

Ultrasound-guided infiltrations (anti-inflammatories or hyaluronic acid)
Nerve blocks to relieve chronic pain
Radiofrequency in cases of persistent or refractory pain
Minimally invasive treatments to avoid surgery when possible

Recover your mobility with MIVI Salud

At MIVI Salud we understand that shoulder pain can limit you in your daily life. That is why we offer you a specialized diagnosis, a treatment adapted to you and a comprehensive support so that you can get back to moving without pain and with confidence..

🩺 Do you have a sore shoulder? Don’t wait any longer.

Book your medical or physical therapy assessment and start your recovery today.

Here begins your life without pain

Book appointment

María José Arenas Bermúdez

2 days ago

Después de muchos años padeciendo fuertes dolores y tras someterme en otros centros a otras pruebas e intervenciones , el Dr. Rubén Algarra ha conseguido que a día de hoy viva sin dolor. Desde el primer día que me vio ya acertó con el diagnóstico .Gran profesional al que le estaré eternamente agradecida. Y a la señorita Raquel por su amabilidad y su gran ayuda al darme las citas.

manuel martinez

3 days ago

Todo muy bien

Narciso Alfonseca

4 days ago

Azin Ebrahimi Ghajar

4 days ago

So responsible and professional

david rios

4 days ago

El doctor algarra ,que es el que a mí me atiende con las infiltraciones magnífico médico y buena persona .

Ana Lovillo

5 days ago

Mi experiencia con ellos fue' muy buena,el trato magnifico y como profesional mejor.

Odete R

5 days ago

Son profesionales y muy cariñosos

Cristina Bonet Chust

7 days ago

pablo GALINDO CALVO

7 days ago

Meram Financial

1 week ago

Llevo desde febrero y me han tratado Victor y Laura y la verdad que son excelentes personas y súper profesionales. Aunque tengo una dolencia larga estoy súper contenta de poder estar tratándome con ellos, ya que he mejorado muchísimo.la clínica debe de estar súper orgullosos de tener unos profesionales como ellos, muchísimas gracias y al personal de recepción también