Shoulder pain

overview:

The shoulder is considered one of the many important joints in our body that has a wide and versatile range of motion. Any difficulty or discomfort in the shoulder hampers the ability to move freely and can cause a great deal of pain. Did you know that frozen shoulders are seen in 50% of the elderly diabetic patients and is experienced by women more than men?

People are more likely to have shoulder problems as they grow older, especially after the age of 60. This is because the soft tissues surrounding their shoulder tend to degenerate with age. Shoulder injuries can also happen while performing manual labor, sports, or even by repetitive movement. Certain diseases can affect the shoulder bringing in immense pain and discomfort. These include difficulties related to the cervical spine (neck), as well as liver, heart, or gallbladder disorder (gallstones).

Types of shoulder pain:

• Shoulder injury: Rotator cuff tears are among the most common types of shoulder injuries. Rotator cuffs are a combination of the four major muscles and tendons of the shoulder. This injury occurs when any tendon of the rotator cuff rips or tears, either partially or completely. This type of injury is exceedingly common among athletes, especially those who compete in swimming, badminton, tennis and football. This is often due to the repetitive workouts or history of any injury resulting in excruciating pain.

• Shoulder dislocation: Our shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that has three main bones: the humerus (upper arm bone), the clavicle (collarbone) and the scapula (shoulder blade). A person’s shoulder is said to be dislocated when the humerus pops out of the cup-shaped socket that's part of the shoulder blade. This type of injury results in a sudden onset of pain and weakness in the shoulder, often leaving it swollen, numb or bruised.

• Frozen shoulder: Frozen shoulder also known as adhesive causalities, occurs due to inflammation in the shoulder. This inflammation results in thickening and tightening of the shoulder capsule. Frozen shoulder results in gradual onset of stiffness and progressive pain. This type of shoulder pain is mostly seen in diabetics.

• Osteoarthritis: If a person is suffering from osteoarthritis, also known as wear and tear arthritis, it could result in shoulder pain. Typical symptoms of shoulder pain due to osteoarthritis include swelling and stiffness. People can also get crepitus - any grinding, creaking, cracking or popping that occurs while moving shoulder joints. This can also occur in other joints, such as the hip, neck and spine. Osteoarthritis develops slowly and causes the pain to worsen over time.

• Rheumatoid arthritis: One of the most common forms of shoulder pain is an autoimmune condition called rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A person suffering from RA may experience pain in both shoulders at once. This results in stiffness in the shoulders, especially in the morning. RA affects the joint lining resulting in swelling, erosion of bones and even deformity of the joints over time.

• Bursitis: A rotator cuff bursitis occurs when the bursa (small fluid-filled sacs near the joints) becomes swollen or irritated. It results in achy and stiff shoulder joints that worsen after repetitive movements. This causes severe pain and tenderness around the affected bone or tendon.

• Tendinitis: Tendinitis is a pain that occurs as a result of inflammation in the tendon (a cord that connects muscle and bone). This condition causes excruciating pain and tenderness just outside the shoulder joint. Pain usually worsens at night, making it difficult to sleep.

What if the patient is left untreated?

• It can lead to further degeneration of soft tissues surrounding the shoulders.

• Pain and stiffness may radiate to other joints such as the hip, neck and spine.

• Long-term use of pain killers can cause addiction and depression.

• Shoulder pains with musculoskeletal involvement especially in diabetics can cause severe movement restriction and dependence. This can even trigger depression and poor physical activity.

Importance of homeopathy treatment & its benefits:

Homeopathic medicine is obtained from natural ingredients that have no side-effects and toxicity; enabling long-term treatment. Homeopathy helps reduce the intensity, rate of recurrence and duration of the pain with safe methods.

According to the study published in the Journal of Complementary Medicine Research, it is found that homeopathic medicine helps in reduction of pain and inflammation associated with ailments like rheumatoid arthritis.

Homeopathy offers a wide range of treatment options for shoulder pain and several other musculoskeletal conditions by treating the underlying cause.