Where does the shoulder begin?
There are a lots of causes of shoulder pain. Usually when pain occurs above, inside of or underneath the shoulder blade, the problem is referred from the joints or muscles of the neck or upper back. Pain in the outside of the shoulder or down the upper arm can also be referred from the neck, but also can be a problem in the shoulder joint itself. Common causes of pain in the shoulder itself are rotator cuff or biceps tendinopathy, frozen shoulder, or problems such as osteoarthritis or strain of the acromioclavicular joint.
The first job of the osteopath is to take a detailed case history and make a thorough examination to get as best an idea as possible as to what is causing the pain. At that point we can discuss how best to manage the condition. Very often osteopathic manual therapy can help provide relief. For many shoulder problems we will provide advice on what rehabilitation exercises to perform to help facilitate improvement. Sometimes persistent shoulder problems need further investigations such as an ultrasound scan or MRI scan, for which can be done either privately or through the NHS.
NOTE – sudden left shoulder pain can sometimes be a sign of a heart attack. Call 999 or 112 if you have sudden pressure or crushing pain in your left shoulder, especially if the pains runs from your chest to the left jaw, arm or neck, or occurs with shortness of breath, dizziness or sweating.
