Pain in shoulder and neck: Causes and treatment

What can we do to avoid the uncomfortable pain in shoulder and neck? From the outset, know the causes of this pain, in most cases caused by poor posture or overexertion. Lack of exercise also makes it more vulnerable to this body area. Identify the causes and symptoms are the first step to administer the correct treatment.

Both the shoulder and the neck are two of the areas of the body more susceptible to injury or suffering from discomfort joint. To begin with, to protect the health of shoulder and neck movements must be avoided or sharp turns and strengthen the muscles with physical exercise, adapted both to our age as physical form.

Carry the bag too full, stretch your arm to reach an object rather than turn us, strenuous muscle movement during exercise are some of the most common gestures can affect our joints by forcing them incorrectly. Pain is the first symptom, clear that we are facing an injury, but could be severe, and stabbing. In some cases, especially when it comes to the shoulder, can appear swelling and locking of the joint.

Tendinitis

The tendinitis is, in medical terms, inflammation of the tendons. When it appears in the shoulder pain that may radiate to the neck – is called rotator cuff tendinitis. It is a condition that can be uncomfortable and painful, reaching hinder movement. Tendinitis is not old, but at age 40, your body is most vulnerable.

The main cause of tendonitis is in sudden movements or overexertion (lifting too much weight on a frequent basis). Some sports, such as swimming or tennis, may also be behind a tendinitis, as well as falls or blows to the arms. Some diseases of the joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also cause shoulder pain.

Tendinitis should be treated, especially if the discomfort is acute. The most common treatment is based on anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases it is also advisable to immobilize the affected area, for example, carrying the arm in a sling until pain or reduce inflammation. Also, avoid any activities or positions that aggravate the discomfort. If it is necessary, because the pain does not subside or reappears tendinitis is often advisable to put in the hands of the physiotherapist.

Capsulitis

Behind this name hides including a condition that affects the ligaments, which become inflamed and can cause difficulties to move. Interestingly, according to doctors, women are more vulnerable to a condition that is also known as frozen shoulder and causes, among its symptoms, stiff joints. The pain may be more acute at night, but the main problem is the loss of shoulder mobility. For treatment, the most common are anti-inflammatories and painkillers. Also avoid sudden movements. If the pain is severe, you can resort to treatment with intra-articular injections of corticosteroids.

Osteoarthritis

The degeneration of the cartilage that covers the bones of the joint causes one of the most common diseases, osteoarthritis, which can also be located on the shoulders and affect the movement with the neck. Osteoarthritis, although it is usually linked to the age, it can also be caused by other causes, such as excessive or improper use of the joint (especially in certain jobs or practice of certain sport). Genetic predisposition makes us more vulnerable to suffering from osteoarthritis. In addition to pain, as we have pointed out, it can cause noise and limited joint mobility. For treatment, in addition to rest, you have to perform rehabilitation exercises to strengthen muscles and gain flexibility. NSAIDs are most commonly used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Home remedies for pain

In addition to drug treatment, there are other remedies that alleviate pain and reduce inflammation, such as the application of cold (a bag of frozen peas for 15 minutes several times a day); and anti-inflammatory ointments and alternating showers (hot and cold water for five minutes on the affected area).