When it hurts to lift your arms, reach into cabinets, or brush your hair, it is time to have your shoulder looked at. There could be a myriad of reasons why you have shoulder and arm pain. The shoulder comprises the most complex joint in the body. Technically, the shoulder joint is made up of three joints in one that all merge into one joint at the top of the arm that we refer to as the shoulder. The shoulder has the most degrees of freedom than any other joint, meaning it has the most range of motion. It can rotate, flex forward, extend backward, and raise to the side. This large amount of range of motion can leave the joint vulnerable to injury. Read on to find out what common issues are and when to get your shoulder arm pain treated in Battle Creek, MI. The providers at Total Health Center want to keep your shoulders strong, flexible, and functional.

What are some common injuries to the shoulder?

Determining the cause of your shoulder pain will likely not be possible on your own. Below are some of the most common culprits of shoulder and arm pain in Battle Creek, MI.

• Overuse injuries: Think tendonitis. There are many tendons surrounding the shoulder joint and overuse of the joint when it is feeling good can lead to improper wearing of tendons.
• Arthritis: As in any other joint, arthritis may impact your shoulder, especially if you are over the age of 50.
• Frozen shoulder: This happens when the muscles, tendon, and ligaments in and around the joints become stiff and 'freeze.' This makes the motion of the shoulder very limited and painful. Frozen shoulder is widely known to be correlated with comorbidity of diabetes.
• Fractures
• Subluxation or dislocation: A subluxation is a separation of the joint, but not fully dislocated. Both conditions are common in high-impact sports or for individuals who have very weak shoulders.
• Rotator cuff tears: The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles and is the foundation of the shoulder. Generally, one of the rotator cuff muscles is used more than the others, which can lead to an imbalance of muscular support of the shoulder, leaving it vulnerable to injury.

When to see a specialist for my shoulder pain

If you have had shoulder or arm pain that does not subside in a week or two, you need to have it looked at. Some other reasons to see a specialist right away for shoulder pain are:

• Significant swelling, especially if accompanied by a fever
• Intolerable pain
• Sudden onset of pain, particularly pain in the left shoulder that radiates to your left cheek, jaw, or neck.
• Discoloration of the shoulder area
• Severe stiffness

Contact us

Treating shoulder and arm pain in Battle Creek, MI is one of our specialties here at Total Health Center. Don't accept pain. Schedule a consultation with us by calling (269) 968-0888.