There are many reasons for shoulder pain. It can range from mildly irritating to completely intolerable. It is important that you take shoulder pain seriously, else you can face adverse situations in the future.

Shoulder pains are supposed to be normal if you’re at your desk all day long. However, that doesn’t mean that you should ignore it completely.

It could start off from here and get much worse. Shoulder pains could be a symptom of a much serious underlying condition, and if you don’t take it seriously, it can be a deterrent for your health in the future.

If these symptoms aren’t hinting at an actual dislocation, it is a sign that your shoulder pain symptoms mean something more serious. The symptoms range from mild stiffness to a ‘locking’ sensation, and even numbness. Underestimating the extent of such injuries is natural to most people as they don’t want to appear weak. It is essential to get past this and ask for the help before, it gets too late.

Three common causes of shoulder pain
Take a look at some of the most common causes of shoulder pain that affect people across all age groups and why you shouldn’t ignore them.

Rotator cuff tear
One of the most used muscles in your body is the rotator cuff. Every movement of your arm and shoulder is facilitated by this muscle.

These injuries can range from mild to extremely severe depending on the impact it suffered. When the muscle gets inflamed due to overuse, it is known as tendinitis. Shoulder pain is the primary symptom of this condition. This is fairly common among painters, tennis players, and construction workers.

Bursitis is another rotator cuff injury, and this causes fluid to build-up between the rotator cuff tendons and the bones underneath it. Apart from this, because the rotator cuff is made up of muscles and tendons, it is common to strain or tear them in the case of a sudden fall or an accident. These injuries cause immediate and intense pain in the shoulders.

Frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder is known to affect middle-aged people between the ages of 40 to 60. It is fairly common and can cause a reasonable amount of distress if it is not taken care of properly. The medical name for frozen shoulder is adhesive capsulitis.

As suggested by the name, this condition mainly affects the shoulder muscles and limits the extent of your motion. Shoulder pains are projected as a symptom and indicate that the tissues situated in your shoulder get stiffer over time and are replaced by scar tissues. This makes it difficult for you to operate your shoulder joints.

These joints can get inflamed due to a number of reasons. The most common out of these are diabetes, a weak immune system, or hormonal imbalance. This condition usually takes two to nine months to develop and should be treated immediately after diagnosis.

Osteoarthritis
This form of arthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis and affects a number of joints in your body. Painful shoulders are a symptom of osteoarthritis and can be mildly irritating to unimaginably painful.

Although this pain can be managed, underlying arthritis cannot be resolved. A healthy and active lifestyle may be one of the only ways to minimize the damage caused by the disease. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage gets worn over time and usually affects people over the age of 40.

Ways to prevent long-term shoulder pain symptoms
Here are some effective ways to prevent shoulder pain, minimize the shoulder pain symptoms, and speed up the recovery process in case of an injury.

• It is essential to rest your shoulder. If you are planning on working out or exerting yourself, it is important to pay attention to warm-ups and cooldowns.
• Thick mattresses and soft pillows may be a deterrent for your health and may cause long-term conditions. Consider speaking to your physiotherapist for suggestions regarding this.
• Post an acute injury, it is important to use an ice pack to reduce the inflammation and speed up your recovery process.
• Your posture is an important catalyst in determining the extent of your shoulder pains. Consider shoulder strengthening exercises and a resistance band.
• Acupuncture is an ancient practice that involves the use of pressure points to relieve stress and pain. It has been proven to be a successful long-term solution for latent shoulder pain.
• Due to hormonal imbalance, you may suffer from shoulder pain symptoms and a Cortisone injection can be taken for this. Consult your physician for the same.
• A lifestyle change such as eating healthy, cutting out alcohol, improving your posture, not spending long hours at the desk without moving can show incredible results over a period of time.
• Take regular breaks from sitting, in case your job demands it, so that your muscles don’t get tensed up, leading to a chronic condition.
• In case you are planning on joining a gym, make sure you get a proper trainer to help you figure how to lift various weights. Most shoulder injuries occur due to insufficient knowledge about how to lift weights and lead to a strain in the muscle.