What is shoulder pain?

You can hurt your shoulder by using it too much during an activity, such as fishing or baseball. It can also happen as part of the everyday wear and tear of getting older. Shoulder injuries can be slow to heal, but your shoulder should get better with time.

Your doctor may recommend a sling to rest your shoulder. If you have injured your shoulder, you may need testing and treatment.

Unexplained shoulder pain that does not change when you move your neck, shoulder, or arm or that occurs with symptoms elsewhere in your body (such as in your abdomen or chest) may be referred shoulder pain. Referred pain means that a problem exists somewhere else in the body other than where you feel the pain.

Causes of referred shoulder pain may include:

• Abdominal problems, such as gallstones or pancreatitis.
• Pelvic problems, such as a ruptured ovarian cyst.
• Heart or blood vessel problems, such as a heart attack or inflammation around the heart (pericarditis).
• A lung problem, such as pneumonia, where pain may be felt throughout the shoulder, shoulder blade area, upper chest, upper arm, neck, and armpit. Pain is usually felt in the shoulder on the same side as the lung problem.
• Other conditions, such as herpes zoster (shingles) or thoracic outlet syndrome.
• Other problems, such as gas from laparoscopic abdominal surgery or air entering the vagina under pressure from some gynecological procedures.

• Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
  • If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
  • If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
  • Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines contain acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
• If your doctor recommends that you wear a sling, use it as directed. Do not take it off before your doctor tells you to.
• Put ice or a cold pack on the sore area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
• If there is no swelling, you can put moist heat, a heating pad, or a warm cloth on your shoulder. Some doctors suggest alternating between hot and cold.
• Rest your shoulder for a few days. If your doctor recommends it, you can then begin gentle exercise of the shoulder, but do not lift anything heavy.