Shoulder Pain: Symptoms, Causes and When to Seek Help

Shoulder pain describes any discomfort in or around the shoulder joint, including the rotator cuff tendons, the ball-and-socket joint itself, the joint between the collarbone and the shoulder blade, and the surrounding muscles. Pain may develop suddenly after an injury or gradually with overuse and age.

Symptoms may include pain at the front, side or back of the shoulder, difficulty reaching overhead or behind the back, weakness, clicking, and pain that disturbs sleep, particularly when lying on the affected side. Symptoms can vary from person to person and may build gradually over weeks.

Common causes include rotator cuff strain, tendinopathy, bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis of the shoulder joint and injury from falls or sport. Risk factors can include repetitive overhead work, previous injury, increasing age, diabetes and thyroid conditions, and long periods of poor posture at a desk.

Seek medical advice when shoulder pain is severe, follows a fall, lasts more than a few weeks or is significantly affecting sleep and daily activities. Urgent assessment is appropriate for a shoulder that looks deformed after injury, sudden weakness, or pain associated with chest discomfort or shortness of breath.