disease
Definition, causes and symptoms of shoulder pain
The shoulder is the most flexible joint of the body. Muscles, tendons and ligaments give him strength and support. But the shoulder is also very sensitive due to this complex interaction. Shoulder pain can be expressed in very different ways: Usually the shoulder hurts only when moving, while at rest you do not feel anything. Or the shoulder only causes shoulder pain when pulling an arm above head height. Particularly uncomfortable is shoulder pain when under pressure, for example in bed at night. Sleep disorders are the result. The most common cause of shoulder pain is bursitis. This irritation is caused by a so-called "tightness under the shoulder roof". The bursa is located between the shoulder roof and tendon plate as a cushion. It ensures that muscles, tendons and ligaments work without friction. By overloading the bursa can be irritated and swollen. The result: shoulder pain. In the shoulder it gets too tight and every movement hurts like hell. An increased risk for shoulder pain is the people who have a poor attitude and are trained too little. Because then the joint is bad and the muscles atrophy. Particularly damaging: one-sided burdens (for example, the cashier in the supermarket ), working overhead (for example, craftsmen ), poor sitting position (for example, office jobs in front of the computer ). Other possible causes include: joint injury, osteoarthritis or rheumatism .
Treatment of shoulder pain
To alleviate acute shoulder pain, you can wrap a cold pack (pharmacy, about 2.50 euros) in a cloth and put the pack on the shoulder for ten minutes. Then remove the pouch until the skin has warmed up and repeat the procedure. The cold stimulates the metabolism, the bursa swells. In addition, anti-inflammatory analgesics (for example, with the active ingredients ibuprofen, diclofenac or ASA, over the counter in the pharmacy) can be taken for shoulder pain. If the shoulder pain persists, you should definitely visit an orthopedist.
Prevention and self-help with shoulder pain
To prevent shoulder pain, you should move as often as possible. However, the shoulder should not be overloaded. Even a straight posture is important. Then the joints sit better than with a round back - and are more resilient. You should not hold your arms forward too long, for example when driving a car. It is better to take breaks. When shoulder pain wide, excessive movements are taboo (for example, window cleaning). Here you should use auxiliary devices. Loads (for example, shopping bags) should be worn close to the body and the weight distributed over both arms. If you have a shoulder pain while lying down, a pillow in the armpit prevents you from rolling over to this side during your sleep . Shoulder-friendly sports such as swimming, walking, cycling prevent shoulder pain. Unfavorable sports for shoulder pain are climbing, squash, judo or frequent pushups.
