Pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm. What should I do if my left shoulder hurts?

The human body is unique. Every organ, joint and even a cell performs certain functions. If something fails, there is pain. Such a symptomatology the body signals about the disease. The resulting discomfort, he protects the injured area of the body from excessive damage. That's why these signs can not be ignored. They should be treated very carefully. What pathologies can the pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm say? Let's understand.

Causes of pathology

The shoulder is a fairly complex joint of the human body. It is endowed with maximum functionality. The presence in it of one or another pathology not only disrupts the joint, but also causes swelling, inflammation and destruction of the joint bag, and sometimes violates the integrity of the tendons. The shoulder joint can work for a long time even in this case. But time comes and it breaks down. A person experiences severe pain in the shoulder joint.

The causes of this pathology can be covered in developing ailments:

1. Tendonitis. Or inflammation of joint tendons. The reason for this pathology is in intensive workloads. During severe physical exertion, the tendons with the joint surface interact very closely. As a result, a person experiences irritation and pain.
2. Tendonitis of the biceps. Pathology manifests itself in the flexor muscle, which is localized in the upper region of the shoulder. With such ailment, the patient experiences constant pain. When probing the damaged area or any movement, the sensations intensify. If the ligament of the shoulder joint is completely torn, a globular swelling is visually noticeable.
3. Bursitis. This disease often accompanies tendonitis. A pathology also arises after prolonged overexertion. But bursitis leads to swelling of the joint.
4. Salt deposits. As a result of this pathology, the ligaments of the joint become rigid. Often the deposition of salts is localized under the scapula and clavicle. It is observed in individuals over 30 years. Pain discomfort appears suddenly. In its manifestation, it is strong enough. Any position of the hand does not reduce it. It becomes difficult for a person to take a limb even 30 centimeters from the body.
5. Violation of the formation of articulation at the genetic level.
6. Injury of the joint. Young people, especially athletes, sometimes have a dislocation that causes pain in the shoulder joint. The causes of pathology in individuals of advanced age are usually associated with degenerative processes.
7. Neoplasms.
8. Overstretch of the ligaments of the shoulder. Often the phenomenon occurs in bodybuilders. The joint becomes unstable in pathology. Most exercises cause difficulties for the athlete. Occasionally, even an angulation of the cartilaginous ring is diagnosed.
9. Shoulder-scrotal periarthrosis. Pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm or right arm is the main symptom of the disease. Over time, discomfort increases. And leads to the fact that the patient can not sleep at night. The nature of the pain is quite varied - from blunt manifestations to strong burning.
10. Tendon rupture.
11. Hernia, protrusion of the discs of the cervical spine.
12. Neurogenic pathology. The phenomenon in which the sensitivity of the upper limbs, neck is broken.
13. Arthritis, arthrosis.
14. Illnesses of internal organs (heart, liver, lungs and others).

Serious pathologies of internal organs

Very often the pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm is perceived as a manifestation of osteochondrosis. However, sometimes this discomfort signals various pathologies of internal organs:

1. Angina pectoris. When the disease pain radiates to the shoulder, neck, hand. Typical symptoms of the classic picture are compressive, pressing pain in the sternum, shortness of breath after physical exertion. But sometimes the disease proceeds differently. The patient feels only pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm and in the neck. In this case, discomfort may not be felt in the hand, tingling in the heart is observed. Only the ECG will detect ischemia.
2. Myocardial infarction. Classic symptoms, such as shortness of breath, the appearance of unbearable burning pain in the chest, unfortunately, do not always occur. Very often the pathology is signaled by a burning sensation in the shoulders and neck. As a rule, it is the left shoulder joint that worries. Accompany the disease patient's anxiety, difficulty breathing, the appearance of sweat on his forehead.

Fracture of the joint

This phenomenon is a fairly common trauma. Fracture of the shoulder joint can affect any department:

• The head of the bone;
• The body of the shoulder;
• Condyle area.

Frequent sources of pathology are: falling on the arm, strong blows or sports injuries. At the fracture of the shoulder joint, there are quite typical symptoms:

• Painful discomfort in the area of injury;
• Bruise, swelling;
• Deformation of the shoulder, sometimes shortening of the hand may be observed;
• Possibly a violation of the sensitivity of the hand and fingers;
• Limb mobility limitation;
• When you feel the damaged area, you sometimes hear a crunch.

Treatment of pathology

With this symptomatology, hardly anyone will take self-medication. But nevertheless it is necessary to remind, that similar pathologies are treated by the doctor. The patient will be prescribed analgesic, anti-inflammatory and calcium-containing drugs.

With light fractures that are not accompanied by displacement, a plaster cast may be prescribed. Sometimes it is enough to impose a tire or bandage on the shoulder joint. Duration of wearing varies depending on the pathology. As a rule, it is from one month to one and a half.

In case of serious injuries, the patient may need surgery with fixing screws, special plates, spokes, rods.

After the fracture is split, the patient is given therapeutic and physical and physiotherapeutic procedures that allow restoring the functioning of the limb.

Crick

The shoulder joint consists of a scapula, collarbone and shoulder bones. Its integrity is maintained by the muscles and the joint bag, as well as the tendons and ligaments. Stretching of the shoulder joint leads to a whole kind of pathological changes.

The patient may have different degrees of damage:

1. Rupture of the shoulder joint. With this pathology, the ligaments are completely ruptured, all fibers are damaged.
2. Sprain. With this phenomenon, partial damage to the fibers is observed.

About this pathology may indicate the following symptoms:

• The onset of pain;
• Discomfort is felt even in a calm position;
• A feeling of weakness in the shoulder;
• Mobility of the joint is limited - it is impossible to raise and withdraw the limb;
• The articulation swells and may increase in size;
• Presence of bruising and bruising;
• Deformation of the shoulder;
• When you move, you can hear a crash and crunch;
• Tingling, numbness in articulation.

Methods of treatment

After the diagnosis is made by the doctor, special measures will be recommended.

Typically, they include:

1. Cold compress. Such a procedure is permissible on the first day. However, you should know that exposure to cold should not last more than 20 minutes.
2. Fixing the joint. If possible, it is recommended to limit the load on the joint. This will reduce pain and inflammation. In addition, the doctor can recommend a special bandage on the shoulder joint or orthopedic splint. The device provides fixation in the desired position of the joint. As a rule, the bandage is worn for several weeks.
3. Getting rid of the pain. To eliminate discomfort, the doctor will recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used for injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Often, drugs "Ibuprofen", "Ketorolac", "Naproxen" are prescribed.
4. External means. For severe pain, it is recommended to apply ointment. Pain in the shoulder joint is significantly reduced after exposure to drugs with analgesic properties. The most effective ointments or creams: Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Ibuprofen, Voltaren. The agent should be applied a thin layer of 2-3 times a day on the damaged area.

The question of surgical intervention is raised only if the medication was ineffective. Sometimes operations are done by athletes. Such intervention allows to completely restore mobility of the shoulder and muscle strength.

Pain with osteochondrosis

Such a pathology occurs in people who have long been in the same pose. Osteochondrosis of the cervical region causes a disruption of the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, blood circulation. Often the discomfort is localized in the neck. However, pain in the muscles of the shoulder joint is often felt.

This symptomatology is provoked by bone growths that occur on the lateral surfaces of the vertebrae. They, traumatizing the nerve endings, cause the patient pain.

Treatment of pathology

It is very important to contact a specialist in a timely manner. Since treatment is a rather complex task, an integrated approach is necessary:

1. Drug treatment. Initially, patients are prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Indomethacin, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen. If the pain lasts long enough, additional painkillers can be recommended: Pentalgin, Tramadol. Antidepressants may also be prescribed in the complex: "Fluoxetine", "Amitriptyline". In addition, chondroprotectors are assigned to patients: Teraflex, Chondroxide, Structum.
2. Physical education. An obligatory component of the treatment is gymnastics. Exercises contribute to the restoration of damaged discs, significantly improve the mobility of the cervical region, strengthen muscle tissue.
3. Rehabilitation measures. After relief of pain, patients are assigned various procedures: magnetotherapy, massage, laser therapy, mud therapy, electrophoresis, traction traction, swimming in the pool.

Arthritis

Often this pathology provokes pain. In the area of the shoulder, 3 forms of pathology can be diagnosed:

1. Osteoarthritis. This disease develops as a result of degenerative age-related changes in tissues. The cartilage does not protect the joint surface from friction. A similar pathology is characteristic of the elderly.
2. Rheumatoid arthritis. The disease is systemic. The inflammatory process covers the synovial membrane of the joint. Pathology affects people of any age.
3. Posttraumatic arthritis. The disease develops against the background of the injuries - displacement, cracks or muscle rupture. Refers to varieties of osteoarthritis.

It is pain in the shoulder is the first and main sign of the development of arthritis. During the movement it increases. The weather change also affects the patient's well-being. The patient feels a decrease in the amplitude of mobility of the hand. Sometimes during the movement, a characteristic click is audible. In later stages, the joint hurts with such intensity that a person can not sleep at night.

Methods of fighting with pathology

How to treat a shoulder joint with arthritis? Initially, physicians use physiotherapy, accompanied by taking medication, and physical education. The therapy package includes:

• Warming compresses;
• The use of special additives, such as "chondroitin";
• Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Complex of exercises.

Patients are advised to exclude sudden movements that cause pain and often fully rest.

In the case of ineffectiveness of such therapy, surgeons resort to surgical intervention. In this case, either a complete replacement of the damaged joint with a prosthesis or a partial replacement is considered.

Development of arthrosis

This is a chronic ailment. With arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the patient's condition slowly deteriorates. There is a degradation of articular cartilage and nearby tissues. The surface of the joint loses its smoothness. In places it is covered with osteophytes or salt spikes.

The process of developing arthrosis proceeds slowly. The first symptom that indicates the development of an ailment is pain in the shoulder. Periodically, the discomfort is weakened. Physical labor leads to an exacerbation of pathology. The joint swells. The surrounding tissues turn red, become hot. Sometimes during the movement a crunch is heard.

Methods of treatment

In patients with arthrosis, the following drug therapy is recommended:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. As a rule, a simple remedy is initially prescribed, such as Paracetamol. If it is not possible to achieve a favorable effect, the patient is recommended stronger medicines: Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Nimesulide. These funds allow you to stop the pain syndrome.
2. Intra-articular blockade. In severe cases, special preparations are administered to the joint cavity. Often used hormonal drugs "Hydrocortisone", "Prednisolone", "Kenalog". They provide a good anti-inflammatory effect.
3. Chondroprotectors. Help restore the joint tissue. Most preferable drugs: "Teraflex", "Artra", "Artro-Active".

In addition to drug therapy, the patient is recommended physiotherapy, gymnastics.