Shoulder pain, a very common reason for consultation, for which the High Authority of Health (HAS) has just published recommendations for general practitioners.
Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at Doctor’s Daily, tells us today about shoulder pain, a very common reason for consultation among doctors and specialists, reason for which the High Authority of Health has just published recommendations for good practice, intended for general practitioners.
franceinfo: What are the causes of non-traumatic shoulder pain?
Martin Ducret: There are a multitude of them, but in 2 out of 3 cases, it is due to what we call in medical jargon, subacromial pain syndrome. To fully understand what this term means, a little anatomy is necessary!
The humerus, the arm bone, articulates with the scapula, the triangular bone at the top of the back. And the shoulder blade is extended by a bone, called the acromion, which you can palpate by pressing on the top of the shoulder. Between the acromion and the humerus, there is a bursa, it is a small pocket which allows the joint to slide well, and underneath, there are tendons, the tendons of the rotator cuff which allow the shoulder movements.
In the case of subacromial pain syndrome, during repeated arm elevation movements, the bursa and tendons are in some way compressed between the humerus at the bottom and the acromion at the top, hence the term “under -acromial” (under the acromion). When the bursa hurts, it’s called bursitis, and when it’s the tendons, it’s tendinitis.
What should you do if you have rotator cuff bursitis or tendinitis?
First of all, you must consult a doctor who will examine you and prescribe x-rays, and possibly an ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis. Concerning the treatment, it is mainly shoulder rehabilitation with a physiotherapist, which will help reduce and disappear the pain.
In fact, you should know that subacromial pain syndrome is caused by repetitive movements on a shoulder that is not well muscled or poorly balanced. The goal of rehabilitation is to rebalance the shoulder, by strengthening it properly.
Are analgesic medications indicated?
Yes, in addition to rehabilitation, paracetamol and anti-inflammatories over a short period can be useful to relieve pain. And in the event of bursitis, there is the possibility of injecting corticosteroids with a needle into the bursa. It is a very effective gesture to pass the painful peak.
Generally, subacromial pain syndrome, when well managed, progresses favorably within a few weeks.