Causes of pain in the left shoulder and forearm. Sharp, aching, dull pain and recommendations from doctors

Pain is one of the symptoms of a disease, an unpleasant sensation with which the body signals the development of a pathological process. When pain appears in the left shoulder joint, there can be various reasons - pain can occur immediately after an injury or some time after it, as a result of the development of an infectious lesion of organs or tissues, or an inflammatory process. The pain can be aching, sharp, constant or intermittent. Depending on the pain syndrome, certain symptoms, changes in blood counts, the disease is diagnosed based on ultrasound, CT, and MRI studies.

In the therapeutic department of the Yusupov Hospital, joint diseases are diagnosed using modern medical equipment. Rheumatologists use modern techniques and innovative drugs to restore joint function. Treatment of diseases of the right and left shoulder joint is carried out with the help of hormonal therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, drug therapy, and in severe cases, surgical assistance is provided. Rehabilitation of patients is carried out in the rehabilitation center of the hospital.

Causes of pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body; improper treatment of the joints leads to injury and the development of degenerative processes in the tissues of the joints and tendons. Pain may appear when the left arm is moved to the side, and intensifies when the arm is raised upward against the background of general well-being. Over time, the pain may intensify or, on the contrary, subside; the phase of joint blocking begins. The patient cannot move his arm, raise or move his arm to the side. With cervical osteochondrosis, severe pain in the left arm can occur due to the formation of an intervertebral hernia. The pain takes over the entire length of the arm when turning the head to the side.

Pain in the arm joint when lifting up often occurs due to calcium deposition - calcification of the articular ligaments occurs. The pain intensifies and becomes constant if there are salt deposits in the tendons under the scapula and collarbone. Movement of the left hand becomes difficult due to calcium deposits, and the patient experiences severe pain. This disorder is often detected in people over 35 years of age during an x-ray. A common occurrence is joint pain in athletes. It is most often felt by heavyweight athletes, bodybuilders, gymnasts, and acrobats. A large load on the ligaments, muscles, and joints leads to various injuries: tendon rupture, muscle tears, and joint capsule stress.

Sharp pain in the left shoulder can be a symptom of a heart attack. Very often, shoulder pain bothers people who perform monotonous work on a conveyor belt, on a machine and other workplaces, when monotonous movements throughout the day are performed with the left or right hand. Pain in the shoulder joint of the left arm may be a symptom of the onset of glenohumeral periarthritis. Humeral periarthritis is characterized by severe pain when rotating the arm, when placing the arm behind the back. Over time, the patient has great difficulty raising his arm up. As his condition worsens, he cannot raise his arm up, has difficulty putting on clothes, or combing his hair.

Arthrosis of the left shoulder joint also causes severe pain in the shoulder; movement of the diseased joint is accompanied by a crunching sound. Arthrosis is most often diagnosed after 40 years of age; the disease affects people who experience great physical exertion and engage in heavy physical labor - blacksmiths, builders, loaders and other specialists. Arthrosis also affects athletes - shot putters, weightlifters, tennis players, athletes whose joints are constantly under heavy load and are exposed to impacts.

Inflammation of the left shoulder joint often develops with rheumatoid arthritis, and very rarely with gout. Arthritis first affects the knee joints, joints of the hands, feet, and lastly the inflammatory process affects the shoulder joints. Another distinctive feature of the disease is the limitation of the joint in the morning; during the day, the stiffness disappears, joint movement is restored, and the pain subsides. Arthritis may be accompanied by fever, chills, and deterioration in general condition.

Trituration

It is useful to use turpentine to rub the shoulder joint.

Prepare the mixture: stir two chicken eggs in two tablespoons of turpentine, add 1.5 tablespoons of 5% ammonia. Beat the mixture thoroughly. Use as a shoulder rub at night.

Another effective tincture that is useful to use as a rub is burdock.

Finely chop the burdock root, chop 3 pieces of hot pepper. Next, pour 1 tablespoon of burdock and pepper into a half-liter bottle, add lilac flowers in the amount of three tablespoons. Pour alcohol and leave for a week in a dark place.

Use the tincture to rub sore joints at least twice a day.

Store the tincture in the refrigerator, then it will not lose its healing properties for several years.

If it so happens that it was not possible to avoid treatment due to pain in the shoulder joint, you need to take preventive measures to avoid relapses.

To prevent the occurrence of painful phenomena in the left shoulder and forearm, you need to actively move, increase your immunity to avoid colds. Proper balanced nutrition is also important.

Try to avoid stressful situations and get regularly checked for cardiovascular diseases.

From this video you will learn about possible causes of pain in the left shoulder and forearm, as well as ways to treat them.

This video will tell you the symptoms of which diseases may be shoulder pain.

Content

Pain in the left shoulder occurs due to diseases, damage to the articular apparatus and muscle fibers, or signals a disruption in the functioning of internal organs. Depending on the cause, painful sensations are eliminated with the help of medications, physiotherapy, and folk remedies. In some cases, surgical intervention is indicated.

Left shoulder pain can occur for various reasons

Pain in bones, muscles, joints and forearm

Pain in the left shoulder joint and forearm often occurs with diseases of the heart, liver, spine, after a stroke, heart attack, with hepatitis, pneumonia, cervical osteochondrosis, tumors of tissues and organs of the chest, and with other diseases. Pain may indicate dysfunction of the bones, pathological changes in the tendons:

• The elbow is pressed to the side, the arm turns outwards with the inner side - severe pain indicates a pathological process in the infraspinal tendon.
• Severe pain in the left shoulder joint and forearm when moving the upper limb to the side or forward indicates damage to the supraspinal tendon.
• The elbow is pressed to the side, the arm is turned with the outer side towards the body. Pain in the shoulder with this position of the arm indicates a pathological process in the subscapularis tendon.

What to do if your left shoulder hurts?

If your shoulder hurts after physical activity, warming medications for external use will help eliminate the symptoms. For constant pain, lumbago, or heaviness in the shoulder area, treatment is prescribed by a doctor.

Treatment with drugs

To eliminate pain, topical medications, tablet analgesics and muscle relaxants are used.

Ortofen is an anti-inflammatory drug that relieves pain

Table: Medicines for external use

Tramadol is a non-steroidal pain reliever

Tablets for pain relief:

• muscle relaxants : Mydocalm, Tolperil, Tisanil
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs : Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Tramadol.

For destructive diseases, injections of hormonal drugs, hyaluronic acid, and ampoule chondroprotectors are given into the shoulder joint.

Folk remedies

It is permissible to treat pain syndrome at home in the absence of displaced bone fractures or suppuration in the joint capsule.

An infusion of dried thyme and vodka is used for rubbing

Recipe examples:

1. Dried thyme herb - 3 tbsp. l. pour 200 ml of vodka over the top. Keep in a dark place for 14 days. Use as a daily rub.
2. Melt 100 g of lard and cool. 2 tsp. Grind dried St. John's wort and cinquefoil into powder. Mix lard with herbs, add 1 tsp. ground red pepper. Stir thoroughly. Rub the sore spot before going to bed. Store the ointment in the refrigerator.
3. Mix honey (liquid), dry mustard and sunflower oil in equal parts until smooth. Heat the resulting pulp, place it on gauze, and apply it to the sore area. Secure the top with cling film and a warm scarf. Carry out the procedure at night.
4. Wash the burdock leaves, dry them, and generously spread the dark side with liquid honey. Apply to the shoulder, secure with a dressing.
5. 2 tbsp. Pour tablespoons of dry cinquefoil grass into a liter thermos and brew with boiling water. Leave for 3 hours, filter and drink in small portions between meals.
6. Sew small bags from natural fabric and fill them with coarse salt. Before the procedure, heat the bags in a frying pan to the optimal temperature. Apply and keep until completely cool.

The use of honey is contraindicated if you are allergic to bee products. Before warming the shoulder for bursitis and synovitis, make sure there is no suppuration.

Other therapies

Auxiliary methods of therapy include massage, physiotherapy, and physical therapy.

Massage sessions

A warming massage relieves tightness, warms up muscles, accelerates blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.

Massage sessions will relieve tightness; it is recommended to visit a specialist even in the absence of pain

Sessions are contraindicated in the acute period of the disease, with purulent inflammation, or with bone damage. It is better to entrust the procedure to a specialist, especially if the child’s shoulder hurts.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Physiotherapy speeds up the rehabilitation process after injury and helps prevent relapses of chronic joint diseases.

For the shoulder girdle use:

• electrophoresis - exposure to direct voltage current in combination with medicinal solutions;
• magnetotherapy - the use of magnetic waves of constant and alternating fields;
• ozokerite – thermal effect of natural material – natural wax.

Laser treatment is considered the most effective. Laser therapy sessions in most clinics are carried out on a paid basis.

Exercise therapy

A referral for exercise therapy (physical therapy) is prescribed by the attending physician. Group classes are held in the clinic.

The doctor refers you to exercise therapy if necessary.

You can independently supplement treatment with special exercises to restore the function of the shoulder girdle.

Shoulder surgery

Surgical intervention is carried out:

• for severe injuries (fractures, dislocations);
• for purulent inflammation (synovitis, bursitis);
• for grade 3 arthrosis, joint replacement is performed.

The type of operation (arthroscopy or arthrotomy) is determined by the surgeon individually in each individual case.

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

The shoulder joint has the most complex anatomical structure among all the joints of the human body. Diagnosis of the disease for pain in the shoulder joint begins with an examination by a doctor, a number of special tests are performed, and the doctor determines external changes in the joint area. Then he prescribes a series of studies:

• Blood chemistry.
• General analysis of urine and blood.
• X-ray of the affected joint.
• MRI – magnetic resonance therapy of the shoulder joint.
• Ultrasound of the joint.

When pain in joints and bones develops, it is important to accurately determine the cause of the disease. The blood is examined for infections, autoimmune diseases, diseases of the digestive tract, and the sugar level is determined. If a malignant tumor is suspected, tumor marker tests are performed. If pain appears after surgery, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound of the shoulder joint and painkillers. Treatment of pain in the left shoulder joint begins with fixing the arm to reduce the load on the joint, tendons, and muscles.

If the pain is caused by muscle spasm, complex treatment is prescribed - muscle relaxants + anti-inflammatory drugs. For joint inflammation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal therapy, various anti-inflammatory ointments, and gels for external use are prescribed. To reduce pain, relieve inflammation, improve joint condition, and restore motor activity, physiotherapy methods, massage, and special physical therapy exercises are used.

Mud compresses, balneotherapy, ozone therapy, laser therapy, and hydropathy are useful for diseases of the shoulder joint. To find out what disease causes pain in the shoulder joint, you can consult the following doctors: traumatologist, orthopedist, rheumatologist, neurologist. In some cases, consultation with an oncologist is required. Consultations with all these specialists can be obtained at the Yusupov Hospital. In the therapeutic clinic of the Yusupov Hospital you can undergo diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the shoulder joint. You can make an appointment with a doctor by phone.

Which doctor should I contact?

Pain in the shoulder muscles due to intense loads or poor positioning of the body goes away on its own and does not require a visit to the doctor.

If pain occurs, consult a physician first

1. If pain suddenly appears in the left shoulder area, caused by dislocations, bruises, or fractures, a traumatologist will help.
2. Finding out the cause of pain, both during movement and at rest, is the therapist’s task. If necessary, refer the patient for examination to specialized medical specialists.
3. Discomfort in the shoulder and under the collarbone, accompanied by stabbing pain in the heart, burning behind the sternum, high blood pressure, shortness of breath requires attention from a cardiologist.
4. Spontaneous shooting in combination with aching pain may indicate myalgia or neuralgia; treatment is prescribed by a neurologist.
5. The treatment of rheumatism, periarthrosis, and capsulitis is carried out comprehensively. Consultation with a neurologist or rheumatologist is necessary.
6. In severe forms of synovitis and bursitis, surgical intervention is resorted to.
7. An orthopedist can help treat pain in the shoulder and shoulder blade caused by arthrosis and scoliosis.
8. If a pain symptom occurs after eating, you should check the functioning of the digestive organs with a gastroenterologist.