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 APRIL 30, 2010 Symptoms of Common Shoulder and Upper Extremity Injuries Shoulder and upper extremity injuries are more common than you think, but if you know the symptoms to look for, you can usually treat these injuries simply and effectively. Many shoulder injuries result from years of cumulative damage from playing sports, while others occur due to trauma, for example, from a fall. Typical shoulder and upper extremity injuries include rotator cuff tendinitis or tears, muscle pulls, bursitis (inflammation of the pillow-like sacs of fluid found between a tendon and a bone), shoulder dislocation, shoulder separation (which is really a sprain of the ligaments in the shoulder), fractures, nerve injuries, and even degenerative joint disease. The symptoms to look for that indicate you have a shoulder injury include: o Loss of range of motion. As we age, we lose some range of motion. But if you can't bring your arm up over your head without pain, this may be due to an impingement in the shoulder joint that can lead to rotator cuff problems. If this loss of range of motion begins to affect your daily activities, or the pain becomes unbearable, it's time to see a doctor. o Persistent pain that leads to popping pain pills. If you feel pain in the shoulder or upper extremity that requires taking ibuprofen or aspirin, monitor how many of these pain pills you take each day. If you regularly exceed the recommended limit of pills, see a doctor. o Muscle weakness. This symptom can come on quickly or slowly, and may mean you have nerve damage. Swelling and numbness or tingling are also symptoms of potential nerve injury, and require attention from a doctor. The good news is that simple over-the-counter medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen or aspirin), muscle relaxants, analgesics, topical creams or neuropathic pain medications can usually treat most shoulder and upper extremity injuries. Only a small percentage of people with these injuries require surgery. |
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