- Symptoms of tendonitis in the shoulder
- Shoulder tendonitis treatment
- Physiotherapy
- Medicines
- Acupuncture
- Surgery
- What causes tendonitis in the shoulder
Shoulder tendonitis is an inflammation that causes severe pain that tends to get worse with arm movements. Its treatment includes the use of medication, physical therapy and, in some cases, surgery. Shoulder tendonitis is curable, but complete remission of symptoms can take months to achieve.
The most common form of tendonitis in the shoulder, involves the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle. Shoulder tendonitis can be classified according to its characteristics, as being:
- Phase 1: Acute pain, minor bleeding within the joint and swelling. Symptoms worsen when performing arm movements and improve with rest, and usually affect more young people; Phase 2: The pain remains constant and the ultrasound shows fibrosis with thickening of the subacromial bursa and tendinitis of the rotator cuff or biceps brachii, and usually occurs between 25 and 40 years; Phase 3: Partial or total rupture of the rotator cuff or biceps brachii, being more common after 40 years of age.
Tendon rupture can be treated with medication and physiotherapy, and it is not imperative to have surgery immediately, this is reserved for when there is severe pain and important muscle weakness.
Symptoms of tendonitis in the shoulder
Tendinitis has the following main symptoms:
- Severe localized pain in the shoulder that may appear suddenly, or worsen after exertion and tends to worsen at night due to stretching of the muscles when sleeping; Difficulty raising the arm above the shoulder line; Feeling that the pain has spread throughout the arm eFormigamento may also be present, although it is more rare.
In biceps tendonitis, the painful area is only the front of the shoulder and there is pain when making movements above the head line and also when the person raises the arm stretched forward. When there is endinitis of the rotator cuff, which is composed of the tendons of the biceps, subscapular and supraspinatus, there is pain in the anterior and lateral region of the shoulder, which worsens when the person tries to make movements above the head line and it can be difficult to lift the arm, to apply deodorant, for example.
Shoulder tendonitis treatment
Treatment is very important to eliminate pain and allow daily chores related to work or sport, and also to prevent tendon rupture, which causes pain and swelling near the elbow. Treatment can be done with:
Physiotherapy is essential and can be done with ice packs, 3 or 4 times a day, devices that facilitate recovery such as tension, ultrasound and laser are indicated, as well as techniques to increase the range of motion, without pain, such as joint decompression and pendulum and strengthening exercises, to maintain the movement and strength of the affected limb.
The recovery time varies widely from one individual to another, but at least 3 months of physical therapy treatment should be required.
The orthopedic doctor may also recommend taking anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen, which are used to reduce pain and inflammation, and applying an anti-inflammatory ointment, such as Cataflan, to the entire shoulder. In the most severe cases, when even after starting physiotherapy there is no great improvement in the pain, the doctor may indicate a corticoid injection directly in the shoulder, which has stronger analgesic and anti-inflammatory action.
Here are some examples of home remedies that can assist in curing tendonitis.
Acupuncture can also be used to relieve shoulder pain, and can be performed once a week. This type of treatment is a good complement and can bring relief from symptoms on the same day, but it does not exclude the need for clinical and physical therapy treatment, because they complement each other.
Surgery for tendonitis in the shoulder is indicated when after 6 months to 1 year of conservative treatment, with drugs and physiotherapy, they are not enough to reestablish the movements, in a satisfactory way. Surgery is also indicated when there is tendon rupture, pain and important muscle weakness, but in many cases, tendon rupture in people over 60 can also be treated only with medication and physiotherapy, so it is up to the doctor to make this decision..
See a recommended massage and what to eat to recover faster in the following video:
What causes tendonitis in the shoulder
The most common causes of tendonitis of the shoulder are intense and repetitive effort with the arm or even staying for long periods in a bad posture, such as sleeping all night on your stomach, with your head resting on your arm.
This position places the tendons of the shoulder in a position where the tendon is stretched and the anatomy of the bones can interfere, because in some people the acromion may be more like a 'hook', which ends up damaging the tendon.
The repetition of movements, as in a volleyball game, for example, can generate enough stress on the shoulder, causing this type of tendonitis.
This tendon is usually injured by the excessive use of the raised arms during certain sports or professional activities, which favors the onset of the impact syndrome. Some situations where this can happen include swimming, tennis and professions such as carpenters, teachers and painters, who are the professionals who most commonly suffer from this type of tendonitis.
