Pain in the shoulder and upper arm - what can I do about it?

Created: 09/12/2022, 20:00

By: Franziska Kaindl

Shoulder pain is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

© Andrew Lozovyi/Panthermedia

Shoulder and upper arm pain can have many causes.

As a rule, however, this can be reduced with loosening and stretching exercises.

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Do you have shoulder and upper arm pain?

Then you are in good company: around 70 percent of all people suffer from shoulder pain at least once in their life, according to the German Society for Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery (DGOU).

The symptoms occur regardless of gender, age or occupation.

On top of that, shoulder pain is the third most common musculoskeletal disorder after back and knee pain.

Occasionally, the pain radiates to the upper arm or neck, as

explains.

Pain in the shoulder and upper arm - what are the causes?

Shoulder pain is becoming more and more common in society.

One reason for this is the higher life expectancy, since many problems only become noticeable in old age.

People who play sports such as boxing, handball or basketball are also more likely to suffer from shoulder pain.

Not to forget the office work, which can lead to pain in the shoulder area if the posture is incorrect.

Shoulder pain can make itself felt in a variety of ways: while some people find it painful to raise their arm to the side, others feel the pain more at night when lying down.

According to the DGOU and the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), the triggers often come from the shoulder joint itself, for example due to

• muscle tension,

• diseases of bones and joints,

• postural defects,

• muscle and ligament injuries,

• a narrowing between the acromion and upper arm bones (impingement syndrome),

• Calcified shoulder, shoulder arthrosis or

• tumors.

However, there are also less obvious causes: "Many are not aware that the areas of the arm, neck and spine or diseases of the internal organs can also play a role in shoulder pain," explains Dr.

Casper Grim, who is, among other things, Vice President of the Society for Orthopedic-Traumatological Sports Medicine (GOTS).

Various diseases such as a dysfunction of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus or rheumatic diseases can also trigger chronic shoulder pain.

With an ergonomically shaped side sleeper pillow (advertising link), you can assume an optimal sleeping position in a supine or lateral position and thus prevent shoulder pain. 

Treat shoulder and upper arm pain

Conservative methods are usually good for getting the pain in the shoulder and upper arm under control - provided the cause has been clarified.

Especially those who do a lot of sport should prevent their pain by strengthening their muscles.

"A special focus should be on stretching and strengthening exercises that contribute to better active scapula connection and optimization of the coordinated scapula-thoracic sliding movement," says Dr.

grim.

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Anyone who suffers from shoulder pain due to poor posture can also help themselves with a series of loosening and stretching exercises.

It is important that something is done at all, because too little exercise aggravates the problem.

"An incorrect sitting posture at the desk, like frequent smartphone use, is a heavy burden on the shoulders and neck due to the hunched posture and the head stretched out," explains Professor Knut Beitzel, chief physician for shoulder surgery, arthroscopy and sports orthopedics at the Atos Orthoparc Clinic, according to

.

“In the long term, if no countermeasures are taken, this will lead to the front muscles shortening and the rear muscles being strained by the pulling force forward.” Physiotherapy is a good way to learn a few exercises with professional help, which can then be repeated at home .

Why does shoulder and upper arm pain worsen at night?

Some sufferers feel the pain more at night than during the day.

This is usually due to the fact that when you sleep on your side, the pressure on the tense shoulder increases due to your own body weight, as reported by

.

In this case it is better to lie on your back or stomach, even if this does not solve the problem in the long term.

If you can only sleep on your side, you can use a special side sleeper pillow.

This helps support the natural shape of the spine and relieves stress on the shoulder.

With the right pillow against shoulder and upper arm pain

The side sleeper pillow ACAMAR from Third of Life (advertising link) optimally supports the head and, thanks to its innovative butterfly shape, allows an orthopedically optimal lying position.