Shoulder symptoms of different types can be indicators of a number of problems with joints, muscles, and bones composing and connected to the shoulder area. Many of these symptoms include recurring or constant amounts of shoulder pain, although other symptoms may also be present. Here are some examples of the more common symptoms and what they may indicate.
Weakness is one of the more prevalent shoulder symptoms. Essentially, this is a situation where more effort is required to move the shoulder or rotate the arm at the point of the rotator cuff. Shoulder weakness may be accompanied with some amount of pain, although this is not always the case. Often, the weakness is a sign of some type of problem with the rotator cuff itself, although some sort of debilitating muscle condition may also be present.
Along with weakness, clicking and popping in the shoulder are not uncommon. The sounds may take place whenever the arm is moved in any direction, but especially when the arm is rotated upward. With shoulder symptoms of this type, there is some chance that erosion of bone tissue may be allowing the shoulder to slide in and out of the socket. A rip in the cartilage or the rotator cuff can also account for this type of complaint.
Stiffness in the shoulder is also not unusual. In situations where there has been some type of injury to the area, a condition that is known as frozen shoulder may result. This is simply a buildup of scar tissue that is preventing the shoulder from moving naturally. In addition, the stiff shoulder may be a sign of arthritis. People who have developed diabetes may experience shoulder stiffness for no apparent reason.
Shoulder looseness or instability are examples of shoulder problems that point toward some type of dislocation in the joint. This may be due to a weakening of the connecting tissue, or a degeneration of the bone that is allowing the shoulder to move about more freely in the joint. Pain may or may not be present with looseness, although shoulder symptoms of this type may be followed by additional symptoms if the condition is not identified and treated in a timely manner.
Shoulder pain is arguably the single most common of all shoulder symptoms. The pain may be from something as simple as a strained muscle in the area of the shoulder, or the result of some type of blunt trauma to the shoulder itself. Shoulder pain can also be involved in any condition that affects the function and condition of the rotor cuff, or places stress on the muscles. However, the origin of the pain may be as simple as sleeping on the shoulder most of the night. Recurring shoulder pain should be reported to a physician, and checked for signs of arthritis or some sort of minor physical damage.
