Call 000 for shoulder pain with chest pain or shortness of breath. Seek urgent care after injury if the shoulder is deformed, very painful or suddenly swollen, or if feeling or movement is lost. A hot, red painful area with fever also needs prompt assessment.
Why shoulders hurt
The shoulder depends on the joint, surrounding muscles and tendons, and coordinated movement. Symptoms can follow a fall, a sporting incident, repeated loading or no clear event. Sometimes pain around the shoulder comes from another region, including the neck.
Possible explanations include rotator cuff problems, frozen shoulder, arthritis, dislocation and fracture. These conditions do not all need the same treatment. Location and intensity alone are not enough to tell them apart.
Rotator cuff, stiffness and instability
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons involved in shoulder movement and control. A painful shoulder does not automatically mean a tear. Tell the clinician if you noticed a sudden injury, weakness or a major change in ability to lift the arm.
Stiffness and a feeling of instability are also useful details. Describe the movements that are restricted and any episodes of the shoulder seeming to slip or give way. A suspected dislocation needs urgent care; do not attempt to put it back yourself.
Assessment before a treatment label
Movement and strength assessment, together with consideration of the neck and upper back, can help inform the clinical explanation. Ask what the examination suggests and what uncertainty remains.
If imaging is proposed, ask what it will help decide. Bring any existing scan reports so your clinician can interpret them alongside your symptoms and examination.
Returning to useful movement
A rehabilitation plan may include movement exercises, strengthening and modification of aggravating tasks. Discuss work, sleep, dressing, lifting and sporting demands so the programme has a practical purpose.
Ask how exercises will progress and what response is acceptable. Temporary symptom relief and restored capacity are different goals; a plan should explain both. Medicines, injections or surgical opinions are separate clinical decisions that require individual assessment.
Prepare for an assessment
Write down when the problem started, what brings it on, what eases it and what has changed. Bring relevant reports and a medicines list. Describe the activities you want to regain, rather than only giving a pain score.
- What is the working diagnosis, and what remains uncertain?
- What findings would change the plan or need medical review?
- What can I do between appointments?
- How will we measure progress and decide whether to change treatment?
Care in Melbourne’s northern suburbs
For people in Epping, Mill Park, Lalor, Reservoir and surrounding suburbs, the Muscle Joint Bone team can help arrange an appropriate starting appointment. Confirm current services, practitioner availability and any referral or funding requirements.
Sources and further reading
- Northern Spinal: original shoulder-pain resource
- Healthdirect: shoulder pain
General education only. An assessment is needed to determine what applies to you.
