Pain in shoulder and back

Causes of back and shoulder pain

Most pains that occur in the back usually result from the strained muscles and ligaments, which can often occur when a person overexerts themselves, like when lifting a very heavy object.

Such an action could result in a muscle spasm, which will lead to pain in the back.

Another possible cause of back pain is sciatica, which starts around the buttocks and back of the legs and then spreads to the back. Arthritis, osteoporosis, problems with the skeletal system and spine in particular and bulging discs in the spine are just some of the many things that can cause back pain.

In extreme, but thankfully rare cases, cancer in the spine or infections in the spine can also cause pain in the back area.

The shoulder functions through a very complex set of actions performed by many different joints, ligaments and muscles in that area, so once again, there are many possible causes for shoulder pain.

Some conditions that can result in shoulder pain include bursitis, infections, multiple sclerosis, heart attacks, cancer, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis, sprains, strains, torn cartilage, and many other things.

Direct injuries of the shoulder such as a frozen shoulder, shoulder dislocation and separation, can also lead to pain in this area.

Treatment

It is important to remember that whenever you have back or shoulder pain, you should first contact a doctor, because the only way to treat it properly is to get a proper diagnosis of the cause. Taking drugs to numb the pain and decrease the inflammation can work for minor injuries, but in some cases, it only puts off the problem and allows it to escalate.

Therefore, a doctor should be consulted in order to find out about the seriousness of the cause of the back and shoulder pain, after which the doctor will recommend the best ways to treat it.

However, if the pain is moderate, then the doctor will give some pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Muscle relaxants can also help if the problem is rooted in muscle spasms.

A good route to take for relieving chronic pain is to start making visits to a physical therapist, who will be able to show you exercises that will help the back and shoulder recover from injuries and reduce the pain.

Once the pain has gone away, the therapist will then move on to exercises that will improve and increase a person’s flexibility. There are also great sleeping techniques that will help to get rid of the pain, since improper posture during sleep is often a problem that causes back and shoulder pain in people.