Patient guide
Shoulder pain
Where shoulder pain comes from, which symptoms should prompt a consultation and when urgent help is needed.
Shoulder pain can make it hard to sleep, get dressed and raise your arm. It often results from overuse or injury, but may also be related to degenerative changes.
Most common causes
- subacromial impingement and bursitis
- rotator cuff tendon injuries
- inflammation of the long head of the biceps tendon
- frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
- dislocation and instability of the shoulder joint
- degenerative changes
When to see an orthopaedic specialist
- pain lasts longer than a few weeks or gets worse
- it is hard to raise your arm above your head or reach behind your back
- pain wakes you at night, especially when lying on the shoulder
- the arm is noticeably weaker
- the shoulder feels as if it “slips out”
When to seek urgent help
After a fall or injury with visible deformity of the shoulder, inability to move the arm, or numbness and bluish discolouration of the hand, go to a hospital emergency department (SOR) without delay. Sudden shoulder pain radiating to the jaw or chest, especially with shortness of breath, may have a cardiac cause — call 112.
The information on this page is general and does not replace a medical consultation.