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Shoulder Problems

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Shoulder injuries, arthritis and bursitis are common problems in adults, each causing severe pain, discomfort and immobility. Look on this chart to help define your shoulder problem.


 

SYMPTOMS   DIAGNOSIS   SELF-CARE
Begin here        
1. Did you fall on or hit your upper arm? No --> Go to Question 7.*    
Yes, go down        
2. Did you feel your shoulder pop out of place and/or pop back into place? Yes --> Your SHOULDER may be or may have been DISLOCATED. --> See your doctor promptly.
No, go down        
3. Is the upper arm misshaped? Yes --> Your HUMERUS may be FRACTURED. --> See your doctor promptly.
No, go down        
4. Is the collarbone tender, or do you have a bump on it? Yes --> Your collarbone (CLAVICLE) may be FRACTURED. --> Call your doctor. Use an analgesic and a sling to bring comfort until it is checked.
No, go down        
5. Is there tenderness near the shoulder end of the collarbone, and does lifting the arm with your uninjured arm help the pain? Yes --> Your SHOULDER may be SEPARATED. --> Call your doctor. Use an analgesic and a sling to bring comfort until it is checked.
No, go down        
6. Did the pain come with a twisting motion, or does a throwing motion aggravate the pain, and does the shoulder seem weak? Yes --> You may have a TORN ROTATOR CUFF. --> Call your doctor.
No, go down        
*7. Do you have a fever? No --> Go to Question 10.**    
Yes, go down        
8. Do you have redness or swelling around the shoulder? Yes --> You may have BURSITIS or a serious INFECTION of the bone, the joint or the skin. --> URGENT
See your doctor promptly. Small, localized infections may be controlled with heat and a mild analgesic.
No, go down        
9. Within the last month have you had a sore throat or a skin infection? Yes --> These symptoms may be from RHEUMATIC FEVER, a reaction to a strep infection. --> URGENT
See your doctor promptly.
**10. Do you have redness and swelling in more than one joint, including the shoulder? Yes --> You may have RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS or GOUT, an inflammation of the shoulder joint. --> See your doctor. Heat and an anti-inflammatory medicine are helpful for discomfort.
No, go down        
11. Do you feel pain when you move your shoulder but there's no swelling or redness? Yes --> You may have BURSITIS or ROTATOR CUFF SYNDROME. --> Use an anti-inflammatory medicine and heat. If there's no improvement, see your doctor.
No, go down        
12. Do you have increasing stiffness and inability to move the shoulder? Yes --> You may be developing a FROZEN SHOULDER. --> See your doctor.
No, go down        
For more information, please consult your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call right away.

This tool has been reviewed by doctors and is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. The information in this tool should not be relied upon to make decisions about your health. Always consult your family doctor with questions about your individual condition(s) and/or circumstances. Source: American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Health & Medical Guide. Dallas: Word Publishing; 1996.

Copyright © 2006 American Academy of Family Physicians
 
 
 

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