Symptoms of tendonitis of the shoulder

The first symptoms of an incipient tendonitis of the shoulder muscles are pulling pain. Usually they occur initially only during certain movements. The longer such an inflammation is present and the longer it lasts under certain circumstances, the more frequent the pain.

If the inflammation is very severe, pain may occur even when the patient is at rest. The pain is localized in the shoulder area and is mostly found in the area where the muscle is attached to the upper arm. Sometimes, however, the pain can also extend into the shoulder blade or over the upper arm up to the forearm.

Diagnosis

A consultation with a doctor gives the doctor first indications of the presence of tendonitis of the shoulder muscle. The examiner asks since when the pain has been present, whether movements cannot be performed in the usual way and whether heavy loads were previously carried or unusual movements were performed. The shoulder joint is then examined and a look is taken at which movements the patient reports pain.

The patient is asked to move the arm forward, backward and sideways. Initially, the movement should be performed without resistance, then against resistance. If pain is indicated in the arm movements, which is mainly found in the area of the muscle tendons, this indicates tendonitis.

There are several other diagnostic measures available, the ultrasound examination of the muscle tendon or, in cases of doubt, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) examination. An ultrasound examination is very difficult to perform in the muscular area. Tearing or tearing of the tendon would be visible through an interruption of the otherwise light-colored structure, and an inflammation can sometimes become visible in ultrasound through a thickening of the tendon. In cases of doubt and if the findings are unclear, it may be necessary for an MRI examination to show the muscle with the associated tendons.

Therapy of tendon inflammation of the shoulder

Treatment of tendonitis should be performed promptly after diagnosis to prevent the inflammation from spreading further. The first treatment measures are cooling of the inflamed muscle attachments with an ice pack and also consistent protection of the shoulder muscles. Movements that were unfamiliar and have led to tendonitis should be avoided.Furthermore, anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or diclofenac can be used.

Surgical measures for the treatment of tendonitis are rarely used. An exception is the tendon rupture or tear caused by tendon inflammation, which must be treated surgically if it is severe. Inflammation of the tendon in the shoulder should never be treated with heat, but with cold.

Inflammatory processes, joint effusions, swelling, pain and numerous accompanying symptoms are inhibited and alleviated by cold. Cold leads to reduced blood circulation and thus relieves the inflammation. This results in less frequent inflammatory or bloody effusions, which in turn cause severe pain.

Permanent cooling also reduces the sensitivity to pain. Heat, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. The blood circulation is increased, which also increases the inflammation.

With an active inflammation, the pain and swelling of the joint also increase. For cooling, pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory treatment, there are, in addition to tablets, a number of pain gels and ointments available, which can be given either as an accompaniment or before a tablet treatment. These include: The application of the mentioned ointments takes place 2-3 times daily for about one week.

Ibuprofen in ointment form
Diclofenac in ointment form
Mobile
Kytta ointment

Over many years, prescriptions for home remedies for the treatment of tendinitis of the shoulder muscles have been passed down. For inflammations of any kind, it is important to cool the affected area quickly. Here, for example, quark compresses can be used.

For this purpose, curd cheese, which has been cooled beforehand, is wrapped in a towel and then placed on the painful muscle area of the shoulder joint. A towel should either be covered over it or a kind of bandage should be used to ensure that the cooling curd does not slip. Its cooling temperature has an anti-inflammatory effect on the one hand.

It is also believed that the quark contains some ingredients that also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Quark should be applied once a day during an acute inflammation until the symptoms improve significantly. Besides the curd wrap, ice packs can also be used, which should be wrapped in a towel and placed on the affected muscle.

There are also some tea and herbal mixtures that can be successfully used to treat inflammation. A special mixture of Lady’s Mantle, Silver Mantle, Bibernelle, Wallwort, Chamomile, Ribwort Plantain, St. John’s Wort, Blackroot and Arnica, if taken as tea three times a day, can successfully reduce inflammation in the area of the shoulder tendons.

Home remedy for tendinitis
Medicinal herbs

The Schüssler salt treatment is considered an alternative treatment for various chronic or acute diseases.

There are also some preparations that can be used in case of tendonitis of the shoulder muscle. Similar to the selection of homeopathic medicines, it is very important to carry out a very precise patient survey to determine the right preparation. For example, accompanying symptoms such as restlessness, insomnia or hot flushes may make it necessary to use a different Schüssler salt for the treatment of an inflammation of the muscle than for inflammation of the muscle tendon alone.

For internal inflammation, three different preparations can be used: The application should take place 3-6 times a day with 1-3 tablets each. The tablets are not swallowed but slowly dissolved in the mouth. An improvement should already occur after a few days after the start of treatment.

If there is no clear improvement or even a deterioration, the treatment concept should be reconsidered. The treatment with Schüssler salts is also excellently suited for an accompanying orthodox medical treatment of tendonitis of the shoulder muscles.

Calcium Fluorate
Ferrum phosphoricum
Potassium Chlorate

The taping method is often used today in orthopedics and trauma surgery.

Kinesiotapes are also very often used in sports medicine today. Especially in the case of sports injuries in the muscular and joint area there are already very positive reports. In this case, an elastic tape is stuck onto the affected muscle.

The band is intended to transfer static forces, which normally act on the diseased muscle, to adjacent and healthy muscles.A scientific confirmation of the healing effect of the tape, also known as kinesiotape, is sometimes still pending. The tape should be applied to the affected muscle in the shoulder area without tension and should be fixed by pressure. The patient should feel a pleasant pressure in the muscle area.

Newly occurring pain after application of the tape must be clarified separately. A kinesiotape can be left on the affected shoulder muscle for a few days or even weeks. It should be noted, however, that if the pain does not improve, a new treatment strategy is necessary.

You can find more information on this topic under KinesiotapeSurgery for tendonitis in the shoulder is necessary after the failure of conservative therapeutic approaches and the persistence of pain and restricted mobility in the shoulder. Surgery is often the only sustainable treatment option for chronic shoulder complaints and recurrent tendonitis. Two surgical procedures are available for this purpose.

Many changes in the shoulder joint can be treated in a minimally invasive arthroscopy. By removing parts of the acromion, tendon irritations and complaints can be eliminated. Heavily inflamed tendons can be severed in arthroscopy.

In addition, open surgery can be performed. Here, for example, the biceps tendon can be attached to the upper arm via a 2 cm long incision. After a short period of rest, the patient should rebuild the mobility of the shoulder joint after an operation through physiotherapy. If immobility persists for a longer period of time, there is a risk of stiffening of the shoulder joint.