Pain in the upper limb in the area of the shoulder is most often of a muscular origin. Usually it is acute – this means that it does not last longer than the period of natural treatment, lasting no more than 3 months. There are cases, however, when the pain is prolonged or recurrent. Recurrent pain is considered to be chronic pain.
What is chronic shoulder pain?
Most often, chronic pain in muscles, including those in the arm, is idiopathic in nature. This means an unclear etiology, and hence difficulties in diagnosis and moderate options for targeted treatment. Fibromyalgia is a pain syndrome of unknown origin, which may manifest itself in the arm, among other things. In order to diagnose cancer or dispel any suspicions related to it, you should seek professional medical help.
Risk factors for chronic shoulder pain
It is unclear whether chronic muscular arm pain is more common in men or women. Most published studies report a higher incidence of chronic muscle aches in women, but there are voices about a greater incidence of chronic muscle pain in men. Age is a factor beyond our control. The number of years lived, however, has an impact on the frequency of chronic muscle pains, including those in the arm. Due to the accumulation of degenerative changes, osteoporosis, and limited physical effort among the elderly, chronic pain is usually associated with old age.4 Among children, adolescents are the group most frequently experiencing chronic pain. Rapid elongation of long bones, including the humerus, may lead to temporary chronic pain in the arm.