Rotator cuff injuries are common among athletes, but they are also common among ordinary people who suddenly come down with serious pain in one of their shoulders. This is just one form of shoulder pain that slow a person’s life down to a crawl when muscles and tendons that support the shoulder while it moves gets damaged.

Rotator cuff injuries are often indicated when intense pain comes to the outside of the shoulder when the arm is raised above the head. Pain can come at night, interfering with sleep, and even the most basic tasks become a serious chore.

STreating shoulder pain usually involves staying active, but avoiding strenuous activity, especially with the affected arm. Totally deactivating the arm may make it stiff, but going to the tennis court may make the problem worse. Light duty for the affected arm will help people work through the pain.

Hot and cold temperature pads will also provide relief from shoulder pain prepare the heat or the ice and then apply it to the affected shoulder.

For most typical shoulder pain, Ibuprofen or other non-inflammatory medications can help alleviate the pain and helping the patient sleep through the night.

In extreme cases a cortisone injection into the shoulder area may be needed to help restore a person’s ability to function normally in spite of shoulder pain.

Urgent care from a doctor should be sought if the shoulder begins to show signs of infection, if bruises appear around the shoulder area, if the arm cannot be lifted because of the pain, if the shoulder joint becomes deformed or if the patient has any other concerns about the condition that has caused the pain.

For most people shoulder pain is an occasional nuisance that makes many of life’s activities inconvenient. Fortunately, most of the time, the pain is a passing symptom. However, shoulder pain should never be completely discounted because it could be a sign of a serious underlying problem.