Omalgia: Periarthritis of the Shoulder

Omalgia is defined as a pain located in the shoulder area that appears with some arm movements. The origins of this ailment can be caused by many factors including:

• By irradiation of neurological, vascular, cardiological or intestinal origin, also called Extrinsic conditions.
• Intrinsic conditions, referring to when the pain caused has its origin at the articular and periarticular level, including bursitis, tendon pathologies (tendinitis and ruptures) and capsulitis.
• According to the Primary Trauma Care Manual, 90% of the cases are due to Periarticular problems, meaning that they are located around the joints (ligaments, muscles, tendons or in serous membranes). The remaining 10%, the pain is intra-articular (occurs within the joint).

Symptoms

The appearance of Omalgia occurs when we make shoulder movements on the upper and external face of the joint. It is usually accompanied by:

• Limited mobility, preventing daily movements such as leaving a book on the shelf or fastening a bra.
• When night falls the pain intensifies, especially when sleeping on the affected shoulder.
• In some cases, the pain is so intense that it can spread to the cervical, forearm, and hand.

Treatment

Its pretty for people to lose their jobs due to this condition since it tends to last sometimes longer than a year. A painful shoulder makes it virtually impossible for some people to perform efficiently at their field of work. Therefore, it is essential to intervene as soon as it is possible, without diminishing your protection as a patient, and contributing to your prompt and complete recovery.

There are different ways for a speedy recovery, such as:

• Topical or oral drug treatments
• Local infiltration techniques for periarthritis
• Shock Waves, Magnet Therapy, Laser
• Physiotherapy with stretching exercises, manipulation of the area and strengthening.
• Surgery with arthroscopic subacromial decompression.

In all these cases, the use of orthopedic material is recommended, such as specific shoulder orthoses that provide support, warmth and maximum comfort during the patient’s recovery phase in the cases of Omalgia.

Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201  Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119