
12/12/2024
Differential Diagnosis of Shoulder Pain
1️⃣ Musculoskeletal Causes
🔸Rotator Cuff Disorders
Tendinopathy/Tendinitis: Pain during overhead activities, localized to the lateral shoulder.
Rotator Cuff Tear: Weakness during abduction and external rotation, positive Empty Can Test and Drop Arm Test.
🔸Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: Painful arc during 60°-120° abduction, positive Neer’s Test and Hawkins-Kennedy Test.
🔸 Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Progressive loss of active and passive range of motion, particularly external rotation.
Pain initially, followed by stiffness.
🔸 Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Pathology
Localized pain at the AC joint, aggravated by cross-body adduction.
Positive Cross-body Adduction Test.
🔸 Labral Tears
Often from trauma or overuse (e.g., throwing athletes).
Clicking or locking sensation, positive O’Brien Test or Apprehension Test.
🔸 Shoulder Instability
History of dislocation or subluxation.
Positive Apprehension and Relocation Test for anterior instability.
2️⃣ Neurological Causes
🔸 Cervical Radiculopathy
Referred pain from cervical spine (C5-C6 commonly).
Pain radiates to shoulder and arm, with sensory or motor deficits in a dermatomal pattern.
Positive Spurling’s Test.
🔸 Brachial Plexus Injury
Weakness and sensory changes following trauma.
Common in contact sports or accidents.
🔸 Suprascapular Nerve Entrapment
Weakness in external rotation, deep shoulder pain.
Common in overhead athletes.
3️⃣ Inflammatory or Rheumatologic Causes
🔸 Rheumatoid Arthritis
Bilateral shoulder pain, morning stiffness, and systemic symptoms like fatigue.
Swelling or warmth in the joint.
🔸 Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Pain and stiffness in the shoulder girdle, often in older adults.
Elevated ESR/CRP.
4️⃣ Traumatic Causes
🔸 Fractures
Clavicle Fracture: Pain, deformity, or swelling over the clavicle.
Proximal Humerus Fracture: Pain, inability to move the shoulder, often following a fall.
🔸 Shoulder Dislocation
Anterior: Arm held in abduction and external rotation.
Posterior: Arm in adduction and internal rotation, often due to seizures or electric shock.
5️⃣ Systemic or Referred Pain
🔸 Cardiac Causes
Myocardial Ischemia: Left shoulder pain with exertion, associated with chest pain, nausea, or sweating.
Rule out with ECG and cardiac enzymes.
🔸 Gallbladder Disease (Referred Pain)
Right shoulder pain referred from diaphragmatic irritation (Kehr's sign).
🔸Pancoast Tumor
Shoulder pain, arm weakness, and Horner's syndrome (ptosis, miosis, anhidrosis).
🔸 Diaphragmatic Irritation
Caused by subphrenic abscess or liver pathology, radiating to the shoulder.
6️⃣ Infectious Causes
🔸Septic Arthritis: Acute pain, fever, swelling, and warmth.
Osteomyelitis: Chronic bone infection causing deep pain.
7️⃣ Vascular Causes
🔸Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Compression of neurovascular structures, presenting as arm pain, numbness, and sometimes discoloration. Positive Roos Test or Adson’s Test.
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