Shoulder pain may originate in the joint itself, or from one of the surrounding muscles, ligaments or tendons. It normally worsens with activities or movement of your arm or shoulder. Common injuries to the shoulder include rotator cuff tears, tendinitis, frozen shoulder, bursitis and arthritis.

Certain conditions affecting structures in your chest or abdomen, such as heart disease or gallbladder issues, also may cause shoulder pain. Pain that arises from some other structure is called referred pain, and usually does not worsen when you move your shoulder.
Because the shoulder joint has the largest range of motion of all the joints in the body, it is very susceptible to injury. Treatment for shoulder injuries often include therapeutic ultrasound or laser, massage or soft tissue therapy, shoulder and shoulder blade mobilizations and rehabilitation exercises. With regular chiropractic care and/or massage therapy, many shoulder problems can be detected and corrected before any significant amount of pain is felt.

If your shoulder pain is accompanied by redness or swelling, joint deformity, shortness of breath, chest pain, or neck and jaw pain, it is important that you seek immediate emergency care.