Do you experience a popping sound in your shoulder, which sometimes might be accompanied by extreme pain? More often than not, snapping or popping is caused by muscular tension due to everyday use as well as changes that naturally occur within the joints. With age, the surfaces roughen and produce a popping sound when they rub against one another within the shoulder. While in some cases, snapping or clicking is not an issue to worry about, in others, it might be the result of degeneration of the tissue, requiring you to consult a shoulder surgery specialist in Orange County.

Conditions Causing a Shoulder Snap or Pop

Shoulder popping may occur due to different reasons, including inflamed muscles, postural problems, tendon movement, arthritis, broken bones, bursitis, dislocation, among others. It is important to consult an Orange County arthroscopic surgery doctor to diagnose your condition and identify the primary reason why your shoulder pops.

�Snapping, clicking, or popping may start all of a sudden or soon after an injury. An injury might cause swelling or inflammation in the shoulder tissues, causing them to produce a clicking and popping sound when rubbing against other structures in the shoulder. Consulting an orthopedic surgeon for shoulder pain treatment is an ideal way to improve comfort.

�In severe cases, the rotator cuff tendons may be torn or injured, resulting in a loose edge that can catch on other ligaments in the shoulder, thus causing painful popping or snapping. In such an event, it is best to consult an arthroscopic surgery specialist to diagnose your problem and get effective treatment.

�The labrum in the shoulder forms a rim of tissue around the socket and helps the ball stay in position. If the cartilage or labrum is torn due to a traumatic event or repetitive stress, it might be caught in the shoulder or be separated from the bone, thus causing a pop or snap. An experienced orthopedic surgeon can repair and stitch the labral tear need back to the bone.

�Any injury to the shoulder ligaments due to repetitive stress may cause the shoulder to become loose and dislocated, making the shoulder ball slide up the socket edge. As the ball of the shoulder falls back into place, a snapping or popping sound may be heard.

�The loss of cartilage that occurs in arthritis may cause it to become rough or thin, which makes the shoulder surface rough. The roughness then causes snapping, clicking, and popping sounds. In some cases, the cartilage might peel off the bone underneath, and these pieces can also lead to clicking and popping.

While the majority of individuals who experience shoulder popping, clicking, or snapping do not have significant pain, others may notice considerable discomfort, especially after an injury. If you are concerned about your shoulder popping, get an evaluation by a shoulder surgery specialist to diagnose the cause and put your worst fears to rest. In fact, they can suggest an effective treatment to reduce shoulder pain.