How to describe shoulder pain to your doctor
Shoulder pain often depends on how you move. Noting the movement that sets it off is one of the most useful details you can bring.
Where exactly
Say which shoulder and where on it.
- the front of the shoulder
- the top
- the outside, down toward the upper arm
- the back, or around the shoulder blade
- into the neck or down the arm
What it feels like
Pick the words that fit, or use your own:
- aching
- sharp when you lift or reach
- weak
- stiff
- clicking
- worse at night
Which movements set it off
Write down what you were doing when you noticed it. These are the details that tend to get forgotten:
- reaching overhead or behind you
- lifting or carrying
- sleeping on that side
- putting on a jacket
- throwing, swimming or lifting weights
When it started
Write when you first noticed it, even as a range, or "not sure". The day you first wrote it down can be later, so keep that date separate.
A note to take with you
Copy the prompts that matter to you:
- Where it is:
- What it feels like:
- When it is worse:
- When I first noticed it, or "not sure":
- What I want to ask:
To put your notes on one printable page, use the free visit summary.
Related guidance: NHS: preparing for an appointment
Keep dated notes in Ever Since
A symptom entry can include where it is, how strong it feels, and your own words. Each entry keeps the date it was logged. Symptom logging is included in the free plan.
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