Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine >
  • Conditions We Treat >
  • Upper Body Pain
Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
About Us
Conditions We Treat
Achilles Tendonitis
ACL Injuries
AC Joint Injury (Shoulder Separation)
Ankle Sprain
Avascular Necrosis
Bicep Tendonitis
Bone Cancer
Bone Cysts
Bone Spurs
Bone Tumor
Brachial Plexus Injuries
Bulging Discs
Bunions
Burners & Stingers
Bursitis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Chondrosarcoma
Chordoma
Chronic Tendon Pain
Clavicle Fracture
Colles Fracture
Concussion
Contractures
Degenerative Joint Disease
Diabetic Foot Disease
Dislocations
Dupuytren's Contracture
Elbow Sprain
Ewings Sarcoma
Femoroacetabular Impingement
Finger Injuries
Flat Feet
Foot Pain
Foot Ulcer
Fractures & Breaks
Frozen Shoulder
Giant Cell Tumor
Golfers Elbow
Hammer Toes
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Pointer
Instability
IT Band Syndrome
Jones Fracture
Labral Tear
Lisfranc Injury
Low Back Pain
Lower Body Pain
Malunion & Nonunion
MCL & LCL Injuries
Meniscus Tear
Metastatic Bone Disease
Morton's Neuroma
Neck Pain
Necrotizing Fasciitis
Nerve Compression
Numbness & Weakness
Osgood Schlatter
Osteosarcoma
Patellar Tendonitis
Patellofemoral Pain
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury
Plantar Fasciitis
PVNS
Rotator Cuff Tears
Scaphoid (Wrist) Fracture
Severs Disease
Shin Splints
Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder Pain
Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Sports Hernia
Sprains & Strains
Tendon & Ligament Injuries
Tendonitis
Tennis Elbow
Trochanteric Bursitis
Turf Toe
Upper Body Pain
Our Services
For Patients
For Professionals & Students
Our Locations
Contact Us
Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
About Us
Conditions We Treat
Achilles Tendonitis
ACL Injuries
AC Joint Injury (Shoulder Separation)
Ankle Sprain
Avascular Necrosis
Bicep Tendonitis
Bone Cancer
Bone Cysts
Bone Spurs
Bone Tumor
Brachial Plexus Injuries
Bulging Discs
Bunions
Burners & Stingers
Bursitis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Chondrosarcoma
Chordoma
Chronic Tendon Pain
Clavicle Fracture
Colles Fracture
Concussion
Contractures
Degenerative Joint Disease
Diabetic Foot Disease
Dislocations
Dupuytren's Contracture
Elbow Sprain
Ewings Sarcoma
Femoroacetabular Impingement
Finger Injuries
Flat Feet
Foot Pain
Foot Ulcer
Fractures & Breaks
Frozen Shoulder
Giant Cell Tumor
Golfers Elbow
Hammer Toes
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Pointer
Instability
IT Band Syndrome
Jones Fracture
Labral Tear
Lisfranc Injury
Low Back Pain
Lower Body Pain
Malunion & Nonunion
MCL & LCL Injuries
Meniscus Tear
Metastatic Bone Disease
Morton's Neuroma
Neck Pain
Necrotizing Fasciitis
Nerve Compression
Numbness & Weakness
Osgood Schlatter
Osteosarcoma
Patellar Tendonitis
Patellofemoral Pain
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury
Plantar Fasciitis
PVNS
Rotator Cuff Tears
Scaphoid (Wrist) Fracture
Severs Disease
Shin Splints
Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder Pain
Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Sports Hernia
Sprains & Strains
Tendon & Ligament Injuries
Tendonitis
Tennis Elbow
Trochanteric Bursitis
Turf Toe
Upper Body Pain
Our Services
For Patients
For Professionals & Students
Our Locations
Contact Us

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain

While suffering from pain is unique to your body, doctors at UPMC Orthopaedic Care can work with you to diagnose the cause. We'll then create a custom treatment plan for chronic upper body pain in your shoulders, elbows, hands, and wrists.

Looking For Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain Care?

Related services include:

  • Orthopaedics.
  • Sports Medicine.
  • Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy.

Find a Provider

On this page

  • What Causes Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?
  • What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?
  • How Do You Diagnose Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?
  • How Do You Treat Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?

What Is Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?

With more than 350 joints in the human body, it's safe to say that all of us will suffer from varying levels of pain at some point.

Chronic upper body joint and muscle pain can be debilitating and can take a toll on day-to-day living.

Simple tasks — such as picking up a fork or getting a glass from the top shelf of your kitchen cabinet — can be a challenge.

Types of upper body joint and muscle pain

At UPMC Orthopaedic Care, we diagnose and treat:

  • Shoulder pain
  • Elbow pain
  • Hand pain
  • Wrist pain

What are the causes and risk factors of chronic upper body pain?

Many factors can cause pain to the joints and muscles in your upper body, including:

  • Injury
  • Arthritis
  • Over-activity
  • Disease

While some discomfort is short-lived and resolves over time, pain is the body's way of telling you something is wrong and needs attention.

If you're dealing with chronic issues, it's a wise choice to meet with an orthopaedic doctor and discuss your upper body joint pain symptoms.

Back to top


What Are Symptoms of Chronic Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?

Shoulder pain symptoms and diagnosis

While people of any age can have shoulder pain, athletes are more at risk for suffering from shoulder impingement.

Shoulder impingement is due to pressure on the rotator cuff when you lift your arm over your head.

It's common among those who play sports that involve heavy overhead use of their arms, such as:

  • Baseball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis

Some symptoms of shoulder impingement include:

  • Slight ache during activity or rest
  • Radiating pain from the front of the shoulder to the side of the arm
  • Sudden, sharp pain when lifting or reaching

Elbow pain symptoms and diagnosis

Elbow pain can have many root causes, but the most common condition is tennis elbow.

Tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendons on the outside of the forearm. These tendons allow you to extend and lift your hand.

Despite the name, tennis elbow is not exclusive to just those who play tennis.

In addition to playing tennis, other common causes are repetitive motions, such as:

  • Raking leaves
  • Heavy computer use
  • Painting

Symptoms of tennis elbow include a burning pain on the outside of the elbow area that gets worse over time.

Hand pain symptoms and diagnosis

If you've fallen on the palm of your hand, you may not only be in severe pain but could have a scaphoid fracture.

The pain will be most intense on the thumb side of the hand, and any time you move the wrist.

Because it's often hard to tell the difference between a bone bruise and a fracture, it's vital to see a doctor right away so he or she can:

  • Take x-rays 
  • Confirm a diagnosis
  • Outline a plan of treatment

Wrist pain symptoms and diagnosis

When we think of wrist pain, the most common ailment that comes to mind is carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel has become a widespread problem for people of any age due to repetitive activities that use our wrists and hands, such as working on computers and using cell phones.

It happens when there is pressure on the nerve leading to the hand, causing swelling in the tendons of the wrist.

Carpal tunnel symptoms include:

  • Numbness in your hand and/or fingers
  • A sharp, stabbing pain around the thumb area

To diagnose your wrist pain, your doctor will first assess the numbness and level of strength in the hand.

To pinpoint the precise area of the nerve that's causing your wrist pain, your doctor may also order x-rays and a nerve conduction study.

Back to top


How Do You Treat Upper Body Joint and Muscle Pain?

Working with the orthopaedic specialists at UPMC means you'll receive some of the best care in the nation for your chronic upper body pain.

Your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan specific to your injury and discomfort.

Shoulder pain treatment

Management and treatment at the onset of shoulder pain often includes:

  • Resting the affected shoulder
  • Taking anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Doing rehabilitative stretching exercises

Your doctor may also suggest a cortisone shot to help heal the area of your shoulder injury.

Elbow pain treatment

Treatment and management for elbow pain includes:

  • Rest
  • Ice
  • Stretching exercises
  • Cortisone shots, in some cases

Hand and wrist pain treatment

  • A cast: If you have a fracture in your hand or wrist, expect to wear a cast for four to six weeks.
  • Physical therapy: After removing the cast from your hand or wrist, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy to increase mobility and range of motion.
  • Surgery: If the fracture is in the central portion of your hand, you may need surgery to preserve the integrity of the bone and its blood supply.

Back to top

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login