Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain may be caused by one of several common conditions such as bursitis; tendonitis; and muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries. To receive appropriate treatment it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis.
What are the causes of shoulder pain?
Three common causes include:
- Bursitis/Tendonitis: This indicates inflammation within the shoulder, which is commonly known as impingement syndrome. Common symptoms include pain with overhead activities; pain on the upper arm area and outside of the shoulder; and pain while sleeping.
- Rotator Cuff Tear: The rotator cuff consists of the tendons that surround the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is important because it allows the shoulder to function with a wide range of motion. Injuries to the rotator cuff make routine activities difficult, painful, and create instability within the joint.
- Frozen Shoulder/Adhesive Capsulitis: This condition causes restricted motion in the shoulder joint. This often occurs for no known reason. Some patients develop this condition after a traumatic injury to the shoulder.
Diagnosing Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is diagnosed by obtaining a thorough patient history and conducting a comprehensive exam of the shoulder and surrounding area. To ensure the most accurate diagnosis, we also offer such options as open MRIs, and CT scans. Other tests may include X-rays, blood tests, an EMG, and a discography.
Treating Shoulder Pain
Many shoulder problems respond to medications, rest, ice, and physical therapy supplemented by cortisone injections when needed. Often people get shoulder pain relief on their own. However, if your shoulder pain is due to an injury, is severe and comes on suddenly, or doesn't improve after three days (becomes chronic shoulder pain), contact us for further evaluation.
Initiating early treatment for shoulder pain is often the best curative course. Treatment options include individualized back rehabilitation programs; instruction; exercise physiology; shoulder manipulation; trigger point injections; and nerve root blocks.
In addition, we embrace non-traditional treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, meditation/relaxation, and Qui-Gong. Our goal is to return you to good health without pain.
When conservative measures fail to control pain and improve shoulder function, we will discuss surgery. In most cases, surgery is performed on an outpatient basis using minimally invasive procedures, which reduces pain, risk, recovery time, and expense.