Shoulder Pain Specialist

What causes shoulder pain?

Your shoulders are two ball-and-socket joints that you use every single day. Connecting your arms to your torso, they allow for full arm movements and have a wide range of movement thanks to your rotator cuffs. 

A rotator cuff is a group of four tendons within the shoulder that connect the muscles to the bones. There are near-endless ways to injure one or more of these tendons or any other structure in the shoulder, including sports injuries, car accident injuries, work injuries, and repetitive movements that you perform every day. 

Specific shoulder injuries or conditions include:

• Rotator cuff tears
• Cartilage tears
• Arthritis
• Bone spurs
• Joint dislocation
• Pinched nerves
• Swollen bursa

Your provider at Interventional Pain Consultants assesses your shoulder pain by asking you to move the joint in various ways. If you struggle to lift your arm above your head, for example, it could indicate tendon swelling or bone damage. They may use X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a full view of the damage within the joint to confirm a diagnosis.

When should I see a doctor for shoulder pain?

Not all shoulder pain calls for a doctor’s visit as it can be mild enough to manage at home with rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain relief medicine. When you should call a doctor depends on whether the injury or damage is acute or chronic. If the pain started very suddenly after an obvious injury, especially if you can’t move the shoulder, you should seek immediate medical attention.

You should book an office visit instead of going to urgent care or the emergency room if your shoulder pain has lasted beyond any attempted self-care measures, if the joint feels swollen and tender, or if your shoulder’s mobility is declining. 

How is shoulder pain treated?

Interventional Pain Consultants offers many options for shoulder pain treatment or management. As a practice that prioritizes a multimodal approach, your provider creates a comprehensive treatment plan for you using more than one treatment to promote healing. Your options for shoulder pain treatment include:

• Steroid injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
• Peripheral nerve stimulation
• Physical therapy referrals
• Osteopathic manipulation

Your shoulder pain treatment plan might require some home care on your part, too. In addition to attending appointments for minimally invasive treatments and therapies that promote healing, your provider might recommend immobilizing or resting the shoulder. Additionally, you can reduce any lingering pain or swelling after treatment using over-the-counter pain relievers. 

Shoulder pain can be a huge burden, especially if your job or home life requires a lot of lifting. To seek lasting shoulder pain relief using advanced treatments and therapies, call Interventional Pain Consultants, or schedule your visit online today.