Shoulder pain can be complicated, and shoulder problems causing limited use of your shoulder can really interrupt your life.
I often find people who could see dramatic results from both a pain relief and range of motion standpoint don’t pursue treatment because they are unaware of the advances in non-surgical treatments available.
The fact is that if you are suffering from conditions like frozen shoulder, shoulder blade, or shoulder joint issues, rotator cuff tears, there’s an excellent chance non-surgical orthopedics can help you.
Just think how nice it would be to be able to easily and freely move your shoulder or lift your arm. And do so without the cost, inconvenience, and possible side effects of surgery.
Like all joints, the anatomy and the function of the human shoulder are multi-faceted, and the types of shoulder injuries are infinite. Therefore, it is no surprise that it often takes experts in multiple healthcare disciplines to discern the actual cause of shoulder pain and how to fix it.
The most common causes of shoulder pain are osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tendon degeneration, or tearing.
Many people don’t realize that both of these conditions are pretty common after the age of 40. So, unless you have pain or dysfunction in the joint, no extra care needs to be taken.
However, when the pain becomes unmanageable, it often occurs with bursitis and “impingement.” Findings of this usually appear when using your arms overhead, such as when combing your hair. Another finding is pain while reaching behind your back, such as when fastening a bra. And at this point, it’s worth considering treatment.
Some common symptoms to look out for are as follows.
Do you have pain picking up a coffee mug or your computer bag? If so, you might have bicep tendonitis, which presents with pain in the front of the shoulder.
If your pain occurs more with activity such as throwing a ball, you may have a labral tear.
There are many different possibilities when it comes to shoulder pain.
So when approaching shoulder issues, we take time listening to our clients and gathering a thorough history. We then perform a comprehensive examination to analyze all of the factors involved.
Then, we may need to order diagnostic imaging such as MRI or perform injections to help diagnose. To ensure the maximum possible function related to both strength and range of motion, we may agree that a therapeutic injections trial is appropriate.
Some of the minimally invasive treatments available include steroid (not cortisone), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, gel shots (viscosupplementation) with Supartz. There are also regenerative medicine options such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and amniotic products (“stem cell”).
We also collaborate with practices that offer bone marrow aspiration concentrate and lipoaspirate (fat) injections.
Rarely do cases of shoulder pain require surgery. Shoulders help us tremendously with functions of everyday life and in sport, so if you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to call or text to request an appointment. We will partner with you to create an effective non-surgical orthopedic solution.