The shoulder consists of several joints that combine with muscles and tendons to allow a wide and versatile range of motion in your arm, from touching the top of your head to throwing the perfect pitch. Consequently, when you injure your shoulder, it limits your ability to freely move and can cause you enormous pain and discomfort. Let’s review the 6 main causes of your shoulder pain and some of the possible treatments for shoulder pain in Brunswick.
1. Bursitis
Bursae are the small, fluid-filled sacs that are normally located in the joints throughout your body, including your shoulders. They serve as cushions between your bones and the overlying soft tissues, reducing friction between the bone and gliding muscles. Generally, overusing your shoulder could lead to swelling and inflammation of the bursae located between the rotator cuff and a part of your shoulder blade, leading to pain when you move.
2. Fractures
Shoulder fractures in younger patients are usually caused by a contact sports injury or a motor vehicle accident injury. On the other hand, in older patients, fractures are often caused by falling from standing height. When you fracture your shoulder, the upper arm bone, clavicle, and shoulder blade are usually damaged resulting in severe swelling, pain, and bruising.
3. Tendinitis
A tendon is a cord that connects your muscles to bone, and tendinitis is mainly triggered by an inflammation in the tendon. The two main types of tendinitis include:
- Chronic tendinitis. This is caused by degenerative diseases like arthritis or recurrent wear and tear due to age.
- Acute tendinitis. This is caused by frequent ball throwing or other overhead activities during sport or work.
4. Instability
Shoulder instability usually occurs from overuse or an abrupt injury that forces the head of your upper arm out of your shoulder socket. Partial shoulder dislocations happen when the ball of your upper arm comes partially out of the shoulder socket. Meanwhile, a complete shoulder dislocation happens when the ball completely separates from the socket.
5. Tendon Tears
Degenerative changes or acute injuries in the tendons due to long-term overuse, advancing age, and wear and tear mainly cause the tendons to split and tear. Tendon tears can be partial or completely separated from the bone and are usually very painful.
6. Arthritis
Arthritis can also result in shoulder pain. The most common type of arthritis in the shoulder is osteoarthritis, also referred to as ‘’wear and tear’’ arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes symptoms such as stiffness, pain, and swelling, which tend to worsen over time.
Available Shoulder Pain Treatments
At Performance Pain and Sports Medicine, our team of experts first determine the immediate cause of your shoulder pain and come up with a customized treatment plan for you. Depending on the severity of your shoulder pain, our treatment plans include:
- Prolotherapy
- Stem cell therapy
- Joint injections
- Activity modification
- Tenex minimally invasive procedure for chronic tendon pain
- Pain-relieving medications
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
If treatment plans fail to solve your shoulder pain problem, our experienced team at Performance Pain and Sports Medicine may recommend surgery.
At Performance Pain and Sports Medicine, we fully understand how shoulder pain can distract from your everyday activities. That is why we offer personalized treatment solutions to all types of shoulder pain at our five locations in Raritan, Houston, Texas, and Lawrenceville, New Jersey. For effective relief from shoulder pains, call our nearest office now.
Be First to Comment