Shoulder Pain

By Andrew Heideman, PT, ATC

Shoulder Pain

What most people call the shoulder is actually several joints that combine with tendons and muscles to allow a wide range of motion to the arm – from scratching your back to throwing the perfect pitch. However, mobility has its price. It may lead to increasing problems with instability or impingement of soft tissue, resulting in pain. You may feel pain only when you move your shoulder, or you may have endless discomfort. Sometimes the pain may be temporary and disappear in a short time, or it may continue and require medical diagnosis and treatment.

Most shoulder problems involve muscles, ligaments and tendons, rather than bones. These problems fall into three major categories: tendinitis, injury, and arthritis. Tendinitis is a result of the wearing process that takes place over a period of years. Sometimes the bones in one of the shoulder joints move, or due to an injury, are moved out of their normal position. This condition can result in the dislocation of one of the joints in your shoulder. There are many types of arthritis that can cause pain, but generally it involved wear and tear changes with inflammation of the joint, causing swelling, pain, and stiffness. Treatment for shoulder pain can involve altering activities, rest, and physical therapy to help you improve shoulder strength and flexibility. Your doctor may prescribe medication to reduce inflammation and pain. In some cases, injections of drugs may be used to treat pain.

If your pain is intense, you may need to seek medical care as soon as possible. If you want to learn more about the anatomy of the shoulder, please watch this VIDEO.

Also, want to learn more about orthopedics? Check out our YouTube Channel!

JOI Rehab Has 12 Clinics That Treat Shoulder Pain

When treating patients for shoulder pain, clinicians typically concentrate on range-of-motion with active and passive mobility exercises. Joint mobilization, which is a hands-on technique to improve mobility of the joints, is another way to treat pain in the shoulder. In some cases, patients will undergo strength training as a way to treat their shoulder pain. Lastly, electrical modalities such as ultrasound and E-Stim (electric stimulation) may be used to remedy the pain.

Here are some quick answers to frequently asked questions about the Shoulder.

Why Does My Shoulder Hurt When I Lift My Arm?

The quick answer is that pain from a rotator cuff injury or shoulder impingement is usually the reason that this hurts so much.

What Can Cause Shoulder Pain Without Having An Injury?

The quick answer is that some shoulder conditions are chronic in nature or they occur over a period of time.  Rotator cuff tears can occur due to repetitive activities or continued overhead stress.  Shoulder impingement and bursitis can also occur due to stressors that accumulate with time and then begin to hurt without an injury.

How Do I Know If My Shoulder Pain Is Serious?

The JOI Physicians have answered this question if this article: 5 shoulder symptoms you should not ignore

How Can I Get My Shoulder To Stop Hurting?

The quick answer to this question is to rest your shoulder and get it properly evaluated.  So many shoulder conditions can be treated conservatively if they are properly identified early on.  Waiting to long to go see a doctor usually causes the injury to get worse.  A small tear can become larger and pain becomes more severe.  Another thing which can really help with an acute injury to the shoulder, is to apply ice to decrease the inflammation and pain.  There really is no reason to wait to wait to see an Orthopedic Shoulder Physician.

JOI and JOI Rehab

JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.

You can still call 904-JOI-2000 to make new patient JOI Physician Appointments if that is your preference.

To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.