Shoulder Pain

When it comes to your life, shoulder pain can be a big inconvenience, especially when it’s preventing you from doing all of the things you want to do. It can be caused by a number of factors, from an injury to arthritis and other medical conditions in between. Fortunately, most shoulder pain is treatable. Below we’ll dive into the symptoms and causes of your pain, as well as treatment and management. 

Symptoms

Shoulder pain can be caused by an injury. If you’re wondering whether or not you have a shoulder injury, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you have limited range of motion because your shoulder is too painful or stiff?
• Does it feel like your shoulder may pop out of its socket? 
• Is your shoulder too weak for your normal routine and activities?

If you answered yes to these questions, it is likely that you’re experiencing an injury. Fortunately, some injuries can be treated at home. However, more severe cases will require medical attention. Symptoms of an injury that should be treated by a doctor include:

• Swelling
• Intense Pain
• Shoulder Deformity
• Inability to use shoulder
• Numbness in your arm or hand

When it comes to chronic shoulder pain due to an underlying medical condition, such as arthritis, you’ll likely experience pain and stiffness. 

Causes

Like we mentioned above, shoulder pain can have many causes. It’s possible to hurt it in an injury, or simply overdo it when doing household chores. Other medical conditions, like arthritis, can also contribute to chronic shoulder pain. 

Common shoulder injuries include:

• Cartilage Tear
• Fracture
• Dislocation
• Rotator Cuff Tear
• Impingement (when the tendons of your rotator cuff get pinched in your shoulder)
• Bursitis 

Common medical conditions that contribute to shoulder pain include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Tendinitis
• Bone Spurs
• Heart Attack** 

**If your shoulder hurts and you’re having trouble breathing or are experiencing tightness in your chest, you may be having a heart attack. Seek medical attention immediately.

Treatment

Fortunately, most shoulder pain is treatable. Sometimes you can simply rest and ice it at home while taking an anti-inflammatory. Other times, for injuries such as a separation or dislocation, you’ll need your doctor’s help to set it back in place and get a sling. If your shoulder pain continues, your physician may suggest a steroid injection, physical therapy or, in the most severe of cases, surgery. One thing is for sure though, most treatments are accompanied with exercises you can do at home to improve your range of motion. 

Manage Your Shoulder Pain with Help from Minivasive Pain

At Minivasive Pain, our mission is to treat the causes of your pain with the highest standards of care and quality. Our experienced team of orthopedic physicians will help determine the underlying cause of your shoulder pain, and work to get you back to the joys of life in no time. Plus, we have several locations throughout the Greater Houston Area for your convenience. To schedule an appointment, please call (346) 800-6001 now.