Shoulder pain is the third most common musculoskeletal problem, trailing slightly behind knee and back pain. No matter the cause of your shoulder pain, you can find exceptional treatment at Restore Health, in Spokane and Richland, Washington. The experienced physicians, physical therapists, and others on the team help relieve your pain and rehabilitate your shoulder with a customized treatment that draws from a range of therapies. To learn more about your treatment options, call the nearest office, or schedule an appointment online today.
Shoulder Pain FAQ’s
Your shoulder joint, which supports more movement than any other joint in your body, is stabilized by a group of muscles and tendons called the rotator cuff.
Shoulder pain commonly occurs when the rotator cuff sustains damage through repetitive movement or traumatic injuries. Wear-and-tear on the labrum, the cartilage that lines and reinforces the joint, is another top cause of shoulder pain.
The conditions that often result in shoulder pain include:
- Rotator cuff tears
- Biceps tendonitis
- Impingement
- Frozen shoulder
- Labral tear
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Dislocation
- Fractures
- Bone spurs
Your risk of developing a rotator cuff injury increases if you engage in sports or occupations that require overhead activity, such as pitching or painting.
The conditions that cause shoulder pain typically result in additional symptoms, like:
- Difficulty lifting your arm
- Arm weakness
- Shoulder weakness
- Shoulder instability
- Swelling and bruising
- Clicking when using your shoulder
- Limited range of motion
- Muscle spasms
When your shoulder pain or other symptoms don’t improve, or they get worse, it’s important to seek treatment. Continuing to use your shoulder can further damage the soft tissues and cause problems like chronic shoulder instability.
After performing a physical exam, your Restore Health provider may order diagnostic imaging such as an X-ray, a CT scan, or MRI to accurately assess the location and extent of the injury. Then your treatment begins with conservative therapies.
Your customized treatment may include rest, immobilization, activity modification, and anti-inflammatory medications. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are essential for restoring strength and fully recovering from a shoulder injury.
If your injury is severe or slow to heal, your provider may recommend regenerative medicine treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or stem cell injections. PRP accelerates healing, while stem cell therapy helps regenerate new tissues needed to repair damaged tissue.
If you need a more advanced treatment to relieve your shoulder pain, you can receive interventional pain medicine from the specialists at Restore Health.
If your arthritis has progressed to the point that non-surgical treatments don’t make much difference, surgery may be necessary. In one type of surgery for arthritis called a synovectomy, a surgeon removes the inner lining of the joint called the synovium.
Other surgical procedures involve bone realignment or joint fusing to prevent rubbing and irritation. Joint replacement is also possible in some cases.
Interventional treatments target inflamed nerves and the nerves that carry pain signals to your brain. For example, your provider may inject a steroid into the joint, reducing inflammation and alleviating your pain.
Other interventional procedures, such as nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and radiofrequency ablation, prevent nerves from sending pain signals, which, in turn, diminishes your pain.
Don’t wait to get help for shoulder pain, call Restore Health, or schedule an appointment online today.