Your shoulder hurts, and you want to know "why?". What is going on? How can you reduce pain in your shoulder? Are there options for managing shoulder pain?
Pain in the shoulders is far too common for people in New York. You've probably woken up with shoulder pain more than once. When you think about it, your shoulder is always working in one capacity or another.
Shoulders are some of the most used parts of the body. They perform day-to-day activities that require mobility and power. Therefore most of us can relate to the fact that our shoulders probably aren't as good as they once were. Many things can cause it. If so, you may be wondering how to make it go away. Keep reading to know more about the treatment options in pain management NYC.
Why Does Your Shoulder Hurt?
The shoulder is one of the most complicated joints in the body, containing up to 40 different muscles and tendons that work together to perform various movements. It's not surprising that so many people experience shoulder pain since there are so many things that can cause it. The greater the amount of movement, the more stress the shoulder is under, and the more likely it is that you will develop pain in your shoulder.
Chronic shoulder pain is defined as having a nagging or dull ache in your shoulder for longer than three months. The pain can occur at any time during the day or night, but it typically worsens during the first few hours after waking up in the morning. Chronic shoulder pain can be caused by many things, including:
Injury. A traumatic injury to your shoulder, like a dislocation or fracture, can cause chronic pain by damaging nerves and joints.
Overuse/overstretching/micro-tearing. Repetitive motions such as typing on a computer keyboard or using power tools can lead to overuse injuries in which muscles become inflamed and stretched out beyond their normal range of motion. This type of injury often occurs when you have weak muscles or poor posture and results in micro-tears in muscle fibers.
Bursitis. If you notice a bump in the area next to your shoulder or under your arm, it is bursitis. Bursitis is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion and lubricate joints between bones, tendons, and muscles. The condition occurs when these bursae become inflamed or infected, which can result in pain, swelling, and stiffness in your shoulder. You might have bursitis if your shoulder hurts when you move your arm or lift something heavy.
Tendinitis or rotator cuff tendon tears. Tendinitis occurs when one or more of the four muscles that surround the shoulder blade become injured or torn from overuse or repetitive motions. Rotator cuff tendon tears are usually caused by trauma to the shoulder joint but may also result from repetitive motions such as throwing activities like baseball pitching or tennis serving.
Arthritis. Arthritis is a condition in which the joints become inflamed and painful. Cartilage covers the ends of bones where they meet at joints (or cartilages). This cartilage acts as a cushion so that when you move, your joints glide smoothly on top of these bones without scraping off any tissue or causing damage to nearby nerves and blood vessels. Joints can become damaged over time from normal wear and tear or from injury — such as falling on an outstretched hand which causes inflammation and swelling in the joints, leading to pain and weakness in the surrounding muscles that help support that joint.
Frozen shoulder syndrome. It is a condition where you can't fully rotate your arm outward or inward because of tightness in the joint capsule that surrounds the ball and socket joint of your shoulder blade and upper arm bone (humerus). This condition may also cause pain in one or both shoulders that worsens over time if not treated properly by an NYC pain management specialist.
Shoulder pain is a common problem. It can occur on one or both shoulders, and it can affect all age groups, but the cause and treatment may be different than you expect. The pain may be constant or come and go. It can be felt in one of three parts of the shoulder:
Along the outer edge of your upper arm, that is close to the joint where it meets your shoulder blade (lateral epicondyle).
In the front of your upper arm (anterior), on the bone where it meets your collarbone (acromioclavicular joint).
In the middle of your upper back (midway between your spine and neck)
What Are The Options For Shoulder Pain Management?
Understanding the causes of shoulder pain can help you take action to relieve your pain and prevent further discomfort. In addition, there are some things you can do to ease or prevent any aches and pains in your shoulder.
If you're experiencing pain from lifting weights, remember that proper form is vital. Keep your back straight and bend at the knees while lifting if you're using a machine. When using free weights, remember to keep your elbows tucked in to prevent strain on your shoulders.
Keep an eye out for any signs of injury or infection, such as swelling, redness, or heat around the area. If these symptoms appear, seek medical attention right away.
If you have diabetes, be sure to check your blood sugar levels regularly and stay on top of any changes in diet or medications that may affect your blood glucose levels.
No matter what type of pain you're experiencing, it can be frustrating and debilitating. If you have shoulder pain, it can make it difficult to do the things you love, especially if self-care and prescription medications aren't helping.
There are many reasons why your shoulder hurts. To properly relieve your shoulder pain, it is important to understand what is causing it in the first place to determine the best form of treatment for it.
Surgery can be a great way to treat shoulder pain, but it's not always the best option. And surgery isn't the only solution for shoulder pain, and it doesn't always work for everyone. In fact, many people who have surgery find out that their pain comes back again later on.
Most cases of shoulder pain can be treated successfully with modern, minimally invasive, and non-surgical treatment methods available at pain management centers.
Here are some of the treatment options:
Interventional pain management. Interventional pain specialists are able to treat different non-spinal and spinal conditions due to their extensive training. A combination of neurological and musculoskeletal anatomy knowledge enables them to use tools such as musculoskeletal and neurological imaging, physical exams, ultrasound, and electrodiagnostic testing to pinpoint the cause of the patient's pain and apply pain management procedures to alleviate and reduce one's pain.
Physical therapy. Physical therapy can help with many types of injuries and conditions related to the shoulders. Physical therapists can teach you exercises that will strengthen your muscles and improve mobility in your joints. Their goal is to help you regain full range of motion in your joints so you can resume day-to-day activities without pain or restriction.
Medical massage. Medical massage therapy is another great way to manage your shoulder pain without having surgery. Licensed massage therapists use their hands or elbows to gently knead away tightness or knots in your muscles while stretching them out simultaneously. This helps increase circulation through the area and loosen up any stiff muscles or tendons that may be causing problems.
When To Seek Help From A Pain Management NYC Specialist?
If you have shoulder pain that doesn't seem to go away, don't try to take care of it on your own. Having shoulder pain is bad enough, but the fact that this kind of pain can linger for such a long time is unacceptable.
It goes without saying that if you are experiencing shoulder pain for more than a few days, you need to seek medical attention from a pain management NYC center where a pain specialist can diagnose the issue and prescribe treatment to help resolve the pain. They can run tests and order imaging of your shoulders to determine what's causing the issue.
Once they have pinpointed the problem, they will be able to choose an appropriate treatment for your specific case. If you wait any longer, you could be at risk for a serious inflammation of the joint and arthritis down the road.
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