Cumming Shoulder Pain Treatment

Most of the time, we don’t actually realize how much work our shoulders do.

The shoulder is a complex body part with an impressive range of motion, owing in part to the intricate connections that make up the rotator cuff. Unfortunately, because of how much people rely on their shoulders, they can be extremely sensitive to injuries.

Reaching for something, carrying heavy items, and even certain sleeping positions are all shoulder-straining activities that a person may not realize can harm them.

At Optimum Health Rehabilitation Center, we focus on understanding each patient’s unique needs to personalize shoulder pain treatment. Shoulder pain can be unbearable, but our relief specialists can help lift some of that pressure off your shoulders.

Stay in control of your health with the resources available from our local team of professionals. To speak with a trusted team member, contact us online or call (770)887-9443.

To treat shoulder pain, many people start by testing at-home methods like posture correctors, topical creams, and diet changes. Paired with rest and relaxation, these remedies may work to relieve minor shoulder pain in some people.

For stubborn discomfort that won’t go away, you can work with a care provider to find the most productive course of treatment.

When you work with a specialist, they’ll introduce you to a range of treatment options for your pain, and below, you’ll find a collection of the most common shoulder pain treatments.

Pain Medicine

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen are some of the most commonly used medicines to treat minor pain.

This is generally the first approach to pain relief because of how readily available these over-the-counter medicines are. NSAIDs counteract inflammation in the body, blocking the production of certain body chemicals responsible for inflamed muscles or joints.

If these medications have no effect on the discomfort, your doctor may prescribe a stronger painkiller or eleven a muscle relaxant. However, while this approach will target the symptoms of your shoulder pain, it will rarely address what is causing the underlying problem.

This challenge means that in order to dull the pain of your symptoms, you’ll need to rely on medication long-term.

Ideally, though, pain medication will be used to supplement other treatment methods — enabling you to target the true source of should issues while making symptoms easier to manage.

Injection Therapy

Corticosteroid injections can be used to treat shoulder pain and are popular for this reason because of the rapid effect the medicine has on joint inflammation.

Injection therapy can treat many of the most prevalent causes of shoulder pain, including tendinitis, rotator cuff tears, and even conditions like arthritis. Some patients may report a wave of pain up to 48 hours after injections, but it resolves quickly.

Another option is regenerative therapy. Platelet Rich Plasma (PrP) injections are a regenerative treatment method that works by utilizing plasma from your own blood and injecting it into the targeted area.

The goal of this treatment is to enhance your body’s natural healing process and is most beneficial for tendon injuries and ligament damage but may also help relieve pain from degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Chiropractic Care

One of the most effective treatment methods for shoulder pain is chiropractic care. This treatment works by making manual adjustments to the spine, providing long-term relief by restoring the proper arrangement of bones and tendons.

These adjustments can have the effect of attacking and reversing the cause of the pain. At Optimum Health, our care specialists provide not only chiropractic care but a wide variety of supplemental services, such as therapeutic massages and regenerative medicine, too.

Rehabilitative Therapy

Physical rehabilitation is vital for restoring shoulders’ strength, range of motion, and normal functioning in the wake of an injury or a chronic condition like TOS.

Importantly, a tailored physical therapy regimen can reduce the risk of further injury by creating a support system in the shoulder. Patients can work in-house using the best equipment available, benefitting from one-on-one sessions with a licensed therapist.

They can then receive a low-impact exercise regimen to continue at home, ensuring that they’re taking steps each day to check in with their shoulder while keeping it stretched, strengthened, and averse to inflammation.

What are Common Causes of Shoulder Pain?

The shoulder is made up of three bones; the scapula (shoulder blade), the clavicle (collarbone), and the humerus (upper arm bone). These bones are connected by the rotator cuff and two main joints, the acromioclavicular joint and the glenohumeral joint.

In the rotator cuff, there are four main muscles; the subscapularis, the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, and the teres minor muscles. The rotator cuff connects the humerus to the scapula and controls the range of motion in the arm.

Any of these moving parts can have a high risk of injury and ongoing shoulder pain that results can be tough to ignore. After a while, suffering in silence gets exhausting, but quality pain-relieving care is out there. A consultation with a pain relief specialist may be a proactive way to take charge of the healing process and speed up recovery.

A person suffering from shoulder pain may be enduring uncomfortable sensations for one of many reasons.

There is a long list of causes of shoulder pain. Some are more easily treatable than others, but getting to the root of the problem will make it easier to find a long-term relief plan rather than covering up the symptoms with a band-aid.

Many of the most commonly treated causes of shoulder pain include the following:

Shoulder impingement syndrome: This happens when a tendon rubs up against the edge of the shoulder blade, known as the acromion, and results in a pinched rotator cuff. Known as “swimmers shoulder,” swimmers may experience the injury at higher rates because of the range of motion that relies on their shoulders. Difficulty reaching up and experiencing weakness in the shoulder muscles are two key factors to look for when determining if you have a swimmer’s shoulder.
Avascular necrosis: This refers to dead bone tissue caused by a lack of blood supply. Then, avascular necrosis will result in tiny breaks in the bone that can cause it to partially collapse. While this process usually takes months to years to develop, people between the ages of 30 and 50 are most likely to present symptoms.
Tendinitis: Tendons are the thick, fibrous cords that bridge muscles and bones together. Practically any tendon in the body can experience this condition. Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons generally caused by sharp, sudden movements or strenuous, repetitive exercise. It is most common in the knees, wrists, and shoulders.
Frozen shoulder: When a person leaves their arm immobilized for very long periods of time, a condition called cold shoulder can develop. Cold shoulder refers to stiffness and pain in the joints of the shoulder. Treatment can take more than a year and includes stretching and manipulating the shoulder.
Thoracic outlet syndrome: TOS is not just one condition but a list of disorders categorized together because they all can occur due to compression of the blood vessels in the thoracic region. Your thoracic outlet starts at the lower part of the clavicle and extends all the way to the upper arm region. Pain in this area may be associated with TOS.
Arthritis: In the U.S. alone, roughly 24% of adults, or 58.5 million people, suffer from arthritis. There are over 100 types of arthritis. This inflammation of the joints can create long-lasting discomfort that inhibits functioning throughout the day. While there is no cure for arthritis, certain treatment methods may be able to help ease the pain.
Breaks, fractures, and shoulder dislocation: Experiencing one of these injuries can be extremely painful, and the healing process can be even more exhausting because of the amount of work it can take to recover. A break, fracture, or dislocation all require immediate medical attention and possible follow-up care with a personal injury chiropractic specialist. The longer a patient waits to treat this kind of injury, the more likely they are to develop further conditions like posttraumatic arthritis.

Can I Avoid Shoulder Pain?

Most people rely heavily on their shoulders throughout the day, so it can be difficult to tell when they are strained or overused. Many of the most common (and even comfortable) activities can cause shoulder pain, such as slouching, reclining, and sleeping.

Preventing shoulder pain can be a life-long journey that requires consistent, healthy habits.

First and foremost, adjusting your posture can decrease your chances of degenerative shoulder pain. Slouching and sleeping on your shoulders can affect the delicate nature of the interconnectivity of your joints, muscles, and tendons.

It can be hard to see shoulder pain coming when it is the result of bad posture because the discomfort will develop slowly over time.

In addition to maintaining well-adjusted posture, living an active lifestyle and eating foods that are good for joint health can gradually strengthen your shoulders.

Light stretches and low-impact exercise can strengthen your muscles and tendons, while healthy foods preserve the wellness of the inner shoulder.

It is also imperative that a person not overexert their shoulders. Carrying heavy objects, like a hefty backpack or purse, for long periods of time can ultimately change the structure of the shoulder, leaving a person with an affected posture.

Search for alternative ways to carry things, such as a crossbody bag or even a rolling suitcase, as a temporary relief measure, and then avoid larger bags and purses once the shoulder has had a chance to recuperate.

Optimum Health Rehabilitation Center Can Help You Manage Your Shoulder Pain

The pain relief specialists at Optimum Health in Cumming are standing by to help you. When you work with our rehabilitation facility, we’ll personalize an action plan that targets, relieves, and prevents your ongoing shoulder pain.

Our staff is committed to providing aid for each patient that we see and is dedicated to their long-term wellness.

To get in touch with a trusted team member and schedule your initial health consultation for shoulder pain, contact us online or call (770)887-9443.