Shoulder Pain

Shoulders are highly mobile joints with the broadest range of motion in your body. While this has many advantages, shoulders are vulnerable to injury and wear-and-tear. If you’re suffering from shoulder pain, visit the Union Anesthesia Associates team at one of their convenient offices in Union, Scotch Plains, Bloomfield, South Bound Brook, New Brunswick, Old Bridge, and Woodbridge, New Jersey. The experienced pain management specialists provide cutting-edge treatments that reduce pain and improve function. Call your nearest Union Anesthesia Associates office today or schedule your consultation online for relief from shoulder pain.

What is causing my shoulder pain?

Conditions that can cause your shoulder pain include:

Rotator cuff injuries

The rotator cuff muscles and tendons surround the joint, enabling you to rotate your arm. These tissues can tear, causing sudden shoulder pain and loss of function. This often happens when the shoulder dislocates, where the ball at the top of your arm bone comes away from its socket in the shoulder blade.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a long-term disease that frequently causes painful, stiff joints. Of the many kinds, osteoarthritis is the most likely to cause shoulder pain. It develops as the protective articular cartilage covering the bone ends wears away with years of use. Bone spurs (small, bony growths) can also develop.

Tendinitis and bursitis

These conditions are usually caused by overuse or repetitive strain that irritates and inflames the soft tissues. Tendinitis affects tendons, which attach muscles to bones. Bursitis affects the cushioning, fluid-filled sacs (bursae) in the joints.

Frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) can develop after an injury prevents you from using your arm. The joint stiffens without use, shortening and weakening the connective tissues. When you try to use the arm, it causes significant pain.

Correctly diagnosing shoulder pain ensures that you receive the most effective treatment.

How does my doctor diagnose shoulder pain?

Your Union Anesthesia Associates doctor begins the diagnosis by reviewing your medical records and discussing your symptoms. They’ll ask when the pain started, what it feels like, if anything makes it hurt more or relieves it, and if it interferes with sleep, work, or your daily activities.

Next, your doctor completes a physical exam. They examine your shoulder for abnormalities, bruising, and swelling and test the joint’s range of motion and stability. They might order diagnostic imaging (X-rays or an MRI) to check your shoulder, rotator cuff, and surrounding tissues in detail.

How is shoulder pain treated?

The Union Anesthesia Associates team initially uses conservative treatments, including medication and physical therapy.

If early treatments don’t work, you might benefit from steroid injections into the shoulder. Steroids reduce pain and inflammation, often for several months or longer.

If your shoulder pain fails to improve, you might need a minimally invasive procedure like radiofrequency neurotomy to destroy the pain nerves.

Call Union Anesthesia Associates today or book an appointment online for prompt, effective shoulder pain relief.