Shoulder pain

Neck pain and shoulder pain are classified in a variety of ways. Some people will only experience shoulder pain while others will experience it in conjunction with neck pain.

What causes shoulder pain?

Your shoulder is a ball and socket joint and this joint affords a great deal of movement. But because of the mobility associated with your joint it is much more susceptible to injuries. Shoulder pain can stem from multiple things including strain brought about by overexertion, dislocation, pinched nerves, tendinitis as a result of overuse, shoulder joint instability, bone fractures in the caller or upper arm, or frozen shoulder.

How is shoulder pain diagnosed?

If you are experiencing shoulder pain and it is interfering with your ability to conduct daily activities or reach above your head you should speak with your az workers compensation doctor. Your doctor will ask you about any injuries you may have recently sustained while evaluating your current level of health. An x-ray can be used to reveal any narrowing between your two spinal bones as well as any fractures or arthritis like diseases, tumors, narrowing of your spinal canal, instability in your spinal column, or a slipped disc. In addition to this your doctor might consider an MRI to review the details of your nerves as well as your tendons and ligaments in order to assess the cause of your shoulder pain. CT scanning can be used alternatively to conduct different tests related to the cause of your pain.

How is shoulder pain treated?

If your shoulder pain is a result of soft tissue problems anti-inflammatory medications including Advil, Aleve, or ibuprofen can be used. Your Arizona workers compensation doctor might also suggest that you take Tylenol to relieve the pain. But depending on the source of your pain certain drugs might also be recommended such as a muscle relaxer or an antidepressant. In many cases or pain can be treated with local applications of ice or heat. This is something that can be done at home to help treat acute or chronic shoulder pain. This is especially useful for acute sports related or work-related injuries.

Arthritis can cause shoulder pain on a regular, or chronic basis. If you suffer from arthritis of your shoulder a local steroid injection might be useful to alleviate the local inflammation and help to remove excess fluid causing pressure and pain in the shoulder.

If you suffer from shoulder pain movements your doctor might work with you to set up an exercise that will help treat the pain, especially if the pain is the result of sports injuries. In cases where there is damage to the spinal cord or the nerves surgical procedures might be recommended by your doctor. In cases such as this you will have to speak with your doctor as well as a local surgeon to determine the best course of treatment for your situation given your current level of health and shoulder pain. Aside from surgery a few of the other options may be recommended in tandem to best manage your pain.