Shoulder Pain

About Shoulder Pain

Don’t ignore any pain that’s connected to your spine. Your shoulders are connected through soft tissues and nerves to your spinal column, so you need the experience and expertise of a specialist when you’re hit with shoulder pain. Dr. Amr Hosny and his team at the Spine & Rehab Group understand the sometimes intricate problems associated with shoulder pain, and they provide targeted diagnosis and treatment. With convenient locations in New York City’s Financial District, Greenwich Village and Midtown Manhattan, as well as offices in Bergen County, Morris County, Union County, New Jersey, you’ll find the care you need near you. Call the shoulder experts for the best shoulder pain treatment.

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

A variety of injuries, illnesses and referred pain conditions can lead to right shoulder pain or left shoulder pain. That’s why you require an accurate diagnosis from a shoulder pain expert. Dr. Amr Hosny and the team at the Spine & Rehab Group in New York City and northern New Jersey diagnose and treat all medical issues connected with your spine, including your neck and shoulders.

The shoulder joint is the most flexible in your body, but that also makes it the most fragile joint as well. Because you use your shoulders for so many tasks every day, they’re prone to a variety of injuries. Conditions that lead to pain in your shoulders include:

• Bursitis
• Tendinitis
• Bone spurs
• Arthritis
• Dislocations
• Fractures
• Tendon tears, including the rotator cuff
• Overuse injuries
• Frozen shoulder
• Separations
• Improper body mechanics
• Poor posture
• Sports injuries

How Do Shoulder Injuries Occur?

Even though shoulder injuries are common, the cause can be difficult to diagnose because many shoulder injuries share the same symptoms. Experienced doctors rely on a variety of imaging tests to find the cause of your shoulder blade pain, so they can begin the right shoulder pain treatment. Your spine specialist at the Spine & Rehab Group begins with a thorough examination and medical history before reaching any conclusions.

While there are many ways that you can injure your shoulder and there are many different components of the shoulder that you can hurt, the most common injuries include:

• Instability from a sports injury is common among athletes who stretch the shoulder ligaments or tendons beyond their limits.
• Tightening and stiffening of those same soft tissues are more common as you age.
• When you reach your hand out to break a fall, the force on contact with the ground pushes on the clavicle, which can tear nearby ligaments.
• Torn ligaments from an accident often leads to shoulder dislocation and associated pain.
• Stress and repetitive motion can cause an impingement on the tendons in your rotator cuff, which lead to excruciating pain, as the nerves tend to become squeezed.
• Lifting heavy objects, including weights at the gym, can injure or tear rotator cuff soft tissue.
• Osteoarthritis causes the lubricating gel in the joint to dissipate, creating pain when your arm bone moves across your shoulder bone.
• Diseases that can lead you to seek treatment for shoulder pain include heart disease, thyroid disease, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.

When Should I See a Spine Doctor for Shoulder Pain Treatment?

You can try a few techniques at home if you haven’t had a serious accident and aren’t in extreme pain. Try a few remedies for several days to see if they help, such as:

• Placing ice wrapped in a towel on your shoulder three or four times a day
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers
• Resting from the activity that caused your shoulder pain
• Practicing proper posture when sitting, driving and standing

Go to the emergency room if your shoulder pain is sudden and if the pain extends to your neck, arm or jaw. Left shoulder pain can indicate signs of a heart attack. Don’t wait to call your spine doctor in Manhattan or northern New Jersey if you’ve had an accident and are experiencing:

• Swelling or redness in or around your shoulder
• Fever accompanying your shoulder pain
• Difficulty with your range of motion
• Blue or red coloring on your shoulder

What Shoulder Pain Treatments Are Effective?

Treatment for shoulder pain can take many different forms. It all depends on the cause of your pain. Dr. Hosny and his team may refer you to physical therapy for shoulder muscle pain treatment. You may be given instructions on how to care for your discomfort effectively at home, with follow-up appointments to ensure your success.

Your spine specialist, who understands the various issues associated with shoulder pain, may employ minimally invasive or even non-invasive shoulder pain treatments when necessary, such as:

• Pain management as you heal and undergo therapy
• Thoracic epidural steroid injections
• Trigger point injections
• Facet joint injections
• Radiofrequency rhizotomy

When your quality of life is affected and your shoulders keep you from doing normal activities, you don’t need to suffer when relief is so close. Find answers when your pain is associated with potential spinal injuries or disease. Don’t risk further complications. Contact your spine specialist as soon as possible at the nearest office location.