Signs Your Shoulder Pain Needs Help
Shoulder pain isn’t uncommon, but how do you know when to see your doctor? Here’s what you need to know.
You can hurt your shoulder in many ways, and each one can cause pain that affects your quality of life. Shoulder pain isn’t uncommon. It’s known to affect 18-26% of adults at some point in their lifetime.
At Crescent City Orthopedics, we’re a team of orthopedic surgeons who have the expertise and experience to diagnose and treat your shoulder pain. Shoulder pain can occur for a variety of reasons. Here are the four most common ones.
Your rotator cuff has four muscles that join as tendons that form a covering around your upper arm bone (humerus), keeping your arm in your shoulder socket. Your rotator cuff connects your humerus to your shoulder blade, which allows the lifting and rotating of your arm.
You also have a lubricating sac (bursa) between your rotator cuff and the bone on top of your shoulder (acromion) that allows your tendons to slide and move as you move your arm.
You can tear your rotator cuff from an injury or by degeneration. Symptoms include:
Your exam may include imaging tests to determine the damage to your shoulder and the best treatment method.
Your bursa, the sac-like structure that serves as a cushion between your tendons and bones, allows the ease of movement in your shoulder. When your bursae become injured or overused, they fill with fluid, causing the area to swell gradually or quickly.
Shoulder bursitis most often develops from repetitive shoulder movements that cause ongoing friction. Applying ice and keeping your shoulder at rest can provide relief. However, if it persists, you should make an appointment with our team.
Your shoulder labrum is the soft tissue that attaches to the rim of your shoulder socket to help the ball of your joint stay in place. It can become damaged by dislodging from the bone, tearing inside or along the edge of the labrum, or at the contact point where the bicep tendon attaches.
A labrum tear can occur from trauma, such as falling on your outstretched arm, a hard yank on your shoulder, or an overhead overreach. It can also happen to athletes who use repetitive shoulder motion.
In many cases, nonsurgical treatment methods, such as anti-inflammatory medication or physical therapy, can relieve your symptoms. If you have a severe tear, you may need arthroscopic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure.
Your shoulder is one of the easiest to dislocate because it can turn in several directions. If you partially dislocate it, the head of your upper arm bone doesn’t completely come out of the socket. A complete dislocation involves a total separation from your socket.
Both types of dislocations cause instability in your shoulder, plus symptoms, including:
You can also suffer from muscle spasms until your humerus gets put back into your joint socket. Rehabilitation can take several weeks as you keep it stabilized in a sling and ice it 3-4 times a day.
If you have shoulder pain for any reason, call our friendly office staff or book your appointment online today at the office nearest you in Metairie, Chalmette, or Covington, Louisiana. We’ll provide you with an accurate diagnosis and customize your treatment to give you the relief you need. If a telemedicine visit is more convenient, we’re happy to set that up for you.
