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Shoulder Pain Q & A

What is shoulder pain?

Shoulder discomfort is a painful feeling in the joints that connects your upper arms to your torso. These joints consist of bones and soft tissues like muscles, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Determining the root cause of shoulder pain is the best way to treat it and get back to enjoying the activities you love.

What does shoulder pain feel like?

If you develop a shoulder injury, you may experience:

  • Dull aching
  • Sharp or searing pain
  • Weakness
  • Numbness 
  • Reduced range of motion 
  • Difficulty lifting your arm above your head
  • Difficulty lifting objects
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Warmth
  • Stiffness
  • Tingling

These symptoms may be mild or severe. If they persist and diminish your quality of life or ability to maintain an active lifestyle, make an appointment to see the A+ Athlete Sports Medicine team for an evaluation.

What can cause shoulder pain?

Some of the risk factors and causes of shoulder pain include:

  • Muscle, tendon, or ligament injuries
  • Fractures
  • Sprain and strains
  • Older age
  • Arthritis
  • Wear-and-tear
  • Sports injuries
  • Falls
  • Bursitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Frozen shoulder
  • Dislocation

Pinpointing the root cause is the best way to help your provider effectively treat your condition and ease ongoing discomfort. 

How does my doctor pinpoint the cause of shoulder pain?

To find the cause of shoulder pain, the A+ Athlete Sports Medicine team checks your vital signs and examines your shoulder joint. They also review your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle habits.

You might need blood tests, joint-fluid testing, X-rays, an MRI, an ultrasound, or another imaging procedure to ensure your sports medicine specialist properly treats your condition.

How is shoulder pain treated?

A+ Athlete Sports Medicine offers nonsurgical methods to alleviate shoulder pain. They may suggest home remedies, such as ice or heat packs, resting the injured joint, or wearing a sling. Your provider offers medication prescriptions, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, lubricating gel injections, and inflammation-reducing corticosteroid injections.

They also provide acupuncture, osteopathic manual manipulation, massage, nutrition counseling, injury-specific exercises, and physical therapy.

If you need shoulder surgery because of a severe injury, your A+ Athlete Sports Medicine specialist refers you to a highly trained surgeon.

To get relief from shoulder pain, schedule an appointment at A+ Athlete Sports Medicine by phone or online today.