Many people experience increasing aches and pains as they age, and shoulder pain is a common ailment that millions of Americans deal with every year. The National Institutes of Health have found that up to one-quarter of all adults experience at least minor shoulder pain. Finding the best treatment for shoulder pain to either relieve or eliminate it can help these individuals live active lives in comfort.
One of the best ways to relieve shoulder pain is to take the steps necessary to strengthen the shoulder without putting any undue stress on it, which often includes the use of specific motions and exercises. It is further beneficial if the best treatment for shoulder pain provides relief without surgery and a minimum amount of medication.
Common Shoulder Injuries
Before we get further into treatments, let us look at some of the more common types of and reasons for shoulder pain.
Shoulder Tendonitis
Shoulder tendonitis occurs when your rotator cuff or biceps tendon become inflamed, often because of heavy use. It is most often caused by a tendon being pinched from physical activities that require your arm to move over your head repeatedly, such as playing tennis or lifting heavy items at work or home.
The best treatment for shoulder tendonitis can include a combination of activity modification, (rest), strengthening exercises and ultrasound therapy.This can be done with physical therapy. Cortisone shots could also be used if recommended by a healthcare professional.
Shoulder Impingement
This refers to a specific type of injury where your shoulder blade pinches your rotator cuff, which is located directly below the blade. This action results in a level of pain and irritation that doesn’t easily go away without some type of treatment plan.
Non-surgical treatment options should be used first to treat shoulder impingement. The best treatment for shoulder impingement is a mix of rest, constant icing, physical therapy, and cortisone injections, depending on your specific condition. Anti-inflammatory medications may also be used.
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Your rotator cuff is responsible for helping you do some of the most basic human activities every day since it is composed of muscles around your shoulder joint. From eating dinner to brushing your teeth, your rotator cuff gets a daily workout.
When those muscles wear down you can start to feel pain and experience a poor range of motion. The best way to treat shoulder pain from your rotator cuff will vary based on your situation. Ost often that treatment will come from one or more of the treatments mentioned above, namely icing, physical therapy, injections and perhaps some type of medication. Surgery may eventually be needed but only as a last resort.
Best Ways to Relieve Shoulder Pain
Completing getting rid of shoulder pain is difficult but possible. It takes patience and adherence to a treatment plan designed to remove pressure and irritation on your shoulder area. Some of the most effective strategies help the body’s own natural healing powers to heal and restore to health.
Among the best ways to relieve shoulder pain are:
- (Anti-inflammatory medicines)
- Cold compress to help reduce swelling in your shoulder
- General compression and stretching techniques
- Heat therapy (in certain cases)
- (Muscle relaxants)
- Ozone therapy
- Physical therapy that includes light exercises
- Platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP)
- Prolotherapy
- Rest and modifying your activity levels as needed
- Stem cell therapies
- EMTT ( electromagnetic transduction therapy)
The best treatment for shoulder pain starts at home
Once you have a treatment plan in place to help manage and treat your shoulder pain, there are some steps you can take at home to help further remedy it. Be sure to check with your healthcare professional to confirm the best at-home treatment for your injury. When shoulder pain is bad, the steps below are advisable to consider over the course of a few weeks:
- Putting ice on your shoulder to relieve shoulder pain is very effective. Often patients can put ice on their shoulder for 15 minutes and then take it off for 15 minutes. Do this three to four times a day for a few days. When icing, wrap ice in a cloth rather than putting it directly on your skin.
- Following this icing schedule, rest your shoulder for the next few days, which means no lifting over your head or athletic/exercise activities that will strain your shoulder.
- Slowly return to your regular activities without stressing your shoulders. This may require you to find new sporting activities or exercises to engage in that are less likely to cause your shoulder to hurt.
- Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, to further reduce inflammation and pain.
Start on the path toward getting the best treatment for shoulder pain
The path toward wellness and the ability to get the best treatment for relieving and potentially eliminating shoulder pain starts with a free consultation with the experienced regenerative medicine professionals at Krasnick Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Robert Krasnick and his team use a holistic approach implementing alternative, regenerative treatments for patients with a wide range of pain issues, including chronic shoulder pain.
You can begin to discover the options for treating your shoulder pain by contacting us or filling out our online form. One of our professionals will be in touch to set up a free consultation. There, you will be able to ask questions and get a better understanding of the holistic treatments available to help relieve and manage your shoulder pain. Our experienced team works with you to provide healing, health, and wellness.