Finding Relief From Shoulder Pain

Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

The most common causes of shoulder pain are really anything that would cause pain in any joint -- sprains, strains, overuse, doing something you probably shouldn't have done, tendonitis, bursitis.

"You can have something called impingement in the shoulder, where your humerus bone can impact on your shoulder blade," states Peter Hogg, MD, an Indianapolis board-certified orthopedic surgeon who chooses to practice at Franciscan Health. "You can get tears in tendons or develop arthritis. Those are really the most common causes."

Shoulder Arthritis

Diagnosing arthritis in the shoulder is simple, as it is identifiable on a routine X-ray. Orthopedic physicians recommend different types of treatments, depending on the level of discomfort. For example, a combination of ice/heat along with over-the-counter pain relievers (such as Tylenol or Aleve) may be enough to provide relief.

From there, patients might need to undergo physical therapy. Injections are another non-invasive option to reduce pain and inflammation. If the pain still persists, patients may need to have their joint replaced.

"We replace your joint with an artificial metal-on-plastic implant to get rid of that pain you're having from the arthritis," Dr. Hogg said. "It's a very common procedure that we do a lot of. So, if you get to the point where you need it, we try to make it not be a big deal."

Shoulder replacement surgery typically takes about 90 minutes to perform. Partial shoulder replacements were more common in the past, and while that procedure is still done occasionally, total shoulder replacements have gotten better over time. Most patients are able to return home the same day they have a shoulder replacement.

Rotator Cuff Injury

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles around the shoulder that help you raise and rotate your arm. In terms of anatomy, the shoulder joint is a bit unique in the sense that the socket is very shallow.

"Imagine a real deep socket, like the hip. The deep socket just holds onto the ball. In the shoulder, that's not the case," Dr. Hogg said. "If you didn't have soft tissues around to hold the ball in the socket, it wouldn't be stable in there. So, the rotator cuff is one of the main things that helps hold that ball centered in the socket and helps you raise and rotate your arm without your ball popping out the socket."

Rotator cuff injuries are very common, because this area is subjected to a lot of wear and tear over time. Even if you're not an athlete or performing heavy labor, the rotator cuff can become weak and susceptible to injury.

Per Dr. Hogg, surgery is generally the "last resort." The decision to undergo surgery depends on various factors, such as age, activity level, overall health, severity of symptoms, and treatment goals.

"A lot of times, you can get by without surgery with rotator cuff tears or tendonitis," Dr. Hogg said. "Sometimes surgery is recommended and, occasionally, you can have a big or bad enough rotator cuff tear that you can't fix it. At that point, the only surgical option would be a shoulder replacement."

Pain No More

Many individuals are hesitant to go under the knife, but the advancements in shoulder surgery provide a safe, viable way to ease your pain and improve quality of life.

"We're here for you and we can take you as far as we need to go. If that does end up being surgery, we do it all the time and try to make the experience as seamless and as easy as possible," assures Dr. Hogg. "It's never fun, it's never ideal to have surgery, but we do our best to serve you and make the experience as good as possible and the outcome as excellent and optimal as we can."