Shoulder Pain: What are the Causes?

The shoulder’s dynamic ball-and-socket architecture allows your arm to move in multiple planes of motion. However, this versatility comes at a price. The shoulder complex girdle’s network of tendons, ligaments, nerves, and muscles means that pain can come from many sources.

If you experience shoulder pain, you need to work with a specialist who understands the complexity of the shoulder complex to find the underlying cause and correct it.

In some cases, using the best shoulder support brace can aid in stabilizing the joint and providing relief during the healing process.

If you experience shoulder pain, you need to work with a specialist who understands the complexity of the shoulder complex to find the underlying cause and correct it.

In some cases, using the best shoulder support brace can aid in stabilizing the joint and providing relief during the healing process.

Typical Sources of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is common among athletes and physically active engage in overhead activities like swimming, tennis, throwing and hitting. It can also arise from occupational repetitive use. People with sedentary lifestyles often experience shoulder pain from poor muscle tone and bad posture.

Common sources of shoulder pain include:

  • Tears in the Rotator Cuff
  • Arthritis or bursitis
  • Pinched nerve in the neck or shoulder
  • Unstable shoulder joint
  • Bone spurs
  • Fractures 

An overactive central nervous system – a condition called central sensitization – can also cause sensations of pain in the absence of injury or overuse.

Diagnosing Shoulder Problems

When you visit a specialist for shoulder pain, they will conduct a medical exam that includes a thorough history about the onset of pain and the activities that may have contributed to it. They may run a battery of tests for strength and range of motion, and do diagnostic imaging via Xray, MRI or ultrasound to visualize what is going on.

Resolving Shoulder Pain Problems

Most of the time surgery is unnecessary for resolving shoulder pain, and most shoulder issues can be resolved with non-invasive conservative care.

Typical Shoulder Pain Treatments Include:

  • Reducing inflammation with NSAIDs
  • Getting pain patches online
  • Eliminating pain-inducing activities and adopting new activities that do overload the shoulder joint
  • Physical therapy to improve strength, range of motion, and stability

New York City Shoulder Pain Treatment

At NYDNRehab, our shoulder pain specialists take a personalized one-on-one approach to shoulder pain treatment. After a thorough exam using diagnostic ultrasonography, they will develop a holistic treatment plan that meets your unique needs. Our clinic features the highest resolution diagnostic ultrasound available, to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Our cutting edge therapies and technologies are rarely found in private clinics, or made available to the public.

Your shoulder pain treatment plan may include:

  • Ultrasound-guided dry needling
  • Regenerative therapies, including shock wave therapy
  • Feedback retraining to restore the neuromuscular pathway
  • Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS)

Contact NYDNRehab for a shoulder pain consultation today!


Interesting Related Article: “How to Deal with Shoulder pain : Infographic