Shoulder pain can signify many different issues, including shoulder tendonitis. A treatable condition, tendonitis of the shoulder requires a medical doctor’s attention. When you seek out pain management near me for a thorough exam and appropriate treatment, don’t settle for any tendonitis shoulder treatment. Get your pain relief from the best pain doctors in Manhattan at pain management in New York City. Call now to leave your pain behind.
Shoulder tendonitis involves the swelling and inflammation of the tendons in your shoulders. Tendons link muscles to bone, so when your tendons become irritated, it causes shoulder pain. Tendonitis shoulder pain starts as a dull, throbbing pain in the front of your shoulder that gets sharper when you move or lift your arms.
You may notice some swelling in the area of your pain, which becomes sensitive to touch. Other distinctive characteristics include:
- A clicking sound whenever you lift your arms
- Stiffness in the affected shoulder that may extend through your arm
- Pain in your shoulder that wakes you up at night
- Increased pain when you stretch to reach for something
Disrupting your sleeping patterns can be as detrimental to your quality of life as the feeling of pain in your shoulder. When even trying to zip up your dress or button your shirt causes pain, you know you need medical attention. Pain management doctors in NYC have to do a complete examination to assess your condition before prescribing treatment. You may not even need treatment for shoulder tendonitis if your pain doctors determine it’s another issue causing your discomfort.
Why Your Shoulder Hurts
Tendonitis in your shoulder is often caused by repetitive movements. The more you use your arms and shoulders, the more wear-and-tear occurs. And as you get older, you become more prone to shoulder pain because your tendons lose their flexibility and your shoulders start getting stiff. Lack of treatment can lead to serious problems like a frozen shoulder.
Athletes are more susceptible to developing shoulder tendonitis because of the constant repetitive movement they do while playing sports. Athletes are also at risk for shoulder injuries. Swimmers, tennis players, baseball players and even golfers can develop shoulder tendonitis. Sometimes, the pain spreads to other parts of the body, causing problems like tennis elbow or golf elbow.
You can injure your shoulder on the job, especially if it involves heavy lifting, carrying, pulling and pushing or repetitive movements like window washing, painting or carpentry. If you think you hurt your shoulder at work, your pain management specialist in NYC checks for a shoulder sprain or strain.
Vetting the Pain
The first step to shoulder tendonitis treatment involves talking to your doctor at injury clinic in Manhattan. Tell him everything that could affect your shoulder, including recent and past injuries, the type of job you do and if you play sports.
To eliminate cervical radiculopathy or a pinched nerve, the doctor tests your shoulder joints. Imaging tests may be necessary to see the actual tissues and bones, which might include:
- X-rays
- An MRI
- Ultrasound scans
Checking for Rotator Cuff Weakness
Your NYC pain management doctor examines your shoulders to determine where you’re most tender. You may have to undergo some tests to determine your arm strength. Then he moves your arms in different directions to check your rotator cuff. The ability to move your arms in a circle or above your head mainly relies on your rotator cuff.
The soft tissues that form the rotator cuff anchor your upper arms into your shoulder joint. Any rotator cuff injury – or the more severe rotator cuff tear – makes movement of your arms and shoulders difficult and painful.
Treatment for Shoulder Tendonitis
Rest is often the first recommended treatment. Stop all activities that increase your pain and swelling. Avoid lifting your arms, rotating your shoulders, reaching for anything and playing sports. Apply ice packs for 10 to 20 minutes several times a day to help ease the pain and reduce the swelling.
When your tendonitis shoulder pain is unbearable and at-home treatments don’t relieve your pain, your doctor recommends more invasive shoulder tendonitis treatment procedures, such as:
- Trigger point injections
- Shoulder steroid injections
- Elbow injections when appropriate
- Nerve block injections
If you have shoulder tendonitis, you can do severe damage to the joint if you keep using it and don’t get any treatment. The best shoulder pain doctor NYC have the techniques and expertise to ease your pain and heal your shoulder. Contact us today!
Leon Reyfman, MD, is a top-rated, best-in-class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award-winning expert and contributor to prominent media outlets.
Dr. Leon Reyfman has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain. He has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York” and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for advanced sports injury treatments. Among other accolades, he was voted by peers as a “Castle Connolly Top Doctors™” and “New York Super Doctors™”. Dr. Leon Reyfman was a part of the medical team at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.