Shoulders are amazingly mobile joints, but their flexibility is also their weakness. If you’re limited by shoulder pain, the team of experts at Onesource Sports Neuro Rehab in Georgia can help. They use advanced treatments like physical, osteopractic, and laser therapy to address the causes of shoulder pain and relieve your symptoms. Services are available at the Onesource Sports Neuro Rehab offices in Lawrenceville and Snellville or at your home. To find out more, call your nearest office or book an appointment online today.

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What causes shoulder pain?

Your shoulder consists of the end of your upper arm bone (humerus) and a socket (glenoid) in your shoulder blade. That forms the joint, which muscles and tendons (the rotator cuff) support to give your shoulder its wide range of movement.

There are also ligaments connecting the bones, cartilage protecting the bones, and many nerves. Any of these tissues and structures could suffer acute damage that results in shoulder pain. Acute injuries might occur in an auto accident, at work or home, or when playing sports.

The shoulder is also vulnerable to repetitive strain and overuse injuries and degenerative diseases, which typically cause chronic symptoms. Conditions that are most likely to cause shoulder pain include:

  • Rotator cuff tears
  • Tendinitis
  • Bursitis
  • Dislocation
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
  • Cuff tear arthropathy
  • Shoulder instability

Problems like arthropathy and instability arise from severe or repeated damage caused by dislocations and rotator cuff injuries.

How is shoulder pain diagnosed?

To accurately diagnose your shoulder pain, the Onesource Sports Neuro Rehab team discusses your symptoms and medical history with you and then performs a physical examination.

You might need to undergo further tests, such as X-rays, an ultrasound or CT scan, or an MRI.

Once they establish the cause of your shoulder pain and assess the damage, your provider can design a suitable treatment program for you.

How is shoulder pain treated?

The treatment that’s going to be most effective for your shoulder pain depends on its cause. However, in most cases, physical therapy forms the foundation of your care.

Physical therapy aids healing, stops the joint from stiffening, and keeps the tissues strong. In addition to your personalized exercise program, your provider might also recommend one or more other treatments for your shoulder pain, such as:

  • Manual therapy
  • Osteopractic therapy
  • Dry needling
  • Laser therapy
  • Therapeutic ultrasound

You might need to use a sling or splint for a while to immobilize your shoulder in the early stages of healing. Pain relief medications might be necessary if you have a lot of pain and it’s stopping you from doing your physical therapy.

To find out what’s causing your shoulder pain and benefit from expert treatment, contact the Onesource Sports Neuro Rehab team. You can call the nearest office or book an appointment online today.