The shoulder is unlike most joints in the body. It has an extended range of motion as it is required for the majority of daily activities. If a person has pain in this joint, treatment needs to be sought immediately to ensure the shoulder does not sustain more damage. What are three effective ways to address shoulder pain and help the joint recover with minimal medical treatment?
Follow All Medical Advice
Are you trying to avoid Reverse Shoulder Replacement Surgery? Do you fear this problem could become worse if steps aren’t taken? There are various steps a person can take to prevent the need for surgery to repair this vital part of the shoulder.
It depends greatly on the extent of the damage, and patients should follow all medical devices of their doctor to ensure the rotator cuff is not damaged more than it currently is.
For example, the doctor may tell the patient to avoid certain movements and use ice to help heal the tear.
When the patient doesn’t follow this advice, they may find the incomplete tear becomes a complete one and their only option is to go under the knife.
Never make this mistake. Do as the doctor says to minimize the pain and reduce the need for additional treatment with any shoulder injury.
Physiotherapy
Some patients find they benefit greatly from physiotherapy when they are dealing with shoulder pain. For instance, a person who suffers from “frozen shoulder” will often find this treatment reduces their discomfort.
Ibuprofen and cortisone shots may be tried first. If this doesn’t address the issue, the physiotherapist might turn to interferential current stimulation (IFC) or high-volt galvanic stimulation and ultrasound to bring more blood flow to the affected joint.
He or she might also stretch the capsule to increase the range of motion. Patients will often be given stretching exercises to do at home to promote the recovery of the joint.
When the shoulder begins to heal, strengthening exercises might need to be done to address any muscles which have atrophied.
Steroids
Patients who are sent to physical therapy may find they cannot do the exercises needed to rehabilitate the shoulder as they cause too much pain. In situations such as this, the doctor or physical therapist may recommend the use of steroids.
Cortisone is a powerful steroid used for the treatment of inflammation or the doctor might recommend prednisone for this purpose.
The doctor injects the steroid directly into the area where the pain is occurring to reduce inflammation and provide relief so the patient can move forward with a variety of exercises designed to help the shoulder recover.
This method of treating shoulder pain can be very effective when used with other treatment remedies and may be prescribed alone.
Only a doctor can determine what the patient needs based on his or her medical history and current symptoms. Patients often find they need to repeat injections over the course of their treatment plan to produce the desired results.
Never delay seeing a medical professional when you have shoulder pain of any kind. The sooner the problem is addressed, the less medical treatment will likely be needed to resolve the issue and allow the shoulder to recover fully.
As the shoulder is used in so many daily activities, any problem with this joint can interfere with life. Getting the problem diagnosed quickly is always the best option for this reason.
