Shoulder Pain Treatment
Shoulder pain can be caused due to a many reasons, including sprains, brachial plexus injury, fractures, dislocated shoulder, osteoarthritis. Two of the more common causes for shoulder pain include rotator cuff tear and adhesive capsulitis (commonly known as ‘frozen shoulder’)
Rotator Cuff Tear
The rotator cuff refers to a group of tendons and muscles around the shoulder. Overuse of the shoulder (due to strenuous activities e.g., playing tennis, volleyball, or swimming) can loosen the rotator cuff, causing this problem.
Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, is a painful condition in which the movement of the shoulder becomes limited.
Frozen shoulder occurs when the strong connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint (called the shoulder joint capsule) become thick, stiff, and inflamed. (The joint capsule contains the ligaments that attach the top of the upper arm bone [humeral head] to the shoulder socket [glenoid], firmly holding the joint in place. This is more commonly known as the “ball and socket” joint.)
The condition is called “frozen” shoulder because the more pain that is felt, the less likely the shoulder will be used. Lack of use causes the shoulder capsule to thicken and becomes tight, making the shoulder even more difficult to move — it is “frozen” in its position.
What are the signs and symptoms of frozen shoulder?
Symptoms of frozen shoulder are divided into three stages:
The “freezing” stage:In this stage, the shoulder becomes stiff and is painful to move. The pain slowly increases. It may worsen at night. Inability to move the shoulder increases. This stage lasts 6 weeks to 9 months.
The “frozen” stage:
In this stage, pain may lessen, but the shoulder remains stiff. This makes it more difficult to complete daily tasks and activities. This stage lasts 2 to 6 months.
The “thawing” (recovery) stage:
In this stage, pain lessens, and ability to move the shoulder slowly improves. Full or near full recovery occurs as normal strength and motion return. The stage lasts 6 months to 2 years.
Treatment of Shoulder Pain:
We have various options for treatment for shoulder joint
Medicines/Pharmacotherapy
One of the easiest techniques for pain control is using conservative care (e.g., resting the impacted part, using hot/cold packs) along with medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and adding a neuropathic agent in case of chronification of pain.
Injections
Intralesional injections in the impacted part can provide significant pain relief in cases where medicines haven’t worked. Such interventional techniques should be followed by regular stretching and exercises for better results.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
PRP therapy involves injecting platelets from the patient’s own blood to rebuild a damaged tendon or cartilage. It has been successful in not only relieving the pain, but also in jumpstarting the healing process. The patient’s blood is drawn and placed in a centrifuge for 15 minutes to separate out the platelets. The platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the damaged portion of the tendon or cartilage.