The shoulder is the body’s most flexible joint, enabling arm rotation in front of, above, to the side of, and behind the body. However, this same flexibility makes the shoulder highly susceptible to injury and instability.
When a shoulder injury occurs, sometimes at-home solutions are enough to treat your pain, such as the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. But with persistent pain or other symptoms like stiffness or weakness, you may need to see an orthopaedic specialist.
First, your orthopaedic specialist may recommend treating your injury through conservative measures, like physical therapy. If these nonoperative measures fail, shoulder surgery may be necessary, and you shouldn’t shrug it off.
What Types of Shoulder Injuries Exist?
Injury can occur to any part of the shoulder, causing pain, swelling, and loss of mobility or range of motion. The shoulder joint is a “ball and socket,” composed of many parts, including the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone). All of these pieces are held in place thanks to surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Some of the most common injuries to the various parts of the shoulder include:
- Tendon tears: These can happen due to a sudden injury or develop over time. Tears often affect the rotator cuff or the biceps tendon and can be partial or completely split the tendon.
- Overuse injuries (bursitis or tendinitis): Repetitive motions, such as those in swimming or tennis, can cause overuse. This can lead to the rotator cuff being rubbed or squeezed, resulting in inflammation of the bursa (bursitis) or the tendons (tendinitis).
- Impingement: When the arm is raised, the top of the shoulder blade can press on the soft tissues underneath. This compression can trigger bursitis, tendinitis, or a rotator cuff tear.
- Instability or dislocation: A forceful injury or chronic overuse can push the head of the upper arm bone out of the shoulder socket. This results in shoulder instability and can range from a partial to a total dislocation.
- Fractures: This is a break in any of the bones that make up the shoulder, such as the humerus or the collarbone, usually resulting from significant trauma.
- Arthritis: Persistent pain in the shoulder can be caused by arthritis. While several types exist, the most frequent is osteoarthritis, which is caused over time through everyday wear and tear on the joint.
What Are the Non-Surgical Solutions for Shoulder Injuries?
Rest and Physical Therapy
Non-surgical approaches for a shoulder injury often begin with resting the joint and adjusting your activities to prevent movements that aggravate the pain. Physical therapy is another option that can help reduce pain, build shoulder strength, and improve your overall range of motion.
Pain Medications
Your orthopaedic specialist may incorporate prescribed medication into your treatment plan to effectively reduce inflammation and pain. These medications can include a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are designed to target the inflammatory response and alleviate discomfort. To treat deep muscle aches, your provider may recommend CBD-infused solutions, like Corganics.
Injections
Should oral medications fail to eliminate your pain, your provider might recommend steroid injections directly into the joint. Steroid injections are potent anti-inflammatory agents that can provide more immediate and substantial relief, helping to improve mobility and make participation in physical therapy more manageable.
Drug-Free Solutions, Like the OrthoLazer
Using the cutting-edge M8 MLS Robotic Laser, at Louisville Institute of Orthopaedics, we offer a revolutionary pain management technique that has been proven to penetrate damaged cells, igniting intracellular activity, reducing pain and inflammation, and speeding recovery.
The specific type and duration of non-surgical treatments, including medications, will always be tailored by your orthopaedic specialist to the precise nature and severity of your shoulder condition.
When Should You Consider Shoulder Surgery?
If non-surgical solutions are not adequate to resolve your injury, surgery will likely be recommended. In the case of recurring dislocations and rotator cuff tears, your shoulder specialist will likely suggest surgery from the start.
When determining if shoulder surgery is right for you, your provider will consider your medical history; the swelling, tenderness, range of motion, strength or instability of the shoulder; and diagnostic tests such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans.
Once shoulder surgery has been recommended, it’s important that you don’t just shrug it off, as postponing the surgery can cause a number of issues. Without a needed surgical procedure, over time, a patient may decrease the amount they use their shoulder, leading to muscle atrophy from lack of use and making post-surgical rehabilitation more challenging. Postponing surgery can also lead to other complications during the surgery, such as excessive glenoid bone loss, making it harder for the surgeon to resurface the socket side of the joint.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shoulder Surgery
What are the main non-surgical options for treating a shoulder injury?
Non-surgical treatments typically start with rest and physical therapy. They may also include pain medications like NSAIDs or CBD-infused solutions, steroid injections, and drug-free solutions like the OrthoLazer (M8 MLS Robotic Laser).
What types of shoulder injuries commonly occur?
Common shoulder injuries include tendon tears (rotator cuff or biceps), overuse injuries (bursitis or tendinitis), impingement, instability or dislocation, fractures (humerus or collarbone), and arthritis (most frequently osteoarthritis).
When is surgery typically recommended for a shoulder injury?
Surgery is usually recommended if non-surgical solutions fail to resolve the injury. For certain conditions, like recurring dislocations and rotator cuff tears, a shoulder specialist may suggest surgery right away.
What makes the shoulder joint susceptible to injury?
The shoulder is the body’s most flexible joint, which allows for a wide range of motion but also makes it highly susceptible to injury and instability.
What are the risks of postponing needed shoulder surgery?
Postponing surgery can lead to issues like muscle atrophy from lack of use, making post-surgical rehabilitation more challenging. It can also cause complications during the surgery, such as excessive glenoid bone loss.
Find Shoulder Relief Fast at Louisville Institute of Orthopaedics
We understand that joint surgery can feel like a big step. But we know it has the chance to provide complete relief from your shoulder injury and get you moving again.
At Louisville Institute of Orthopaedics, our experienced orthopaedic surgeons specialize in non-surgical therapies as well as complex joint surgeries to help you regain mobility and live pain-free. Schedule a consultation today to explore your options.
