Living With and Managing Shoulder Pain
Unlike many other types of chronic pain, shoulder pain seems to affect a wide range of ages and abilities. For example, did you know that rotator cuff tears are common in Americans under the age of 40? Couple that with the high prevalence of arthritis than can also affect shoulder health and almost no one is safe. Read on to learn more about how to best live with and manage shoulder pain.
Common Causes of Shoulder Pain
Depending on a person’s health history, activity level and genetics, there are many possible reasons for their shoulder to begin to ache. However, some causes are more common than others. The following are some of the top conditions that our orthopedic doctors in Asheville treat for shoulder pain:
Injury
Pinched nerve in neck
Arthritis
Overuse
Torn rotator cuff
Frozen shoulder
Bursitis
When to See a Pain Specialist
If you have been experiencing shoulder pain for three or more consecutive months, your pain can be considered “chronic.” If you haven’t sought out help yet, that would be a good time to schedule a consultation with a comprehensive pain care physician. However, pain specialists also treat acute pain as well. If your shoulder pain has begun suddenly and severely due to an accident or broken bone, your primary care physician may refer you to a pain specialist as well.
At Comprehensive Pain Consultants of the Carolinas, we believe that no one knows the answer to the question of “when” better than YOU. Only you know how much this pain is affecting your quality of life and only you know how long you want to wait for relief. We will never turn you away – we're here to help you on day one just as much as day 101.
Treatments & Therapies
The first step in treatment is to have a thorough physical assessment and discussion with your doctor about health history and current symptoms. Once this is completed, a treatment plan can be developed. Here is a list of some of the most popular shoulder treatments:
Physical therapy
Medication
Heat/ice therapy
Pain psychology
Shoulder injections
Nerve blocks
Surgery
Comprehensive Pain Consultants has multiple medications that can be injected and tailored specifically to your condition. Shoulder pain treatment can include injections that can be done with ultrasound guidance or with fluoroscopic guidance to make sure the medications are going to the right place. Multiple treatments can also be used at the same time to increase the impact of each therapy. We currently have Asheville doctors accepting new patients who would be able to help you find the best fit for treating your shoulder pain.
At Home Pain Reduction Tips
There are also lifestyle changes and activities you can do from home to keep from triggering or worsening your shoulder pain. This may mean a modified exercise regimen – one that incorporates a low-impact routine and additional time for stretching. It might also mean quitting specific activities that could cause repetitive strain in your shoulder(s).
We also recommend keeping a pain journal to help you better identify and understand how pain is impacting your life. Use it to document as many details as possible about your shoulder pain: type, intensity, location, suspected trigger, and mood at onset of pain. It’s also a good idea to record how you treated the pain and the level of effectiveness that treatment had.
Orthopedic Doctors in Asheville NC
Comprehensive Pain Consultants of the Carolinas strives to be accessible to patients throughout Asheville and the surrounding areas in Western North Carolina. For this reason, we have intentionally opened pain clinic locations just north, south, east, and west of the Asheville city center. This is just one of the ways we strive to serve you as the best pain management associates in Asheville and beyond – visit us today to learn more!