Shoulder Pain

Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group PA

Orthopaedics located in SILVER SPRING, MD, GERMANTOWN, MD, & Rockville, MD

Your shoulder joint moves more than most other joints in your body, and that can make it especially vulnerable to painful conditions. If you’re dealing with shoulder pain, an expert diagnosis is the best way to get the relief you need. The skilled doctors at Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group, PA, in SILVER SPRING, Rockville, and GERMANTOWN, Maryland, can help you escape shoulder pain for good. For more information, schedule an appointment online or by phone today.

Shoulder Pain Q & A

When should I get help for shoulder pain?

In some cases, mild shoulder pain may resolve with a day or two of rest. However, if you’re experiencing any of the following, it's best to see the team at Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group as soon as possible:

Pain that intrudes in your day-to-day activities
Pain that interferes with sleep
Inhibited range of motion due to pain

Sometimes, shoulder pain can sneak up on you. If you suddenly realize that your pain is steadily increasing while your shoulder range of motion decreases, schedule an appointment at Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group.

What causes shoulder pain?

Your shoulder is quite vulnerable to pain because it's a very movable joint that you use in many different ways every day. In addition to the three moving parts of your shoulder joint, there are also muscles, ligaments, and tendons that can sustain damage resulting in serious pain.

The most common shoulder problems include:

Arthritis: causes degeneration of your shoulder joint
Shoulder dislocation: when your bone comes out of the socket
Frozen shoulder: thickening of your shoulder capsule that restricts movement
Impingement syndrome: inflamed tendon rubs against your shoulder blade
Labral shoulder tear: a tear in the fibrocartilage that helps retain your shoulder joint
Rotator cuff tear: a tear in one of the tendons in your shoulder
Shoulder instability: the ball of your shoulder joint can become unstable when shoulder ligaments, joint lining, or other components get stretched or detach
Biceps tendon tear: a tear in the tendons attaching your biceps muscle to your shoulder
Fracture: broken bone, for example, a broken clavicle

In most cases, shoulder pain develops because of the wear-and-tear of the ligaments, cartilage, and other soft tissues within your shoulder. However, sometimes a sudden shoulder injury can cause severe pain and range-of-motion problems.

How is shoulder pain treated?

At Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group, shoulder pain treatment focuses on alleviating pain in the most efficient way. Many patients get excellent shoulder pain relief with medication, physical therapy, and rest.

Ultrasound-guided subacromial corticosteroid injections can relieve inflammation and pain due to common shoulder problems like impingement syndrome. Also, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or stem cell therapies may also help with healing and pain relief.

If none of these solutions offer lasting relief, your doctor may recommend shoulder surgery like shoulder replacement, rotator cuff repair, or shoulder arthroscopy. Shoulder surgeries are performed at the Piccard Surgery Center in Rockville.

For help with your shoulder pain, call Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group or schedule an appointment online today.

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