Shoulder Pain SOLUTIONS

You don’t have to be a major league pitcher to experience shoulder pain. It’s the third most common musculoskeletal complaint, after lower back and neck pain. Repetitive stress, overuse, injury and deterioration of the joint due to age or orthopedic conditions are major causes.

“Occasional aches and pains are normal as we age,” said Dr. Brittney Warren, an orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Clear Lake. “But if the pain lingers or is a result of a traumatic injury, it’s important to seek medical care right away to avoid further problems down the road.”

Anatomy Of The Shoulder

The shoulder joint is comprised of bones, muscles, tendons, labrum, bursa (a fluid-filled sac on top of the rotator cuff) and a vast network of vessels and nerves. A group of muscles and tendons, known as the rotator cuff, keeps the shoulder joint stable. There are many conditions that cause shoulder pain, including osteoarthritis, bursitis, frozen shoulder, tendonitis and rotator cuff injuries.

Rotator Cuff Disease

Over time, repetitive stress, trauma, and age-related wear and tear weaken the soft tissue surrounding the shoulder joint. This creates inflammation and, in some cases, partial or complete tears of the tendons.

Rotator cuff injuries are common and increase as we age,

Talk to a Shoulder Specialist

If shoulder pain is keeping you up at night — don’t suffer in silence. An orthopedic specialist can identify the cause of your pain and help design a treatment plan. To request an appointment at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Clear Lake, visit houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics/clearlake or call 713.363.9090.

especially after 40. These injuries may occur earlier in people who have jobs that require repetitive overhead motions, such as painters or mechanics.

“Arm and shoulder pain when lifting objects away from the body (i.e., placing milk in the fridge) is a common complaint from people with rotator cuff pathology,” Warren said. Weakness and night-time pain may also be symptoms of rotator cuff injury.

Diagnosing And Treating Shoulder Pain

A thorough physical exam to assess range of motion and muscle strength, along with a review of a patient’s health history, will help identify the problem. X-rays and MRIs can look for bone spurs, joint space loss and evaluate the soft tissues.

Many shoulder conditions can be treated at home with rest, ice or heat, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. Physical therapy (PT) can help fix poor posture and strengthen supporting muscles. When shoulder pain persists despite home remedies and PT, a steroid injection or surgery may be recommended.

Shoulder Surgery

“Minimally invasive arthroscopic shoulder surgery is a good option for people with many shoulder conditions who have tried other treatments to relieve the pain and regain function,” Warren noted. Arthroscopic surgery is performed using keyhole-sized incisions around the shoulder. Surgeons insert a small camera to see inside your shoulder and use miniature instruments to repair the tendon with bone anchors and sutures. The goal of this repair is to help restore shoulder function and relieve pain. •