What is shoulder pain?
The shoulder is a complex and highly mobile joint that allows you to perform a wide range of movement, from throwing a baseball to reaching overhead for your favorite coffee mug. This extensive mobility leaves your shoulder vulnerable to many injuries and conditions that cause pain.
Shoulder pain can make daily activities like getting dressed and combing your hair difficult and tedious. Fortunately, Dr. Vyas has a special interest in treating shoulder pain. He provides the latest surgical and nonsurgical treatments at Orange County Orthopaedic Group.
What causes shoulder pain?
Dr. Vyas treats a wide range of shoulder injuries and conditions that cause pain, including:
Rotator cuff tears
The rotator cuff surrounds the head of your upper arm bone and attaches it to your shoulder socket. A rotator cuff tear happens when one of the four tendons in your rotator cuff becomes partially or completely torn. This leads to shoulder pain and weakness as well as a crackling sensation when you move your shoulder in certain ways.
Shoulder dislocation
As the most mobile joint in your body, the shoulder is very easy to dislocate. A shoulder dislocation happens when the head of your upper arm bone moves partially or completely out of the shoulder socket.
A dislocated shoulder is noticeably out-of-place. In addition to visible deformity and shoulder pain, a dislocated shoulder may cause swelling, numbness, weakness, and bruising.
Labrum tears
The labrum is a ring of tissue that surrounds the rim of your shoulder socket. Your shoulder labrum can tear during another injury, like a shoulder dislocation or sports injury.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a group of more than 100 related conditions that cause joint inflammation. The most common types of arthritis to affect the shoulder include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis, which develops after a shoulder injury like a fracture or dislocation.
How is shoulder pain treated?
First, Dr. Vyas provides an accurate diagnosis for your condition based on a thorough orthopaedic exam. Then, he creates a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Depending on the root cause of your shoulder pain, treatment may include:
- Physical therapy
- Joint injections
- Regenerative medicine treatments like stem cell or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
If your shoulder pain is severe or if it persists despite treatment, Dr. Vyas may recommend surgery. He’s a fellowship-trained arthroscopic surgeon who performs minimally invasive procedures whenever possible.
For prompt, effective, and high-quality treatment of shoulder pain, call Orange County Orthopaedic Group to book an appointment today.
