Shoulder Pain… What to Do About It?

• Torn tendons cannot repair themselves. Left untreated, can lead to shoulder osteoarthritis and joint degeneration that may require surgery. 
• The shoulder joint itself is rather deep, so traditional open surgery can damage non-injured muscles.
• Arthroscopic surgery for a stiff, “frozen” shoulder allows patients to recover faster. This type of surgery minimizes interference with other surrounding muscles, reduces pain and provides significantly more reliable treatment results.

Most people experience a sharp, fleeting or twinging pain in the shoulder at least once in a lifetime. It’s quite common, as the shoulder joint is one of the most mobile joints in the body. Afterall, we use our shoulder joint  almost every time we move, even in our sleep. 

Causes of shoulder pain vary. It could be due to a shoulder joint or from surrounding joints or organs. Conditions in other body parts or organs could also cause shoulder pain. For instance, some patients have inflammation in the neck and some in the liver (known as hepatitis). Even heart conditions can create discomfort in the shoulder. Hence, physical examinations are important to identify the specific reason.

Pain is commonly felt in the front, side or back of the shoulder blade. The specific location of the pain helps determine the type of disorder. For example, problems in the rotator cuff usually causes symptoms on the side of the shoulder.  In this case, pain can be felt while lifting the arm or playing sports involving arm swinging motions like badminton, tennis and golf.

A patient’s age and lifestyle can also help detect the cause. For instance, pain in young ones could be from playing sports involving shoulder movements like  volleyball, swimming or basketball. In adults, varied shoulder tendon conditions can be the reason for pain. It could be tendonitis, partial tendon tears or even full thickness rotator cuff tears, and may involve one or multiple tendon(s). Additionally, the pain may be attributed to joint inflammation such as calcific tendonitis, frozen shoulder and shoulder osteoarthritis. Professionals like aircraft mechanics and flight attendants could experience symptoms from frequent overhead activities. Eventually, these may end up in shoulder joint instability or loose shoulder ligaments.

Choice of treatment depends on the cause and level of severity. Treatment falls into two main categories: surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment.

Non-surgical treatment includes oral and injected medication, and physical therapy done under the assistance of physiotherapists and orthopedists at our Sports & Orthopedic Center. The best treatment approach that the doctor chooses will depend on the cause and severity. Accordingly exercises are suggested to improve and restore the performance of the back and shoulders. Avoiding specific activities can also speed up the recovery process. If non-surgical treatment fails, surgery is the other alternative.

Shoulder joint is rather deep, so traditional surgery can damage non-injured muscles surrounding the joint. Instead, arthroscopic surgery is favored for repair and reconstructing new tendons. This is because it is targeted, involves smaller incisions and causes less pain. Simultaneously, Arthroscopic surgery can also treat nearby joints or nerves surrounding the joints.

Mild or acute pains are usually tolerable. On the contrary, if rotator cuff tears are left untreated, it would be like being “penny wise and pound foolish”.

Torn tendons cannot repair themselves. Without treatment, the condition can worsen, or increase from one to multiple tendons. This can cause shoulder osteoarthritis and shoulder joint degeneration, which may require shoulder replacement surgery. This type of surgery can be costly. Hence, the faster you receive treatment, the better.

“Shoulder pain causes vary. A proper examination is needed to determine the most effective treatment. This does not always involve surgery. Where surgery is needed, arthroscopic surgery is usually recommended as it helps reduce pain and has a faster recovery time.”