If you’re suffering from shoulder pain associated with a tear or strain, physical therapy and occupational therapy may help you recover. At MedAmerica, our medical professionals are experts in the effective treatment of tears and strains in the shoulder. Whether you’ve torn your rotator cuff, dislocated your shoulder, or are suffering from shoulder instability, we can assist you on your road to recovery.
Shoulder injuries can develop from both under-use and over-use of the shoulder muscles
Rotator cuff tendinitis is the most common cause of shoulder-related pain among adults today. Another frequent cause is shoulder impingement syndrome.
Both of these conditions are known to develop when someone either over-uses the shoulder or doesn’t use it enough.
Other causes of shoulder pain are:
- Arthritis of the shoulder
- Tears and strains in the surrounding muscles and ligaments
- Dislocated shoulder
- Spinal injuries
- Car accidents
Depending on the severity of your injury, non-surgical methods of treatment for shoulder pain are always the first option you should consider. Physical therapy along with massage therapy and chiropractic are the safest methods in the treatment of most shoulder injuries. And while medication may help with pain, it usually does not address the underlying cause of shoulder pain and many pain medications prescribed today are highly addictive and potentially fatal if abused.
Diagnosing your shoulder injury
There are a variety of tools used to diagnose the cause of your shoulder injury. Doctors use a combination of medical history, physical examinations, X-rays and MRI’s when attempting to diagnose shoulder injuries. Range of motion tests and joint stability tests are usually performed as well during the diagnosis phase.
Sometimes the cause of the injury is obvious. For instance, if a right handed baseball pitcher suffered a shoulder injury at the mound, this is likely going to be relatively simple to diagnose. On the other hand, some injuries develop slowly over time and are harder to diagnose. That is why it’s important to consult with experts like the medical staff at MedAmerica in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
Treating shoulder pain with a combination of physical therapy, chiropractic, and massage therapy
In many cases, surgery is not required for those suffering from shoulder pain as a result of an injury. Doctors usually recommend a combination of physical therapy or occupational therapy along with splinting and behavioral changes. Some less sever pain can also be treated at home by icing the shoulder several times a day and rest.
Some of the more severe shoulder injuries may require time to be taken off work, at which point the patient may be eligible for workers’ compensation as a result of their shoulder injury. At MedAmerica, our experts in physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic and massage therapy can assist those who are suffering from pain as a result of a strain, tear, or dislocation of the shoulder.
Contact us at MedAmerica today to book an appointment to consult with our physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors and massage therapists. We have a team of highly skilled specialists who work together to help our patient’s regain the joy of living without pain.
