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Discover Advanced Treatment Options for Shoulder Pain
Your shoulder drives many of your day-to-day movements, many of which you probably don’t even think about! Fastening your seatbelt, lifting up your grandchild, or grabbing an item off the highest shelf at the grocery store: all of these can suddenly become much more challenging when your shoulder is in pain.
For many people, conservative care like physical therapy is enough to resolve their discomfort. But what happens if your pain is too intense for exercise or hands-on therapy? What if your shoulder injury doesn’t respond to physical therapy at all?
Don’t worry; Hands of Hope has you covered! Our pain management specialists work alongside our physical therapists to design the best treatment plan for your needs. And if your shoulder pain requires additional support, we offer several options that can make it easier for you to participate in rehab and regain shoulder function.
A Closer Look at Shoulder Pain
Your shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body, allowing for an impressive range of motion that moves in nearly every direction. However, that mobility depends on a complex interplay among multiple structures, including three separate bones and a complex team of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that must share physical workloads perfectly to keep your arm steady.
If your shoulder is forced to handle more stress than it is ready for, pain can develop. For example, one of the tendons in the shoulder might become irritated during overhead movements (a condition known as shoulder impingement). Other causes of shoulder pain include sports injuries, arthritis, and conditions like frozen shoulder.
Many shoulder problems respond well to conservative treatments such as targeted exercises or ergonomic adjustments. However, some people continue to experience significant pain that limits their progress. In those situations, our team offers several advanced pain management techniques that may help reduce inflammation or interrupt pain signals so you can focus on your rehabilitation.
Advanced Pain Management Options for Shoulder Pain
Joint Injections
Joint injections involve the delivery of powerful anti-inflammatory medication directly into the painful joint using ultrasound technology. As your inflammation settles, you’ll enjoy reduced pain and increased mobility, allowing you to comfortably perform exercises to rebuild your strength.
Because joint injections target inflammation, they’re a good choice for people living with shoulder arthritis.
Trigger Point Injections
Sometimes your pain isn’t due to a problem with the joint itself. Instead, trigger points can form in your myofascia, a web of connective tissue that wraps around your muscles. These trigger points are tight, irritated spots that can create pain throughout the shoulder, upper back, and neck.
Trigger point injections help relax these knots by injecting them with local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medication. As the knots relax, movement will feel less painful and restrictive.
Peripheral Nerve Blocks
If your pain isn’t confined to your shoulder and instead shoots down the length of your arm, there may be an irritated nerve involved. In these cases, we might recommend a peripheral nerve block, which temporarily interrupts those pain signals.
In addition to providing relief, these injections can help your team identify the specific nerve that’s contributing to your symptoms, allowing us to more precisely tailor your treatment.
Sympathetic Chain Block Injections
Has your pain persisted for months, no matter what you try? It could be that your sympathetic nervous system, which controls your body’s automatic responses, is overactive, which can make you more sensitive to pain signals.
A sympathetic chain block injection temporarily interrupts communication from the nerves that might be amplifying your pain, helping improve comfort and blood flow so movement feels more comfortable.
A Comprehensive Approach to Shoulder Pain Management
No two patients are the same, and that means their recovery paths won’t look the same, either. Many of the people we treat at Hands of Hope utilize advanced pain management procedures to help make their overall rehabilitation more comfortable and productive. In fact, one of the biggest benefits of working with our team is that our pain management specialists work side by side with our physical therapists, ensuring you receive the care that best benefits you.
If persistent shoulder pain is holding you back, the team at Hands of Hope is here to help. Schedule an initial evaluation today to learn more about your different options.
Sources: https://www.ovid.com/jnls/md-journal/fulltext/10.1097/md.0000000000030659~clinical-efficacy-of-different-shoulder-joint-drug, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13018-023-03747-z, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40634-022-00500-z
Three Exercises to Strengthen Your Shoulders and Upper Back
Maintaining strength throughout your shoulders and upper back is crucial to avoid neck pain! The physical therapists at Hands of Hope can help you develop a customized exercise program that addresses your needs and fits with your abilities.
Curious about what exercises we might include in that program? Here’s an overview of three common resistance training exercises we often use to help people with neck discomfort. Before trying any of them yourself, make an appointment with our team to ensure you’re using the right weight and proper form.
- Shoulder Press: With a dumbbell in each hand, make a “field goal ” shape with your arms: your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle with your palms facing up. Brace your core as you press the weights overhead, then slowly lower them back down to your starting position.
- Reverse Flies: Lean forward at your waist with your elbows slightly bent and dumbbell in each hand. Slowly raise the weights until they are in line with your shoulders.
- Modified Push-Ups: Push-ups are a great way to build upper back and shoulder strength, but if you find the standard push-up too difficult, never fear: the modified version is just as effective. Start on your hands and knees (instead of your feet) with the body in a straight line from head to knee. Slowly lower your chest until it’s a few inches off the floor, then rise back up.
A dedicated strength-training program is a great way to reduce neck discomfort. Schedule an appointment with us to get started with one of your own!
Sources: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Neck_Pain_Tool-kit:_Step_3
Exercise of the Month
Bent Over Rows
(Upper Back, Shoulders)
Hold a weight in your hand. Slightly bend your knees and bend at your waist to bring your torso forward. Make sure your back remains flat and about parallel to the floor. Pull the weight towards you. Make sure your elbows stay close to your body. Slowly return to the starting position. 3 Sets, 10 Reps. (Materials needed: dumbbells)
Halloumi Curry
This vegetarian Halloumi Curry is a speedy and fuss-free midweek vegetarian family meal. It’s packed with goodness and is perfect for those days when you need to whip something up from the store cupboard but also fancy something comforting, rich and satisfying.
Ingredients:
- 1.1 lb Halloumi, cubed
- 2 tbsp Corn starch
- 2 tbsp Vegetable or Avocado oil
- 1 Onion, Halved and sliced
- 11 oz Broccoli, 1 head, cut into small florets
- 3 tbsp Curry paste of your choice
- 14 oz Coconut Milk, 1 can
- 14 oz Chickpeas, Drained and rinsed
- Naan bread, to serve
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, mix the halloumi with the Corn starch and toss well to coat.
- Heat the oil in large frying pan over a high heat and add the cheese cubes.
- Cook over a high heat for 5 minutes until nicely colored all over.
- Remove from the frying pan and set aside on a plate. Add the onion and broccoli to the empty pan (if your pan is not non stick you may need to add a little more oil here).
- Cook for 5 minutes until they are starting to soften.
- Add the curry paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Next, add the coconut milk and chickpeas and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes until everything is mixed and the chickpeas are hot and the broccoli is cooked through.
- Add the halloumi back to the pan and stir.
- Serve with naan bread.
Recipe Tip:
If you want to make this recipe alongside a meat curry, for example if you have one person who wants a meat dish and another is vegetarian, you can follow this recipe for both at the same time, just in different pans.
Simply add 1lb of chicken to the pan you’re using for the meat curry. Everything else is OK to be the same.
We’re Here to Help, Every Step of the Way
We know pain can be alarming, but you don’t have to manage it alone. A personalized therapy program from Hands of Hope can help reduce your symptoms so you feel more confident in your day-to-day life.
