5 Effective Shoulder Pain Treatments You Need to Know
Shoulder pain can disrupt your daily routine, making simple tasks like reaching for an object or lifting your arm feel unbearable. Whether your discomfort stems from a sports injury, repetitive strain, or age-related wear and tear, shoulder pain can drastically affect your quality of life. You might feel trapped in a cycle of pain and limited mobility, unsure where to turn for relief.
At VIP Medical Group, we understand the challenges posed by shoulder pain, and our goal is to help you regain comfort and mobility. By offering personalized, minimally invasive treatments, we provide long-lasting relief without surgery. In this article, we’ll discuss five highly effective shoulder pain treatments that can help you take control of your pain and get back to living life on your terms. Whether your pain is mild or severe, these treatments can be tailored to your needs. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help.
1. Steroid Injections for Shoulder Pain
One of the most common shoulder pain treatments is the steroid injection, which involves delivering a powerful anti-inflammatory medication directly into the shoulder joint. Steroid injections are particularly effective for conditions like rotator cuff tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis, where inflammation is a key factor in your pain.
Steroid injections reduce inflammation and numb the area, providing near-instant pain relief. The results can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the severity of your condition and how your body responds. This treatment can be repeated as needed, offering a nonsurgical option to manage pain effectively. The procedure is quick and minimally invasive, requiring no recovery time. At VIP Medical Group, we specialize in using image-guided technology to ensure the steroid injection is placed precisely, maximizing its effectiveness.
2. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
If you’re looking for a more natural solution to shoulder pain, PRP therapy might be the perfect option. This treatment utilizes your body’s healing properties to promote recovery and reduce pain. In PRP therapy, a blood sample is drawn and then processed to concentrate the platelets. These platelets, rich in growth factors, are injected directly into the affected shoulder area.
PRP therapy treats soft tissue injuries, such as rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, and ligament injuries. The growth factors in PRP accelerate the healing process, allowing your body to repair damaged tissues more quickly. While this treatment does not offer immediate relief like steroid injections, it provides long-term improvement by addressing the root cause of the pain. Patients who undergo PRP therapy often experience significant reductions in pain and increased shoulder mobility within a few weeks.
3. Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation
For patients suffering from chronic shoulder pain due to conditions like arthritis, cooled radiofrequency ablation (RFA) offers a highly effective, long-lasting solution. This technique disrupts the nerves that transmit pain signals to the brain. During the procedure, a specialized needle delivers radiofrequency energy to the targeted nerves, which “deactivates” them and stops them from sending pain signals.
Cooled RFA differs from traditional RFA because it cools the surrounding tissue while still applying heat to the nerve. This allows the treatment to cover a larger area and provides longer-lasting pain relief—often up to a year or more. This option is particularly useful for patients who have tried other treatments with limited success. Cooled RFA is a minimally invasive procedure that requires little to no downtime. It’s also an excellent alternative for patients who want to avoid more invasive procedures, such as shoulder surgery.
4. Trigger Point Injections
For those who experience shoulder pain due to muscle knots or tension, trigger point injections can be particularly useful. Trigger points are painful knots in your muscles that can develop due to stress, overuse, or injury. When these knots form in your shoulder muscles, they can lead to significant discomfort and limited mobility. Trigger point injections involve injecting a small amount of anesthetic, sometimes combined with a steroid, into the painful area. Trigger point injections immediately relax the muscles and relieve pain.
The procedure is quick, taking only a few minutes, and many patients report feeling relief within hours. In cases where multiple trigger points contribute to your pain, a series of injections may be necessary to fully alleviate the discomfort. At VIP Medical Group, our experienced back pain doctors and neck pain specialists are trained in identifying and treating trigger points. This treatment is particularly useful for patients dealing with muscle-related shoulder pain who have not found relief through physical therapy or medications.
5. Viscosupplementation for Arthritis
If arthritis is the cause of your shoulder pain, viscosupplementation can provide much-needed relief. This treatment involves injecting hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally found in joint fluid, into the shoulder joint. Hyaluronic acid helps lubricate the joint, reducing friction and improving mobility. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it an ideal treatment for patients suffering from osteoarthritis or other forms of joint degeneration.
Viscosupplementation can reduce pain and stiffness, making it easier to perform daily activities without discomfort. The effects of this treatment can last several months, making it a great option for long-term management of arthritis-related shoulder pain. It’s a minimally invasive procedure with little to no downtime, allowing you to return to your daily activities quickly. We offer viscosupplementation as part of our comprehensive approach to treating joint pain.
Find the Best Shoulder Pain Treatment for You
Shoulder pain doesn’t have to control your life. With the advanced, minimally invasive treatments offered at VIP Medical Group, you can find the relief you need to improve your mobility and comfort. Whether you’re dealing with inflammation, muscle tension, or arthritis, we offer a range of shoulder and back pain treatment options tailored to your specific needs. Our expert team of back pain doctors, neck pain specialists, and shoulder pain experts are here to help you navigate your pain treatment options and reclaim your quality of life.
Remember, most shoulder and neck pain treatments are covered by medical insurance if deemed medically necessary, and we offer insurance verification before your first appointment. Contact us to request insurance verification and relieve your shoulder pain.