Shoulder Pain Relief Portland, OR

Shoulder Pain Relief

The Truth About Shoulder Pain: How to Find Relief Fast

Shoulder pain can take many forms – it can show up when you’re reaching toward the top shelf to put dishes away or when you’re struggling to find a comfortable position to sleep in without feeling a dull aching pain in your shoulder and neck. It can show up as a result of an injury, making you feel as if your shoulder is immobile. There are numerous reasons why someone may experience shoulder pain, and the severity can range from the temporary discomfort of a pulled muscle to the agonizing bone-on-bone friction of arthritis. Whatever the case may be, MechanoTherapy is dedicated to offering you natural pain management modalities.

Why do I have shoulder pain?

Your shoulder is capable of accomplishing many physical feats, and has the greatest range of all the joints in your body. However, with its complexities also comes the possibilities of pain and discomfort. It is a “ball-and-socket” joint, meaning the head of the upper arm bone, or “humerus,” fits perfectly in the corresponding space within the shoulder blade, or “scapula.” The ends of the bone are protected by a thick layer of cartilage, protecting the bones from rubbing together. Fluid-filled sacs called “bursae” also protect the tendons from rubbing against the bones. Tendons attach the bones in the shoulder to a set of bones, known as the rotator cuff. If something goes wrong with the intricacies that make up the mechanical interplay of the shoulder, pain can result.

The type of pain you feel in your shoulder can vary, depending on what is causing it. Pain from impingement, for example, typically occurs as you raise your arm up, and begins at a certain point in the range of motion. Pain resulting from a degenerated shoulder may create persistent aches every time you move your arm in certain directions. Acute injuries can result in sudden and intense pains that make it impossible for you to move your shoulder at all.

What is causing my shoulder pain?

The complexities of the shoulder joint presents many opportunities for pain-causing conditions. Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain include:

  • Impingement. Impingement typically occurs because of abnormal movement and tracking of the humeral head as you lift your arm overhead. Pain typically occurs when lifting your arm at or above 90 degrees.
  • Rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff is comprised of 4 muscles, tendons, and soft tissue that surround the shoulder joint. The job of the rotator cuff is to correctly guide the movement of the shoulder joint. With injury, overuse, poor posture, or even age, the rotator cuff can be partially or completely torn. Depending on the severity and situation, sometimes surgery is needed, but often the correct physical therapy treatments can help reduce pain and restore strength to the rotator cuff to compensate for the partial tear. If surgery is needed, physical therapy is an integral part of the rehabilitation to a full recovery.
  • Tendinitis. Tendinitis occurs when the shoulder joint is excessively overused typically due to the demands of a laborious job, overhead activity, or sport. Furthermore, poor posture is a major contributor, as this alters the normal forces on the tendons, and can set you up for tendon injury. This causes the tendons to undergo ongoing inflammation, resulting in swelling and painful impingement when raising your arm.
  • Frozen shoulder. Also known as “adhesive capsulitis,” frozen shoulder can occur if your arm has been in a case or sling for a while, or if you have been bedridden for an extended period of time. Furthermore, there are some ethnicities that are more predisposed, and women tend to have more instances than men. It is more common in women in the 40-60 years of age. Frozen shoulder results in a painful loss of motion in the shoulder with a tightening of the shoulder joint that severely limits motion.
  • Arthritis. The two main forms of arthritis that affect the shoulder are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint experiences significant “wear and tear,” typically due to age or excessive overuse. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system decides to attack the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint, resulting in pain and inflammation. Both of these result in painful loss of motion, weakness to the shoulder muscles, and difficulty performing normal, daily tasks.

Contact MechanoTherapy for shoulder pain relief!

Our physical therapy treatments can help manage your shoulder pain, no matter how severe it may be. Physical therapy is safe, non-invasive, and pain-free. Our physical therapists are licensed and dedicated to designing the best-individualized treatment plan for your needs. In fact, many of our patients have reported finding improvement and relief after just a few short physical therapy sessions – and sometimes less!

At your initial appointment, you will undergo a comprehensive evaluation to determine the nature of your condition and your needs. This may include a series of tests, used to get the best idea for treatment. Our physical therapist may suggest taking X-rays to illustrate any dislocations or signs of arthritis. Range of motion tests may also be conducted in order to discover which of your soft tissues are contributing to your pain.

Once our physical therapist has created your treatment plan, you will begin working on targeted exercises, stretches, and modalities. Treatment plans for shoulder pain typically include gentle exercises, which have proven to reduce the stiffness of frozen shoulder and ease the pain of osteoarthritis. Strengthening programs may also be implemented as a way to rehabilitate injured muscles or help stabilize a shoulder that is prone to dislocation.

If your shoulder pain is limiting your life, contact MechanoTherapy in Portland, OR as soon as possible to secure your appointment. Our physical therapist will manage and treat your condition so you can comfortably get back to your daily life!