When to See a Specialist About Your Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain has a variety of causes, including rotator cuff injuries and arthritis, and can stick around for a while. Home remedies may help alleviate the pain for a short time. Still, if it persists, it's time to seek professional treatment.

If you're tired of soldiering through shoulder pain, Dr. Steven J. Svabek offers sports medicine treatment and joint replacement surgery at his practice in Coral Springs, Florida. Dr. Svabek is an experienced orthopedic surgeon who helps patients overcome joint pain and injuries.

Causes of shoulder pain

The shoulders are strong joints that allow you to move your arms in different directions and lift objects. They’re used a lot in everyday life, leading to wear-and-tear over time.

Shoulder pain can pop up suddenly after an injury or develop slowly from overuse. Conditions that lead to shoulder pain include:

• Bursitis
• Arthritis
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Tendinitis
• Fractures
• Impingement

What’s causing your shoulder pain dictates your symptoms and how long the pain lasts. A simple pulled muscle gets better within a few days to weeks, while a ligament or tendon tear may require professional treatment to heal.

Signs of a shoulder problem

Pain is the primary symptom of shoulder problems; it’s the body's way of telling you that something is wrong. However, pain typically isn’t the only symptom of a shoulder issue. Other symptoms to watch for include:

• Joint stiffness
• Limited range of motion
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Difficulty moving the arm
• Weakness

These symptoms may come and go or persist. They can vary in severity from a mild ache to severe pain that interrupts daily living.

When is it time to see a specialist?

You can sometimes manage mild to moderate shoulder pain at home – but in some cases, the pain gets to be too much. Seek treatment for shoulder pain when it doesn't respond to home care and affects your daily life.

Dr. Svabek recommends coming in for an expert evaluation if you experience:

• Severe or persistent pain
• Pain that interferes with normal activities
• Limited range of motion
• Numbness and weakness
• Pain that affects sleep
• Warmth, redness, or swelling
• Clicking or grinding sensations

It’s crucial to contact Dr. Svabek after a sudden shoulder injury. And if you notice a deformity or experience severe, sudden pain, seek treatment as soon as possible to avoid further injury.

Treatments to expect

At your appointment, Dr. Svabek discusses your symptoms and orders imaging to see what's going on in your shoulder. When he has answers, he discusses your treatment options, which may include:

• Physical therapy
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Heat or ice therapy
• Rest
• Steroid injections
• Regenerative medicine

If conservative treatments aren't enough to alleviate shoulder pain, Dr. Svabek recommends surgical intervention. For severe arthritis, he may suggest a total joint replacement for long-term pain relief and improved function.

To learn more about our treatments for shoulder pain, call the office of Steven J Svabek, DO, PA, today to schedule a consultation, or request an appointment online.