Shoulder pain treatment in Austin

• Rotator cuff tears. Most often the tendon involved is the supraspinatus, from overuse and poor shoulder mechanics. A partial tear may cause little weakness; a complete tear causes more.
• Shoulder osteoarthritis. Wear of the main (glenohumeral) joint leads to cartilage loss and bone spurs and a deep, aching pain "inside" the shoulder.
• AC joint problems. The small joint where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade, roughly where a seatbelt crosses, can become arthritic or be injured in a fall.
• Impingement and bursitis. Inflamed bursae limit movement and hurt most with the arm overhead, often worse at night.
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). The joint capsule tightens and sticks, severely limiting motion. It is more common after a period of immobility and in people with diabetes.
• Pain coming from the neck. A pinched nerve or a painful facet joint or disc in the neck can feel exactly like a shoulder problem.

Diagnosis combines a thorough history, a physical examination, a review of your imaging and, when needed, diagnostic injections to pinpoint the painful structure.

• Regenerative shoulder treatments. We offer a full array of regenerative treatments for shoulder conditions. The choice of regenerative treatment rests on imaging review, physical examination, extent of injury or degeneration, and age of the patient.
• Physical therapy. Restoring motion and correcting the mechanics that wore the shoulder down. We work closely with chiropractors and physical therapists during our regenerative programs and we will refer you appropriately.
• Treating the neck. If the pain is coming from the neck, treating the source there (see neck pain treatment).

Some shoulders need a surgeon, and we will tell you if yours does. For example, a completely torn rotator cuff with retracted tendon stumps, a painful torn labrum non-responsive to regenerative treatments and therapy, or a severely osteoarthritic glenohumeral joint all require surgery.