Shoulder Pain Specialists in Dallas, Arlington and Albuquerque

When it comes to joint pain, some common complaints we treat are related to shoulder pain. The shoulders are fundamental to our ability to move. Its main purpose is to twist and rotate. While the shoulder relies on several bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage to perform, the shoulders are often prone to injury.

Adhesive Capsulitis, also known as Frozen shoulder, can cause stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms typically start small and gradually worsen over time and then resolve themselves, usually within one to three years.

The risk of developing a frozen shoulder increases if you have recently recovered from a medical condition or procedure that prevents you from moving the arm — such as a stroke or a mastectomy.

Treatment for a frozen shoulder usually involves performing range-of-motion exercises and sometimes corticosteroid injections and numbing medications injected into the joint capsule. In a small percentage of cases, shoulder specialists may recommend arthroscopic surgery to loosen the joint capsule so that it can move freely.

While unusual for frozen shoulders to recur in the same shoulder, some people may still develop it in the opposite shoulder.

The socket of the shoulder, known as the glenoid, meets the humerus bone of the arm, with the Labrum cushioning the area in-between. When the Labrum tears, it can cause patients to suffer from shoulder pain or instability. 

The labrum lies at the center of the shoulder and acts as the anchor point for not only the ball-and-socket joint, but the ligaments, rotator cuff tendons and muscles as well, greatly contributing to shoulder stability and preventing shoulder dislocation.

Patients with a torn shoulder labrum report symptoms that include: 

• Shoulder pain 
• Shoulder instability 
• A feeling of grinding, locking or catching while moving the shoulder. 

Non-Surgical Treatments for Shoulder Pain

Epidural Steroid Injections

Steroidal medication injected into a painful joint space can help soothe painful joints. Injecting corticosteroids into a joint will not provide permanent relief on its own, but it can dramatically reduce inflammation and pain. The effects can last anywhere between 1 week to 1 year. Injections for joint pain are usually one of the steps taken before resorting to surgery. In some patients, steroid injections can reduce pain to the point where patients are able to participate in Physical Therapy, which in turn can strengthen the surrounding muscles and eliminate the need for further treatment.

Physical Therapy

Our Physical Therapists can help manage pain, reducing the need for opioids and sometimes avoiding surgery entirely.

Physical therapy can improved mobility, increase trauma recovery, increase recovery from stroke or paralysis, reduce the risk of falling by increasing muscle strength and improve equilibrium. 

Schedule an Appointment

Our pain specialists are accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call us at 972-838-1132.