Shoulder blade pain or any kind of pain in the shoulder can severely limit your activity levels without proper pain treatment. At Manhattan sports pain management, shoulder pain is best treated by sports medicine pain specialists with experience in muscle pain treatment. Whether you have right shoulder pain or left, it doesn’t have to hold you back. Come to our pain management clinic to get your shoulder pain evaluation and treated. Meet our pain doctor Febin Melepura M.D. to get the pain relief you need in the safe, reassuring hands of the sports pain relief doctor.
The word “shoulder” is used to describe a joint that’s really made up of a number of different parts, primarily the scapula (shoulder blade), humerus (upper arm bone) and clavicle (collar bone). The tendons and muscles that hold these joints together give you the mobility you need to do everything from swinging a golf club to throwing a touchdown pass.
All that activity takes its toll, though. Neck pain and shoulder pain can knock you out of your game indefinitely unless you seek help from a sports and pain management team in Manhattan to provide the best shoulder pain treatment in NYC.
Shoulder pain can result from any number of main issues:
Bursae are the fluid-filled sacs in your shoulder that allow flexibility by preventing bones from rubbing up against each other. Bursitis happens when that sac just plain wears down, usually from overuse.
Tendons wear down as well and can eventually lead to tendonitis. Tendonitis is either acute, from a sudden tear or accident, or as chronic pain in the shoulder, often leading to arthritis. Most cases of right shoulder pain and left shoulder pain from wear and tear are due to osteoarthritis, which often begins to appear in middle age and worsens as you get older.
Depending on the underlying cause, shoulder pain can manifest in various ways.
Some of the most common symptoms of shoulder pain include:
Sometimes you may experience symptoms in the areas surrounding your shoulder, such as the upper arm, neck, and back.
Reasons you should see a doctor for shoulder pain include:
Sudden or severe pain in your shoulder or chest, especially if it runs to the left jaw, arm, or neck, or occurs with shortness of breath, dizziness, or sweating, could be a sign of a heart attack or other serious medical condition. Call 911 or your local emergency number if you experience such symptoms.
Your physician needs to get a complete picture of your pain to properly diagnose the cause and come up with a shoulder joint pain treatment plan. He needs to know when the pain first started, how bad it gets, when it’s worse and what makes it feel better.
Before coming up with your treatment for shoulder pain, your doctor checks for:
Tests for a more accurate diagnosis may include:
An arthroscopy may be in order if no conclusive results are found. It’s a minor surgical procedure during which your doctor places a fiber-optic camera through a tiny incision to get a closer look at the inside workings of your shoulder. He can see things that don’t show up on x-rays and sometimes, he can even correct the problem during the procedure.
You may be familiar with the rotator cuff, which is a group of muscles and tendons that surround your shoulder on each side. Rotator cuff injuries are common, especially for athletes and those who do physical work every day. A rotator cuff tear or repetitive motion wear-and-tear can lead you to seek relief from a pain treatment specialist in Manhattan.
The first line of defense for left shoulder blade pain and right shoulder blade pain is to stop the activity that makes it hurt. Shoulder blade pain often dissipates with rest. Conservative treatments recommended by your doctor begin with:
Surgery may eventually be needed to relieve your neck and shoulder pain. Surgery may consist of a simple tendon repair or be as sophisticated as a complete shoulder replacement, depending on your specific needs and goals.
Dr Melepura is absolutely wonderful. He was extremely gentle, patient, he listened carefully to every symptom I had. His physical examination covered every detail. I have been struggling with shoulder pain for a year and I prefer to avoid surgery. This is why I went to see Dr. Melepura in first place and he came up with several choices before any surgical intervention. I also like his approach to medicine in the sense that he thinks about the patient as a whole entity, we talked about nutrition and lifestyle. He is very genuine in his interaction and you can tell that besides his empathy he is very passionate about his work. I do strongly recommend him and I will continue my care with him. Thank you Dr. Melepura.
Milena Rodriguez AlvarezSome healthcare providers suggest that left shoulder blade pain is a symptom of a heart attack. But even if you have right shoulder blade pain, you could be having a serious health emergency. Don’t worry about whether it’s right shoulder pain or left shoulder pain; seek immediate care if the pain in the shoulder is accompanied by:
How long your shoulder pain lasts can vary depending on the underlying cause and the severity of the injury or condition. Acute shoulder pain, which is typically caused by an injury, can last for a few days to several weeks. In some cases, the pain may subside within a few hours or days with rest and pain relievers. Chronic shoulder pain, which is usually caused by an underlying medical condition such as arthritis, can last for weeks, months, or even years.
Do you have any questions about the shoulder pain treatment we offer in NYC? Would you like to schedule an appointment with the best-rated pain management doctor Febin Melepura MD at a pain management clinic in NYC? Please contact our office for a consultation with the pain relief specialist for the shoulder in Midtown Manhattan.
Sports Injury & Pain Management Clinic of New YorkFebin Melepura, MD is a top rated, best in class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award winning expert and contributor to a prominent media outlets.
Dr. Febin Melepura has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain and, among other accolades, has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York”, and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for an advanced sports injury treatments.