Shoulder Pain Treatment

Frozen Shoulder Pain - Treatment The Smart Way

2009-01-05T04:09:00.000-08:00

There are lots of ways to treat frozen shoulder - lots and lots and lots. And that's the problem for many people.

If you have a frozen shoulder then how do you even begin to decide which treatment might work for you?

Should you have physical therapy? If so, from who, how often and at what stage in your frozen shoulder pathway?

Maybe medication would help? But what kind and how often?

Perhaps you need an injection? But what about side effects .... and will it work?

As a frozen shoulder expert I know that thousands of people waste thousands of dollars or pounds each year on shoulder pain treatments that simply don't work for them - or may even make them worse.

But how do you choose?

Well - I've tried to answer that by creating my new Heal Smart method for frozen shoulder treatment. Stage one is a detailed ebook and a series of expert reports. Stage two is a great package of ongoing suppport.

Learning to Heal Smart will get your frozen shoulder better more quickly, more efficiently and at less cost to you.

Click here right now for more details.

Wii Shoulder

2008-12-28T03:23:00.000-08:00

Wii Shoulder - Wii Sports Injury

Well, here we are at yet another new frontier post for this intrepid shoulder doc! I'm about to take a big jump into "virtuality." Going to reinvent myself as a little Mii - chasing round after the mii joggers with a little kitbag, popping up in the yoga studio, waving from the audience at the step class - you get the picture.

Been playing Wii sports, Wii Golf, Wii Rockband (axe hero of course) all Christmas and my shoulder is giving me real grief. Quick google search reveals that not only am I not alone .... there are millions of you out there with the same thing.

So - here's the deal. Leave me your comments about any Wii injuries you've had and I'll pull them together into an article - can't wait to read your stories.

Now - my turn again on Rockband .... Rock, rock, rockaway beach - rock rock rockaway beach ...........

Rotator Cuff Exercises

2008-12-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles that surrounds and supports the shoulder as it moves. These are small muscles but incredibly important for day to day function. Problems with the rotator cuff can arise after injury or as a result of overuse or - in older people - because of degeneration changes.

There are lots of options for treating problems in these muscles - ranging from oral pain killers right through to advanced open sugery techniques. But - in my view and it's shared by many shoulder pain experts - the best initial approach to this kind of problem is with rotator cuff exercises.

You can use these shoulder exercise programs to both give pain relief and to provide strength - thus helping to reduce the risk of the problems coming back again.

You can read more about the rotator cuff and about how to treat problems with it on my page of expert shoulder reports here.

Neck Pain and Shoulder Pain Too

2008-12-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

It's always a bit confusing for a patient if they experience both neck and shoulder pain at the same time.

Which one is the trigger? Does the neck pain provoke the shoulder pain or is it the other way around.

I've written lots elsewhere on this site about the issues surrounding referred pain patterns and explained how pain that seems to originate in one part of the body can actually be coming from somewhere else - but how can you begin to sort this out if it's you who has the problem?

Neck pain usually - well, often actually - spreads down to the shoulder and sometimes onwards down the arm. This can arise either due to referred pain from the joints and gristle of the neck - or it can be triggered by a trapped or inflamed cervical nerve root.

Pain spreading from the shoulder upwards to the neck is more unusual - and typically indicates spasm in the trapezius muscle.

Neck Surgery

2008-12-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

Should you have an operation on your neck?

Neck surgery is a daunting prospect for many people - and of course with good reason. The tecniques and skills of surgeons have improved hugely in recent years but you can't get away from the fact that the main nerves and arteries of the body run through the neck region.

But some of us do eventually need a neck operation to relieve pressure on a nerve or to deal with wear and tear in the joints.

In response to frequent prompting I've written a detailed expert report on the subject. Its called Neck Surgery - Should You Have An Operation On Your Neck - it's available for download now.

I hope you find it helpful.

Steroid Injections For Shoulder Pain

2008-12-04T10:50:00.001-08:00

As a doctor with a special interest in shoulder pain I get asked a lot of questions about steroid injections.

"Will a steroid injection help my shoulder?"

"Is a cortisone shot dangerous?"

"Are steroid injections for the shoulder painful"

I must have answered a thousand emails on the subject over the years, I've given lectures about it and written articles for books and journals. And so .... at last you might say .... I've pulled all that I know together for your benefit. I've been busy crafting a detailed series of expert reports on topics related to neck and shoulder symptoms. One of the most popular is the one about Steroid Injections for Shoulder Pain.

Take a look - I hope you like it.

Shoulder Pain Expert

2008-12-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

New Expert Reports on shoulder pain topics

As many of you who read this will know, getting high quality and easy to read information about shoulder pain out there into the world has been a mission of mine for years.

I try very hard to simplify complex topics and to demystify the workings of the body. My various websites relating to shoulder pain, blood pressure and other topics have focussed on this approach - and been popular as a result.

Well .... now I plan to take it to the next level. I'm in the process of pulling together a large collection of free shoulder pain articles - and from there I'll be offering a range of Expert Reports on very specific shoulder pain topics. Quite simply the kind of information you can't get anywhere else online or in print.

Each expert report will be written on a very tight topic but jam packed with detailed information - giving you the next best thing to a one on one session with me.

I hope to launch the first of these reports in the next few days - so check this page for details.

Flu Shots

2008-11-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

Can a flu shot cause shoulder pain or other joint pains?

As the festive season approaches it's also the time of year when many millions of us around the world are queuing up for our once a year flu shot. For most of us the jab passes without incident and with no lasting side effects or problems. But a few are not so lucky.

Over at my medical questions and answers site we've had a real spate of recent questions asking about whether a flu jab is painful or not. We've also had a lot of interesting discussion about flu symptoms in general and about treatment for stomach flu in particular.

Hey - its cold (unless you're reading this in the Southern Hemisphere), we're all depressed about money, coughs and colds are starting and now we're worrying about flu vaccinations!

Happy days !

Hip Pain - Shoulder Injury And Hip Pain - Dislocation

2008-11-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

Hip pain is a common problem but yesterday I encountered an unusual presentation where a fall causing a shoulder injury was also the trigger for an ongoing painful hip.

One of my patients sustained a bad fall when walking down a flight of steps - landing onto the very tip of the right shoulder. Dislocation seemed like a possibility when the paramedic crew arrived to help out but this was quickly excluded by clinical tests and an x-ray.

The shoulder pain quickly settled over the following few days but ongoing hip pain around the upper outer part of the thigh. Bruising appeared and persisted for about ten days and from that time on there was severe tenderness around the prominent bone at the top of the femur.

A specialist in sports injury eventually diagnosed a condition called Trochanteric Bursitis and the lady came my way for injection treatment.

I'm pleased to say that injection into the bursa settled the hip pain within about five days and she has now returned to normal life again. Bursa pain around the hip is common after a heavy fall and often responds well to an injection of steroid.

Youch ..... !

Questions about shoulder pain

2008-11-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted to say that my new website devoted to medical questions and answers has really begun to take off in some style. We now get asked more than fifty questions each day and there's a real sense of community spirit building with some replies coming from me and some from other users of the site.

We've already built a substantial zone devoted to shoulder pain questions - you should hop over and check it out if you haven't already done so.

Heat Lamp - Infrared Heat Lamp For Shoulder Pain

2008-11-16T04:13:00.000-08:00

A Heat Lamp For Shoulder Pain?

I've been suffering from shoulder pain recently.

Yes ... believe it or not it even happens to shoulder pain experts - although I confess it really did take me by surprise. I developed a degree of shoulder bursitis after tweaking my shoulder lifting a case onto an overhead rack on a train.

I'm writing this to let you know that my own discomfort lead me to find a new shoulder pain treatment that I think might help you deal more comfortably with your own shoulder symptoms.

A friend let me borrow a Heat Lamp - an infrared lamp capable of aiming local heat directly into the shoulder tissues and I have to say that it was absolutely wonderful. The soft but penetrating heat just melted my pain away within minutes and I was transformed from a wincing wreck every time I tried to put my coat on to someone with normal painfree function.

After using the heat lamp for my shoulder pain for about a week, the symptoms had gone completely.

I did a bit of research and Infrared Heat Lamps do seem to be well accepted as part of pain treatment programs.

The emitted heatl lamp energy penetrates up to 3 inches, and stimulates micro circulation, delivering higher levels of oxygen and nutrients to the injured cells, while eliminating toxins and cellular waste. This begins the healing process as pain is relieved.

The FDA and Hundreds of Scientific, Clinical, University and Medical Studies Agree that Far-Infrared Mineral Therapy Relieves Pain.

The best heat lamp for shoulder pain seems to be the New TDP lamp with far infrared mineral technology.

Electronic Healing offer it at a great price and have a reputation for wonderful customer service. They ship worldwide.

Take a look here for more details of the TDP Healing Lamp - it certainly worked well for me.

Sleep Aid - Nightwave Cures Your Problem

2008-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've found a great new sleep aid for shoulder pain patients. In my experience many people with shoulder pain have trouble getting off to sleep.

Part of this is due to their pain and to the difficulty in finding a comfortable spot in bed - but part of it relates to the body getting out of its normal sleeping routine. The brain loses its sleep rhythm and dropping off into sleep becomes increasingly difficult.

Well now things are a whole lot easier - and I can vouch for this myself.

The Nightwave sleep assistant provides a remarkably easy way of getting off into a deep and restful sleep. It produces pulsing waves of a restful blue light and projects the light onto the ceiling of your bedroom. The light is designed to be at the intensity and frequency of the brains natural sleep rhythm ... and boy is it effective.

Electronic Healing are offering the Nightwave sleep assistant at a special price at present - and it comes with a money back promise if you are not happy with it.

Take a look here for more information.

Online Medical Advice

2008-09-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

Online Medical Advice

Dr Cameron has created a brand new medical questions and answers website to give you access to high quality medical advice online.

You can post a question on any health topic and get replies either from Doctor Cameron himself or from the wider community.

Take a look - heres the link: Ask Doctor Cameron

Pins and Needles

2008-08-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Pins and needles is the common name for what the medical world call paresthesia. The feeling of tingling in the hands or feet is a symptom of nerve root irritation. This nerve irritation can be due to nerve pressure in the neck or the back - or it can be due to pressure on a nerve in a more peripheral part of the body, such as the wrist or the foot and ankle.

If a nerve root or peripheral nerve is subjected to sustained pressure then the feeling of pins and needles will develop in the skin supplied by that nerve. We are all familiar with this when we sit too long on a hard chair or bench and our foot "goes to sleep". When we get up and start to move again the pins and needles feeling starts in the limb and lasts for several minutes.

Nerve pressure or nerve root irritation will cause pins and needles, or pain, or weakness - and often all three will happen at the same time or within a few days of each other.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the commonest example of peripheral nerve pressure when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel at the wrist. Pins and needles in the thumb and palm is the commonest symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Shoulder and Back Pain

2008-08-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

Shoulder and back pain can be closely related - sometimes one leads to another and sometimes the two share a common source related to nerve entrapment.

The shoulder joint and all of its muscles and soft tissues are derived from the same part of the embryo as the fifth vertebra and nerve of the neck. This means that lower neck pain and shoulder area pain can be directly related.

Sometimes shoulder pain and back pain between the shoulder blades can also occur. Irritation of the lower segments of the neck will typically send pain down into the area between the shoulder blades - this pain is called referred pain. It is often dull and aching in quality and made worse by movements of the neck. This type of shoulder related back pain often causes trigger points to form in the muscles and these can be felt as acutely tender spots.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Frozen Shoulder

2008-08-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Carpal tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulder problems often seem to occur in the same patients - sometimes at the same time but sometimes many months apart.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a problem with irritation of the median nerve - one of the main nerves that runs from the forearm into the hand.

The median nerve runs on the palm of the hand side of the forearm - entering the palm of the hand at almost exactly the mid point of your wrist crease. It supplies power to the muscles of the thumb and sensation to the skin of the thumb and the first three fingers - sometimes also to a bit of the fourth or ring finger too. To get into the hand the nerve has to pass through a tunnel of bones and gristle. This tunnel is called the carpal tunnel - so the problem of nerve entrapment there is called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The commonest reason for carpal tunnel syndrome to develop is when the median nerve is squeezed in the tunnel. This often happens during pregnancy or in diabetic patients or in those with an under active thyroid gland. Often no cause is found at all - it just seems to start from nowhere and this is called Idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome.

Sometimes however, carpal tunnel syndrome can arise as a later consequence of frozen shoulder. The median nerve arises from nerve roots that run in the armpit or axilla - just below the shoulder in other words. This group of nerve roots is called the brachial plexus and a good going frozen shoulder can affect the brachial plexus and thus eventually lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Frozen Shoulder Manipulation

2008-08-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

Does manipulation for frozen shoulder work?

Manipulation as a treatment for shoulder pain has been around for a long time. The word manipulation can be applied in several different ways.

When we think of shoulder pain in general then physiotherapists will use mobilisation or hands on type manipulation of the shoulder as a means of improving movement range in the joint and thus reducing the symptoms. Osteopaths or chiropractors will do much the same thing - and you might often find that your neck or back is treated at the same time. Not a bad idea actually since shoulder pain and neck pain or upper back pain often go hand in hand.

Manipulation for frozen shoulder is a slightly different issue however. Historically this has been a technique used when the patient is deeply asleep under a general anesthetic and the procedure is performed in an operating theater.

We know that frozen shoulder creates sticky adhesions inside the joint and we think that its these sticky areas that lead to the loss of movement. Manipulation of the shoulder under general anesthetic is a way of trying to force these adhesions apart - thus releasing the stuck shoulder and improving both pain and movement. This type of frozen shoulder manipulation seems to work but it's a very powerful - almost brutal technique - and there have been several reports in the past of arm bone fractures and other problems.

More modern (and more gentle) approaches include using keyhole surgery to break up the sticky adhesions.

Rotator Cuff Injury

2008-08-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

The rotator cuff is the name given to the group of small muscles that stabilise the shoulder when it is in motion.

These rotator cuff muscles are vulnerable to injury and - if torn or if their tendons become inflamed can cause significant shoulder problems.

Treatment of rotator cuff injury can involve either medication, hands on treatment from a physiotherapist or sports therapist, injections or sometimes surgery.

Shoulder Nerve and Shoulder Nerve Pain

2008-08-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

Shoulder nerve pain is not common but it can arise for a number of reasons. The shoulder joint and all the muscles that surround it get their nerve supply from the same part of the spinal cord that supplies the fifth segment of the neck. This is called the C5 segment of the neck.

Pain from the C5 segment of the neck (or from the shoulder joint and the tissues that surround it) is felt from the top of the arm, down over the outer part of the elbow and towards the hand. This type of shoulder nerve pain is called referred pain.

The shoulder nerve is also called the suprascapular nerve - it runs above the spine of the shoulder blade bone - passing through a little notch - to supply the joint and its muscles.

Some specialist doctors can inject this suprascapular shoulder nerve as a treatment for chronic shoulder pain.

Read more about your shoulders by following the links on these pages

Shoulder Injury and Shoulder Injuries

2008-08-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Shoulder Injuries are a common problem for those doctors who see athletes or sports men and women.

The shoulder is a very mobile joint and a shoulder injury can be sustained during a fall or during a throwing action or a tackle in football in rugby.

The challenge for the doctor or physical therapist is to figure out which part of the shoulder anatomy has been injured? The underlying problem might lie in the shoulder muscles, the tendons that join the muscles to the bone, the bursa or within the joint itself.

Injury to the shoulder can trigger a tear in the joint capsule or in the labrum - the tissue that deepens the socket that the head of the humerus sits in.

Read more about how injury can affect the shoulder by following the links on these pages

Shoulder Tendonitis

2008-08-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

Shoulder tendonitis is the name given to the condition where the tendons of the shoulder muscles become inflamed. The suffix "itis" means inflammation - think of tonsillitis, dermatitis, appendicitis and the likes. A tendon is the gristle that joins muscle flesh onto bone so "tendonitis" is inflammation in a tendon.

Shoulder tendonitis can be treated by physical therapy, by acupuncture, by exercises or stretches or sometimes by injection of a steroid.

Rarely tendonitis at the shoulder can progress or deteriorate into a rotator cuff tear.

Read more about your shoulders by following the links on this page

Shoulder Replacement

2008-08-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

Shoulder replacement is the name given to the surgical technique of inserting a new artificial shoulder joint into the body.

Shoulder replacement surgery is becoming more and more common and the success rate is now very good. Even though fewer shoulder joints are replaced compared to hips and knees the procedure is rising in popularity for two reasons. Firstly, arthritis in the shoulder is less common than it is in the lower limb joints - and, secondly, fewer surgeons are trained in shoulder replacement techniques at present. New techiques are changing things fast however and shoulder replacement operations are getting better and better all the time.

If you need help to deal with pain in your shoulders then follow the links on these pages.

Shoulder Exercises

2008-08-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

Shoulder exercises could help you deal better with your shoulder pain problems.

Exercises can help with a variety of shoulder conditions - from rotator cuff tendonitis to frozen shoulder.

If you think you need shoulder exercises for your painful shoulders or your neck and shoulder pain then you have the option of seeking input from a physical therapist or trying to learn the techniques for yourself from a book or a DVD. I would always recommend the former. Trying to learn to do shoulder exercises on your own is very difficult and you are likely to end up doing them wrongly.

Follow the links on these pages for more information about exercises for shoulder pains

Zocor Shoulder Pain

2007-06-30T03:08:00.000-07:00

Zocor and Shoulder Pain

Can treatment with the anti-cholesterol drug trigger shoulder pain. Zocor or simvastatin as it is sometimes known is one of the most commonly used cholesterol medications in the world.

In general terms zocor is a fairly straightforward drug for most of those who take it but it can trigger joint and muscle pains in some people. The pain caused by zocor is usually quite diffuse in nature but I've had several email questions recently from people with zocor related shoulder pain.

It may be that these people are making heavy use of their shoulder muscles and thus triggering discomfort which is aggravated by zocor. I'm really not sure of the true trigger for the situation.

You should be aware of this however:

Zocor triggers benign low grade joint and muscle pains in maybe around ten percent of those who take it. This includes zocor shoulder pain. These pains are usually transient and easy to cope with.

More rarely, zocor can cause a severe widespread muscle reaction that can lead quite quickly to serious ill health. Your doctor could pick up on this with a simple blood test. If you are concerned then please see your doctor at an early opportunity.

Artificial Oil for Creaky Joints

2007-06-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

The company who make Synvisc - a synovial fluid replacement product - have announced a new approach and a new version of their product.

Genzyme say that they are seeking approval to use a single treatment of Synvisc-One to treat osteoarthritis of the knee for up to six months. Synvisc treatment is currently approved to be given in three separate doses at once weekly intervals. Synvisc-One combines those doses in one treatment. This means that patients will need only one injection and not three as at present.

A number of companies make synovial fluid replacement products.
Synovial fluid is the natural "oil" that we all have in our joints. When osteoarthritis develops the supply of synovial fluid dries up and the joint becomes dry and stiff. The idea behind synvisc and related drugs is to replace the missing synovial fluid and thus to provide lubrication, better movement and pain relief.

At present synvisc and the other related drugs are mostly used for knee osteoarthritis but some doctors are beginning to experiment with their use in other joints.