Shoulder Pain Treatment Specialists in Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY

Shoulder pain can significantly affect your daily life, limiting mobility and comfort. At Downtown Pain Physicians in NYC, our team of experts specializes in diagnosing and treating shoulder pain in patients of all ages. From advanced diagnostic tools to customized treatment plans, including physical therapy and minimally invasive procedures, we’re here to help you find relief. Visit our conveniently located clinics in downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, or schedule an appointment online to take the first step toward a pain-free life.

Shoulder Pain Services Offered in Downtown Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan

The shoulder is used for a wide and versatile range of motion. If any damage occurs to the shoulder, it can lead to the inability to move freely and can lead to a lot of discomfort and pain. The shoulder has three main bones and a ball-and-socket joint. The three bones of the shoulder are the humerus, the clavicle, and the scapula. Such bones are cushioned with the use of a layer of cartilage. The acromioclavicular and the glenohumeral joints also help the shoulder to allow us all the movements that we can do with it. It is considered to be the most mobile joint out of all the joints in the body. Our Brooklyn doctors for shoulder pain can move the shoulder backward and forward, we can move the arm in a circular motion, and we can move up and away from the body.

The rotator cuff can help the shoulder and provide it with the range of motion that it has. It is made out of four tendons. Tendons are the tissues that connect the muscles to the bone. It can be painful and difficult to lift the arm over the head when the tendons and bones around the rotator cuff are swollen and damaged. There are different ways you can injure your shoulders, such as playing sports, doing repetitive movements, or manual labor. Certain types of conditions can cause lead to shoulder pain, such as diseases of the heart, the liver, gallbladder disease, or the cervical spine.

As you grow older, especially over the age of 60, the chances get higher of suffering from shoulder pain. This occurs due to the soft tissues surround the shoulder and degenerating with age. There are a lot of cases where you can treat shoulder pain at home. However, if this doesn’t work in addition to physical therapy and medications, surgery might be necessary.

What Is the Cause of Shoulder Pain?

There are a lot of factors and conditions that can lead to shoulder pain. One of the most common causes is considered to be rotator cuff tendinitis. It is a condition that is characterized by swollen tendons. Another cause of shoulder pain that is quite common is impingement syndrome. This condition is caused when the rotator cuff gets caught between the humeral head, which is the ball portion of the humerus, and the part of the scapula that covers this ball, or the acromion.

Some other possible causes of shoulder pain include:

• Frozen shoulder
• Dislocated shoulder
• Torn rotator cuff
• Pinched nerve in the shoulder or neck
• Broken shoulder or broken arm bone
• Torn cartilage
• Swollen tendons
• Swollen bursa sacs
• Arthritis
• Bone spurs
• Spinal cord injury

Injuries caused by repetitive use and overuse, as well as serious conditions like a heart attack, can also lead to shoulder pain, highlighting the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment.

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How Is Shoulder Pain Diagnosed?

Your shoulder specialist will need to help you find out what causes your shoulder pain. A physical examination and a medical history can help. Your best shoulder pain management specialist will feel for swelling and tenderness and will also need to evaluate joint stability and the range of motion. Imaging tests might also be needed, such as an MRI or an X-ray. Your doctor might also need to ask you questions to determine the cause of the condition, such as whether both or only one shoulder is affected, whether the pain begins suddenly, whether it hurts even if you’re not moving, whether the pain is experienced in other areas of the body as well and so on.

You must speak to doctors for shoulder pain treatment in Brooklyn if you’re unable to move the shoulder, if your pain lasts and is bruised, if you experience heat and tenderness around the joint, if you suffer from fever and if you’re in pain despite trying a couple of weeks of home treatment.

If you experience shoulder pain all of a sudden that isn’t related to an injury, you must call 911 as soon as possible.

Such shoulder pain can be an indicator of a heart attack. Other signs of a heart attack can include dizziness, trouble breathing dizziness, excessive sweating, or pain in the jaw and neck. It is also important that you call 911 if you suffered an injury, are bleeding, are swollen, or see exposed tissue.

How Do We Treat Shoulder Pain in Brooklyn & Manhattan?

Effective treatment for shoulder pain depends on the cause and severity of the pain. Some treatment options may help, such as physical and occupational therapy, wearing a supportive bandage or shoulder immobilizer, and even surgery in some more severe cases. Your doctor may prescribe certain medications, such as corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Our shoulder pain specialists offer a range of solutions depending on your needs.

Non-Surgical Treatments

• Activity Modification: Avoid movements that increase pain to give your shoulder a chance to recover.
• Physical and occupational therapy: Exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and range of motion.
• Immobilization: Wearing a bandage or shoulder immobilizer reduces strain and promotes healing.
• Medication: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids may be injected directly into the shoulder for targeted relief.

Surgical treatment

• Arthroscopy: A minimally invasive procedure to repair damaged tissue or remove scar tissue.
• Rotator Cuff Repair: Surgery to repair a rotator cuff tear.
• Shoulder joint replacement: Replacement of damaged shoulder joints in severe cases.

Each treatment plan is customized to ensure the best possible outcome. Please consult our specialists to choose the most appropriate treatment options for your shoulder pain.

Home treatments can also include over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, as this can help reduce inflammation and pain.

Can You Prevent Shoulder Pain?

Some simple shoulder exercises can help you to strengthen and stretch the shoulder muscles and the rotator cuff tendons. An occupational therapist and a physical therapist can teach you how to do such exercises properly. If you have suffered from shoulder issues previously, it can be helpful to use an ice pack for 15 minutes after an exercise, as this can prevent future injuries. If you have suffered tendinitis and bursitis, it can help you perform simple range-of-motion exercises daily, preventing frozen shoulder.

If you experiencе shoulder pain, it is important to see a doctor to determine the cause and get the appropriate treatment. Please contact our office for a consultation with the pain relief shoulder specialists in Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan.

Page Updated on Jan 2, 2025 by Dr. Raj Raval, MD (Pain Management Doctor) of Downtown Pain Physicians Of Brooklyn