Shoulder Pain Treatment - How to Treat Shoulder Pain With Physical Therapy

Because the shoulder joint is prone to multiple disorders and injuries, there are different treatment options available to soothe pain but only one truly effective shoulder pain treatment: physical therapy.

Pain is the most common symptom for all shoulder problems and it can be sharp and sudden, as in a dislocation, or more commonly dull and slow growing, as in all rotator cuff disorders such as Tendonitis, Bursitis, a Frozen Shoulder or a tear.

Usually the pains starts on the side of the shoulder like a little tingle, only to grow worse over time and eventually spread down to the elbow or to the neck in the most sever cases. Following arthroscopic surgery, pain is a constant and unwelcome companion for a long time until the cuff muscles and tendons have recovered.

Playing sports like baseball, tennis and golf place the rotator cuff particularly at risk of a tear, with typical weakness upon raising the arm, beside pain.

Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder) and Impingement Syndrome also display painful symptoms and difficulty in performing movements, with partial loss of range of motion for the Frozen Shoulder or a distinctive clicking sensation for the Impingement.

Whatever the disorder or injury, the usual protocol to soothe the pain and/or reduce inflammation is the prescription of steroidal and non-steroidal anti inflammatories. Prescription drugs and over the counter tablets like aspirin and ibuprofen are effective to various degree in calming the pain, however they can not be seriously be considered as a long term shoulder pain treatment.

They are expensive, especially considering the long recovery times involved in any rotator cuff problem, and lead to dependency due to the fact that they cure just the symptoms without eliminating the problem.

However, a professional program of rotator cuff exercises devised by a therapist can drastically reduce recovery times to a fraction, soothing inflammation and pain along the way.

Exercises for rotator cuff aim to strengthen the muscles and tendons of the cuff, eliminating poor postural problems and reducing stress and inflammation of the area in the most natural and effective way. They consist of internal and external rotation movements to be performed on a regular basis with little or no resistance.

Relief of shoulder pain goes hand in hand with a healthy and strong rotator cuff, thus a rehabilitation program following a tear or because of a disorder can help you repair and strengthen the shoulder joint while getting rid of the constant pain as a result. Because the rotator cuff is such a complex set up, it is a fact that any shoulder disorder or injury can take several months, sometimes few years, to fully recover.

There is no need to put up with pain and misery for so long, though. A shoulder pain treatment based on physical therapy can slash recovery times to a fraction.