Conquering Your Shoulder Pain or Tendonitis
Often called pitcher’s shoulder, swimmer’s shoulder, and tennis shoulder, it is not just athletes develop shoulder pain or tendonitis. In fact, it is actually common in many occupations. If left unaddressed, shoulder tendonitis can result in a rupture, leading to permanent health issues. Read below to learn more about the causes and symptoms of shoulder pain and tendonitis and how to finally conquer it with the help of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), which we provide at HealthLogicMD.
Call Us: 720.446.5190 Schedule an AppointmentCauses & Symptoms & Treatment
Causes of Shoulder Pain or Tendonitis
The most common cause of shoulder pain is rotator cuff tendonitis, which is also called impingement syndrome. It is often caused by a repetitive moving of the arm over the head that develops into and irritation or becomes inflamed. Many athletes experience this condition, which is why it’s often called pitcher’s shoulder, swimmer’s shoulder, and tennis shoulder. But carpenters, painters, welders, and other positions that require manual labor also develop rotator cuff tendonitis, typically on their dominant hand. Finally, rotator cuff tendonitis simply can be caused by the habit of sleeping on your shoulder or by not moving your shoulder for long periods of time. Other causes of shoulder pain can include a physical injury and calcium buildup in the tendons.
Symptoms of Shoulder Pain or Tendonitis
The first symptoms tend to be pain, swelling, and/or tenderness in your shoulder. You might also feel a burning or weakness in your affected arm. And you might not be able to hold your arm in certain positions. At first, you may only experience the pain while participating in some other type of athletic activity such as exercise, or engaging in any work activities that require you to raise the affected arm about your head. But the pain could become progressively worse and more constant and could even interrupt your sleep. As the condition continues, your tendon can progressively weaken, eventually leading to a partial or complete tear.
Treatment of Shoulder Pain or Tendonitis
The first line of treatment for mild shoulder pain or tendonitis is to rest it and ice on it. Patients should keep moving the shoulder, however, so that it doesn’t become “frozen.” Ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain medications may be prescribed – or your doctor might prescribe a stronger medication. You might even be given steroid pills or injections. If the pain or tendonitis does not go away (i.e., it becomes chronic), you might become a candidate for extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). Requiring between 6 to 10 treatment, each taking 10-15 minutes long, ESWT has been clinically proven effective in treating shoulder tendonitis. It does so by promoting collagen synthesis and tissue modeling, among other benefits. With the procedure, you simply relax and, after an application of a local anesthetic onto the shoulder to reduce any pain, high energy shock waves are applied above the skin to the area, which often provides immediate relief upon the first treatment. Complete recovery is typically achieved within 6 to 10 sessions. A final option is surgery. When the tendon is not torn, an arthroscope is inserted into the shoulder through an incision to “shave” the area within the joint, so that it doesn’t get pinched with movement. When the tendon is torn, which becomes more likely the longer the condition exists, “open” surgery is required. ESWT, however, often eliminates the risk factors associated with needing surgery and allows people to get back to their normal life.
Causes of Shoulder Pain or Tendonitis
The most common cause of shoulder pain is rotator cuff tendonitis, which is also called impingement syndrome. It is often caused by a repetitive moving of the arm over the head that develops into and irritation or becomes inflamed. Many athletes experience this condition, which is why it’s often called pitcher’s shoulder, swimmer’s shoulder, and tennis shoulder. But carpenters, painters, welders, and other positions that require manual labor also develop rotator cuff tendonitis, typically on their dominant hand. Finally, rotator cuff tendonitis simply can be caused by the habit of sleeping on your shoulder or by not moving your shoulder for long periods of time. Other causes of shoulder pain can include a physical injury and calcium buildup in the tendons.
Take the first step to regaining your pain-free lifestyle
Learn About Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
ESWT was first introduced in 1982 as a way to dissolve urinary stones, so they could pass less painfully. However, as medical studies progressed, ESWT was found to be an effective treatment for tendonitis and other soft-tissue conditions. ESWT treatment promotes collagen synthesis and tissue modeling, among other benefits, which improve the chances for a complete recovery for musculoskeletal pain conditions without the need for surgery.
More about ESWT
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy gets its name, because shock waves, a type of sound wave, are delivered to the injured tissue “extracorporeally,” which means above the skin. The shock wave device delivers impulses to the affected area, which stimulate blood flow, relax muscles in spasm, and stimulate tissue repair. Immediate pain relief is achieved upon the 1st treatment in most cases, while 6-10 treatments are usually required for complete recovery.
ESWT is commonly used in the treatment of a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. If you suffer from chronic pain in the Achilles tendon, elbow, knee, plantar fascia, shoulder, or other parts of your body, you might be a candidate for ESWT.
Call Us: 720.446.5190 Schedule an In-Office ConsultationMeet the Team
Dr. Inna Trey MD
Family Medicine & Hormonal Health
Dr. Trey is Family Medicine Board Certified and is certified by BioTE Medical for Hormone Optimization. Dr. Trey’s goal for every patient is to treat the root cause of their ailment, rather than just mask the symptoms with prescription medication. In her spare time, Dr. Trey loves to go on adventures with her husband, 2 kids and the family dog.
Vanessa Flores, MA
Practice Manager and Medical Assistant
Vanessa is a Colorado native and is a Medical Assistant with over 13 years of experience. Vanessa is treats every patient like they are family, and you can always count on a smile when you talk to her. Vanessa is mother to 4 functional kids, so you know she can keep calm during those busy days.
Patient Success Stories
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I was suffering from pain in my heel for over 3 years and thought the pain would never go away. After the first visit to Dr. Trey’s office, I felt a significant reduction in pain level and after the 4th treatment, the pain completely subsided! It’s incredible!
Karen L. Centennial, CO -
I am so thankful for being able to walk pain-free again! I am almost crying just thinking about it.
Lorie J. Greenwood Village, CO -
I had elbow pain for close to a year and was almost at the point of going for surgery. I am so glad I tried ESWT at Dr. Trey’s office instead! I have had 5 treatments so far and the pain is virtually non-existent. Honestly, it’s hard to believe, but it’s real!
Jonathan M. Centennial, CO -
My shoulders were almost always in pain. It was ridiculous. I had to pretty much give up going to the gym and was seriously considering surgery. I googled ‘surgery-free shoulder pain therapy’ and found HealthLogicMD and boy am I glad I did! It’s been 7 weeks since my last ESWT procedure and I am pretty much pain free. Procedures were only 15 minutes! I told all my family and friends about Dr. Trey already.
Chris M. Littleton, CO -
The staff and Dr. Trey herself were all extremely courteous, helpful and competent. I was honestly blown away by how efficient and pleasant every appointment was. The main thing though is I can finally use my knees without pain again. I am going back to jogging as soon as the weather warms up!
Amy S. Denver, CO -
ESWT worked! Plain and simple. I was suffering from CONSTANT foot pain. I did not know what to do anymore and thought surgery was the way to go. I was referred to HealthLogicMD by a friend of the family and Dr. Trey recommended Shock Wave Therapy. After only 4 treatments, the pain is 95% gone. It was eye opening! Thank you guys!
Sergey F. Aurora, CO -
This sounds almost unbelievable but I was almost completely pain free after just one session. It was like magic. Now after the full 4 sessions, my achilles pain is a distant memory. You guys rock!
David N. Centennial, CO