Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is a common complaint among people of all ages, with an estimated prevalence anywhere between 7% and 34%. Your risk is higher than average if your job requires you to use repetitive upper body movement, you are older, or you have a history of injury. At Health Box Clinic in Glenview, IL, we successfully treat many patients with shoulder pain across a range of causes. 

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

There are many reasons why you may have a sore shoulder. Half of cases are caused by shoulder impingement, which is a narrowing of the space inside your shoulder and can be responsible for sharp pain. Tendon inflammation, a different bone structure, or weakness in certain shoulder muscles such as the trapezius can all cause impingement. 

Other causes of shoulder pain are: 

• Rotator cuff tears 
• Thoracic outlet syndrome 
• Tendon inflammation or tearing 
• Muscle spasms, inflammation, or tears 
• Bone degeneration in the collarbone 
• Arthritis in the shoulder joint 
• Nerve irritation or damage 

How is Shoulder Pain Diagnosed? 

Shoulder pain is diagnosed with clinical examination, often alongside imaging such as MRI in more severe cases. At Health Box Clinic, we use Sensitiv Imago’s Sensitive Audit to identify the underlying cause of conditions such as musculoskeletal pain, and detect issues before they appear. For example, chronic infection or digestive difficulties may be affecting your shoulder’s ability to repair itself through reduced nutrient availability or increased inflammation. 

Methods of Treatment for Shoulder Pain 

Health Box Clinic offers a number of effective treatments for shoulder pain relief. Our Naprapathy services feature manual therapy, which combines connective tissues with mobilization, manipulation, and stretches to restore healthy functioning to your shoulders. 

Infrared therapy, ultrasound, electro and cold laser therapy are highly effective additions to manual treatment, as they increase tissue regeneration by working on the energy-producing parts of your cells. This is important as connective tissue repair is typically slow when left alone. Cold lasers can speed up the inflammatory stage of wound healing, which may continue for too long in many shoulder pain cases, allowing for repair. They may even reduce the size of scar tissue, a common problem in chronic, severe shoulder impingement. Others, such as therapeutic ultrasound and shockwave therapy, trigger more blood flow and regeneration. 

If your sore shoulder is getting in the way of life, Dr. Lev Kipnis and Dr. Olga Arbitman are here to help with their decades of experience. To learn more, contact us here or call us at 847-724-1777.