From pulling on your shirts and jacket to throwing a ball, your shoulder is an imperative part of the body. This important joint does experience a great deal of stress over time, which may cause some stiffness and pain. Unfortunately, some people suffer from even more pain due to the development of arthritis in the shoulder. If you are dealing with shoulder pain that stems from arthritis, help is available. Here are a few ways to manage your arthritic shoulder pain.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
After visiting a doctor for your arthritic shoulder pain, certain medications may be recommended or prescribed.
In less severe cases, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, may be sufficient for reducing inflammation and pain. In more severe cases, a prescription anti-inflammatory medication may be necessary.
It is important to note that these medications will not be effective for long periods of time. Therefore, a different course of treatment will be necessary if your pain continues or the inflammation and stiffness worsen.
Heat and cold compresses may also be used in addition to the anti-inflammatory medications. Both of these compresses, used for a few minutes at a time, can numb your pain while easing swelling and inflammation.
Exercises
If you are experiencing arthritic pain, your last thought may be to exercise. However, exercising with the help of a physical therapist while under the care of your doctor can actually reduce inflammation and pain.
Exercises may involve low-impact movements of the shoulder, such as stretches, swimming, yoga, and even light weight training.
One common stretch recommended by physical therapists include the pendulum stretch. This involves standing up straight, relaxing your neck, and then moving your arm (with the affected shoulder joint) in a circular motion for a few minutes.
Surgery
If you are continuing to experience severe pain and stiffness or you are unable to move your shoulder joint fully, talk to your doctor, since surgery may be necessary.
A partial or full shoulder replacement surgery may be an invasive procedure, but it can be beneficial to your health and overall quality of life.
This procedure removes the damaged components of the joint and the inflamed, damaged ligaments, replacing them with artificial components that allow you to move your shoulder joint in a smoother, pain-free manner.
After the replacement surgery, physical therapy will be recommended. This physical therapy will help you learn how to use your new shoulder joint without pain or discomfort.
For help dealing with your shoulder pain, contact a company like Northern Care Inc Prosthetics & Orthotics.
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