To diagnose shoulder pain, the doctor will conduct a medical history of the patient (medical history) to see under what conditions the pain appears, whether the shoulders have been overworked or whether there are any injuries. The next step is to perform a physical examination to check the local sensitivity, the ability to move the shoulder, the stability of the joints and the presence of inflammation.
Imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or radiography, help to obtain clear images of the structure of the shoulder in order to make a correct diagnosis.
During the consultation, the doctor may ask questions to find out whether the shoulder pain has arisen spontaneously, whether the pain migrates to other areas of the body or whether it is felt even when the patient is standing still.
It is recommended that you contact your doctor if you experience other symptoms such as fever, inability to move your arm, bruising, heat or tenderness around your shoulder joints, but also if pain persists after treatment.
It is important to remember that if shoulder pain is not associated with an injury, it may be a heart attack. Symptoms associated with a heart attack include breathing problems, chest pressure, dizziness, excessive sweating and sore throat.
Treatment of shoulder pain
Orthopedic treatment of shoulder pain depends on its cause and severity. In most cases, shoulder pain can be treated at home. Other treatments include physiotherapy, administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, infiltration or surgery.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is helpful in the treatment of shoulder stiffness and weakness, being the first step in the treatment of shoulder pain. The role of physiotherapy is to improve the comfort level of the patient so that he can resume daily activities.