Shoulder Pain
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Risk Factors
Symptoms
Evaluation
Treatment
specialist
Home Care
pain and inflammation
warning signs
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Shoulder Pain Home Care
Home care
for shoulder pain includes:
Apply cold compresses:
Apply for 20-30 minutes, every 4 hours, for the first few days.
Apply warm compresses:
Apply for 20-30 minutes, every 4 hours, after 2 days
Rest:
Wear a sling as directed.
Long term immobilization in a sling can lead to
frozen shoulder
.
If you wear a shoulder sling for longer than two weeks make sure you perform shoulder range of motion exercises twice a day to avoid
frozen shoulder
.
Perform shoulder stretching exercises:
As directed by your doctor
Take prescribed medications as directed.
Acetaminophen
for pain
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
for pain:
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Ketoprofen
Apply nonprescription pain rubs:
ArthriCare
Arthritis
Pain Relieving Rub
Aspercreme
Ben-Gay
Capzasin-HP
Sportscreme
Continue to
Shoulder Pain Home Care: Pain And Inflammation
Related Conditions
AC separation
Adhesive capsulitis
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rotator cuff tear
Rotator cuff tendinitis
Shoulder bursitis
Shoulder dislocation
Shoulder fracture
Shoulder sprain
Shoulder tendinitis
Biceps
tendinitis
Shoulder Injury Checkup
Shoulder injury
Shoulder pain
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Last Updated: Aug 4, 2008
References
Authors:
Stephen J. Schueler, MD
;
John H. Beckett, MD
;
D. Scott Gettings, MD
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DSHI Systems, Inc.
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Shoulder Pain References:
Cobiella CE. Shoulder pain in sports. Hosp Med. 2004 Nov;65(11):652-6.
Ginn KA, Cohen ML. Conservative treatment for shoulder pain: prognostic indicators of outcome. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Aug;85(8):1231-5.
Green S, Buchbinder R, Hetrick S. Acupuncture for shoulder pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Apr 18;(2):CD005319.
Hanchard NC, Howe TE, Gilbert MM. Diagnosis of shoulder pain by history and selective tissue tension: agreement between assessors. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2005 Mar;35(3):147-53.