Shoulder Pain Relief & Treatment Specialists in Atlanta, GA

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It has three main bones: the upper arm bone, the shoulder blade, and the collarbone. The top of the upper arm fits into a socket in the shoulder blade, and a grouping of tendons and muscles called the rotator cuff keeps the arm centered in the socket. Shoulder pain relief specialists see four main causes of shoulder pain:

• Tendon inflammation or tear (bursitis or tendinitis)
• Instability
• Fracture
• Arthritis

Bursitis  Bursitis occurs when the small sacs of fluid located in the joints in the shoulder called bursae become inflamed. They function as cushions, protecting the bones and overlying tissues so that there is less friction between the muscles and the bone. Overuse  Overuse of the shoulder can lead to swelling and inflammation in the bursa , which is located between a part of the shoulder blade and the rotator cuff. This leads to inflammation of the tissues, causing pain. Tendinitis Tendinitis is another cause of pain in the shoulder we often see at our Atlanta shoulder pain clinic. When there is inflammation in your biceps tendon (which joins bone to muscle) or your rotator cuff, it results in tendinitis — which can be acute or chronic. Tendon Tears Tendon tears are another concern that causes shoulder pain. The tendon can split or tear because of a degenerative disease, from age, or from an acute injury. Rotator cuff tears are very common and make it difficult to raise or move your arm. Instability At our shoulder pain center in Atlanta, Georgia, we also see a lot of shoulder instability that causes pain. This condition can happen when the top of the upper arm bone slips out of the shoulder socket. Dislocation A dislocation can be partial or complete. After one dislocation, you are more prone to experiencing another, with the tendons and ligaments becoming looser. Arthritis Arthritis can also cause shoulder pain. The most common type that affects the shoulder is osteoarthritis. You may feel swelling, stiffness, and pain in varying degrees. Osteoarthritis can develop from wear and tear or from an injury. There are also other types of arthritis that affect the rotator cuff, as well as infections and lining inflammation. Fractures Fractures refer to broken bones — and in the shoulder, they usually involve the shoulder blade, the upper arm bone, or the collarbone. If you have one or more of these conditions above, call our clinic to schedule your free consultation at 770.232.6243.