The Shoulder

A cortisone shot can be used to treat some problems in the arm and hand. These can include trigger fingers, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, tennis elbow and rotator cuff tendonitis. These injections usually contain a numbing medicine.

The normal shoulder joint can be thought of as a golf ball balancing on a tee. If a large enough force in the right direction is applied to the arm, the ball will dislocate from the socket, resulting in a dislocated shoulder.

Among the most common injuries to the hand and wrist in children are broken bones, also known as fractures. Children are not just small adults. Their bones have a different consistency and quality, like soft, fresh wood, as compared to when we age, our bones become more dried-out and brittle. Because children are still growing, their injuries need different evaluation, and sometimes different treatment.

Anesthesia is a way to control pain during a surgery or procedure using medication. The types of medications used for this purpose are called anesthetics. Anesthesia can help control breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Hand therapy is a type of rehabilitation performed by an occupational or physical therapist for patients that have conditions affecting the hands and upper extremities.

Applying a heat treatment or cold treatment is a common method for treating injuries, stiffness, swelling and pain.

Pain after an injury or surgery is common. There are many ways to manage and reduce this pain that may or may not include medication. Each patient, surgery, and surgeon are unique, and the approach to pain management is different for everyone.

Opioids are a type of pain medication made from the poppy plant. It is the same plant that is used to make opium and heroin. They are effective for treating acute or new pain after an injury or surgery.

The rotator cuff is the group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint, providing strength and stability. Above the rotator cuff there is a bursa, or sac of tissue, that covers and protects the rotator cuff as it comes into close contact with bones around the shoulder. When the rotator cuff is injured or damaged, it can lead to inflammation of the bursa, called bursitis, which causes pain and loss of motion.

Scar formation is a normal response following any injury or surgery; it is the way the body heals injured structures. Scar tissue may involve only the superficial skin, or it may involve the deeper tissues beneath the skin, including nerves and tendons.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of shoulder arthritis. This is also known as degenerative joint disease. Less common types of shoulder arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory) and traumatic arthritis.

A shoulder fracture can result from a fall on the shoulder, a motor vehicle accident, contact sports, etc. The type of shoulder fracture varies by age. Most fractures in children occur in the clavicle bone (collarbone). In adults, the most common fracture is of the top part of the humerus (upper arm bone).

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint that allows a wide range of movement. Injury or degradation of the joint structures, from the muscles and soft tissues to the bones, can result in shoulder pain.