Shoulder pain that prevents you from lifting your arm, disrupts your sleep, or makes everyday tasks difficult is more than just an inconvenience. Shoulder pain treatment private doctor London at Clinique Alpa provides prompt clinical assessment, X ray review, effective pain management, and referral to musculoskeletal specialists for procedures such as joint injections when needed.
Common Causes of Shoulder Pain
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, and that mobility comes at the cost of stability. Common causes of shoulder pain include rotator cuff problems such as tendinitis and tears, frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint, bursitis, and referred pain from the neck. Degenerative changes become more common with age and can cause gradual onset pain that worsens over months.
One important feature that your doctor will assess is whether the pain stays in the shoulder or travels down the arm. Pain that radiates to the elbow or beyond may indicate nerve involvement from the neck or referred pain from the shoulder joint itself, and this distinction affects the treatment approach.
How We Assess Shoulder Pain
Your consultation at Clinique Alpa begins with a detailed history of your symptoms, followed by a thorough examination of the shoulder joint, neck, and arm. Your doctor will test the range of movement in different directions, identify specific areas of tenderness, and assess the strength of the rotator cuff muscles. If X rays have been performed, these are reviewed during the consultation.
From Our Practice: Shoulder Arthritis with Referred Arm Pain
A patient contacted the clinic reporting persistent shoulder pain that was now radiating down the right arm to the elbow. She had been trying topical creams and exercises at home without any improvement. While she could bend her elbow normally, lifting her arm above shoulder height was extremely painful and the pain simply was not settling despite weeks of self management.
Her recent shoulder X ray was reviewed during the telephone consultation. The images showed minor narrowing of the glenohumeral joint space and moderate degenerative changes at the greater tuberosity of the shoulder bone, although the space beneath the acromion was preserved and there was no calcification or acute bony injury. The doctor prescribed an appropriate painkiller to provide relief while awaiting specialist review, and arranged a referral to a musculoskeletal specialist for assessment and a joint injection. The prescription was sent directly to her local pharmacy for collection that same day.
When Should You See a Doctor About Shoulder Pain?
You should seek medical attention if your shoulder pain is not improving after 2 weeks of self management, is preventing you from sleeping, limits your ability to use the arm for everyday activities, or is associated with weakness, numbness, or tingling in the hand. Sudden onset shoulder pain following an injury should also be assessed to rule out a fracture or dislocation.
Treatment Options
Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include appropriate pain relief, physiotherapy exercises to restore range of movement and strength, corticosteroid injections into the joint or surrounding structures, and in some cases surgical referral. At Clinique Alpa, we provide a clear diagnosis, start treatment immediately, and ensure you are seen by the right specialist without delay.
Do not put up with shoulder pain that is limiting your life. Book a consultation at cliniquealpa.co.uk or call 0208 882 8088. Clinique Alpa, 466 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, London N13 5PA.