What Is Shoulder Pain Injection Therapy?

Shoulder injection therapy treats pain using anti-inflammatory medications combined with a local anesthetic. The goal of shoulder pain injection therapy is to relieve pain and reduce the swelling in a shoulder joint. When pain is reduced, you have increased range of motion in the shoulder joint.

The shoulder ball-and-socket joint allows a wide range of movements, which makes it vulnerable to injury. The joint has more range of motion than any other joint in your body. An injury, disease or effects usually cause the debilitating pain that affects your quality of life.

Dr. Ilana Etelzon, a pain management specialist in New York City, uses shoulder injections and other advanced techniques for pain treatments at her practice. The pain doctor integrates a holistic approach to treat pain using minimally invasive procedures and regenerative medicine.

What Are the Types of Shoulder Injections?

Pain management specialists use different injections to treat shoulder pain, depending on your diagnosis. Common shoulder injections include:

Cortisone injection. Cortisone is a steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication that works by suppressing your body’s immune system in the short term. The slowed reaction by your body reduces swelling in your shoulder and relieves pain.
Hyaluronic Acid injections. Hyaluronans are anti-inflammatory medications that also stimulate the production of endogenous synovial fluid production, which aids in lubrication. The injections are especially helpful to treat degenerative joint disease.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections. A PRP injection in the shoulder uses your platelets to aid in the healing of injured muscles and joints and other parts of the shoulder joint, such as tendons and ligaments.
Local anesthetic. Your doctor might combine the main medication with a numbing agent for pain relief.

The pain management team, led by Dr. Etelzon uses cutting-edge equipment at a state-of-the-art pain clinic. The multi-disciplinary approach used by the pain specialist for pain treatment achieves optimal results.

How Is a Shoulder Injection Done?

Shoulder injection procedures may vary slightly depending on your diagnosis. And while your pain specialist follows the most effective procedure for the best results, basic steps include:

Consultations. Your pain doctor does a physical assessment of the painful shoulder and a review of your medical history.
Preparation. Your doctor advises on the medications and dietary supplements you should stop.
The shoulder injection. Your doctor identifies the best site for the injection based on your diagnosis, and using a specialized needle guided by ultrasound and fluoroscopy, injects the medication into the affected shoulder joint area.
Recovery. You might feel some slight soreness for about two days, but once the effect fades, the pain medication works and lasts anywhere from two to six months.

The shoulder injection site varies depending on the underlying condition and source of pain. With a shoulder injection, Dr. Etelzon and her board-certified professionals improve your quality of life through pain relief and restoration of function in your shoulder and arms.

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What Does a Shoulder Injection Treat?

Your pain specialist may recommend a shoulder injection to treat a variety of underlying conditions, such as:

Tendinopathy
Calcific tendinitis
Acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) pain
Shoulder bursitis
Shoulder tendonitis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Rotator cuff injuries
Shoulder arthritis
Frozen shoulder

At the NYC pain management practice, Dr. Etelzon works closely with you to develop an individualized treatment program. With the availability of multiple treatment options, the doctor offers opioid-free options for patients seeking chronic pain relief.

Am I a Candidate for Shoulder Injection?

The main indicator for a shoulder pain injection is persistent pain that hasn’t responded to conservative treatments, like rest and exercise. You may be a good candidate for a shoulder pain injection if you meet certain criteria that includes:

You’ve got pain around the upper aspect of the shoulder.
You suffer pain when you move your hands.
Shoulder pain restricts movement or work.
You have irreparable problems with your shoulder joints such as osteoarthritis, traumatic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
You experience sharp pain when playing overhead sports like tennis, weight lifting and squash.
You suffer from sharp pain during the night.
You’re in overall good health.
You’ve tried conservative therapies without success.

Your pain doctor in NYC uses a shoulder injection to relieve pain and improve motion in the important shoulder joint so you can resume your normal activities and get back to the sports you enjoy. Contact the NYC pain management team today for the most effective pain treatment procedures.

Patient Testimonials

Patient Doctor Relationships Based on Trust

Dr. Etelzon always makes sure you are comfortable and leave her office with less pain you came in. She gets to the root of the problem. She's friendly. Clean office environment. No long waits, efficient visit. Highly satisfied with my treatment plan.
Jacqueline Rodriguez Patient
Doctor Etelzon is very knowledgeable and really cares about her patients. She will take her time to discuss patients problem, answer questions and use her expertise to help. Dr. Etelzon maintains a friendly , clean , and efficient office environment.
Narik Fuzailov Patient
Helped me with my pain! Great bedside manner. Highly recommend this doctor.
Anonymous Patient
Dr.Etelzon is very knowledgeable and caring and has hands of hold! She was so thorough in her examination and really sees and hears the patient and determines a customized treatment. Thank you, Dr.Etelzon!
Anonymous Patient
Dr. Ilana Etelzon thank you for your help, you have golden hands. Very attentive and knowledgeable doctor. The office staff is friendly and kind, you girls are beautiful.
Valeriy Shek Patient (Google Review)
Dear Doctor Etelzon, Thank you again. I am starting to feel more like myself again...I couldn't say the problem is totally gone, but a big weight has been lifted...Today...I decided to go and do my nails which I did not do for a long time after the incident. I also asked my daughter if we could go to the park. These are things I normally enjoy but forgot about them for a few months now.
Anonymous Patient

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