Diagnosing & Treating Shoulder Injuries in Arizona

Your shoulder is a complex joint that gives your arm a wide range of motion. It is where three bones come together — the collarbone, scapula (s)houlder blade, and humerus (a)rm bone. The shoulder also includes ligaments, tendons, muscles, and cartilage. Any of these structures can be damaged by a shoulder injury or condition. 

 

Personalized Shoulder Injury Treatment at Dignity Health

At Dignity Health, we treat a wide range of shoulder injuries and conditions, including:

Your specific shoulder problem will determine your treatment plan. Dignity Health provides complete care for shoulder injuries in Arizona. We use the latest innovative and technologically advanced treatments to help you heal faster and get back to doing what you love. In addition to symptom and pain management, treatment usually includes orthopedic physical therapy and nutritional counseling to help improve both your shoulder and overall health. 

Call (877) 634-0285 or use our online Find a Doctor tool to schedule an appointment with one of our shoulder experts. 

Treatment for shoulder injuries usually starts with nonsurgical approaches, including anti-inflammatory medicines, rest, and exercises to restore flexibility and strengthen the shoulder. Physical therapy can help speed up healing, prevent minor problems from becoming serious, and reduce your risk of future shoulder issues.

Corticosteroid shots into the shoulder are another common therapy for shoulder injuries and conditions. Shoulder surgery may be necessary if other treatments haven’t helped. We offer both open shoulder surgery and minimally invasive arthroscopic shoulder surgery options at several of our facilities. 

 

What Causes Shoulder Injuries?

Shoulder problems usually result from a disease of the soft tissues or an injury. Overuse from repetitive motions during hobby, sports, or work commonly causes soft tissue problems. Fractures and other bone injuries of the shoulder are usually due to trauma. 

If your shoulder injury occurred while playing a sport or exercising, our sports medicine program can help you recover and prevent future injuries.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the cartilage and bones of the shoulder. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is a degenerative disease of the joint that causes breakdown of cartilage and other damage. 

 

Symptoms of Shoulder Injuries

Most shoulder injuries and conditions cause pain. It can range from sharp and severe to dull and achy. The location of your shoulder pain may help your doctor make a diagnosis. 

People with shoulder problems also experience:

  • Weakness
  • Stiffness
  • Shoulder looseness, such as a feeling it could slide or pop out of place
  • Problems lifting the arm
  • Inability to rotate the arm
  • Shoulder deformity, in the case of dislocations and fractures

Dignity Health provides orthopedic procedures for shoulder injuries in Arizona.

Shoulder Injuries in Arizona