A shoulder doctor is essentially an orthopedic physician who specializes in the diagnoses, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries affecting not only the shoulder but of the entire upper extremity—the hand, wrist, fingers, arm, and elbow.
While many shoulder problems can be handled by your primary care physician, they will most likely refer you to a shoulder doctor if they determine that your condition warrants specialized care.
Listed below are some specific musculoskeletal problems that often require the expertise of a shoulder doctor.
Arthritis
Arthritis is an umbrella term encompassing various conditions that cause joint pain and inflammation. When it affects the shoulder, arthritis causes the cartilage on the ball and/or socket areas of the joint to wear down, thus the pain, swelling, tenderness, limited range of motion, and stiffness.
In cases of severe or intractable shoulder arthritis, your doctor will likely recommend shoulder replacement surgery to relieve the pain and restore the joint’s normal function and range of motion.
Fractures
A shoulder fracture is a break in any of the three bones comprising the shoulder: collarbone, shoulder blade, and upper arm bone. It is commonly caused by fall injuries, vehicular accidents, or any activity that involves direct trauma or blow to the joint.
A shoulder fracture causes pain, bump or deformity, discoloration on or around the upper arm, swelling, and tenderness. If you have an open shoulder fracture, you will notice your bone piercing through your skin. In such case, your shoulder doctor will likely recommend surgery to put the fragments together and fix them with pins, plates, screws, or wires.
Rotator Cuff Injury
A rotator cuff injury occurs when the rotator cuff—the group of four tendons and muscles that give the shoulder its stability and strength—gets torn or overstretched. It is often caused by falling on an outstretched hand (acute rotator cuff injury) or prolonged heavy lifting (chronic rotator cuff injury).
Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include a dull but deep ache, limited arm mobility, muscle weakness, and popping sensation (crepitus).
If you have a severe case of rotator cuff injury in which your tendon is completely torn, your shoulder doctor will likely resort to surgically reattaching it to its original place on your upper arm bone.
Shoulder Dislocation
Among all of the joints in the human body, the shoulder happens to be the least stable and most susceptible to dislocation because it is a shallow ball-and-socket joint resting upon the shoulder blade’s moving platform.
Shoulder dislocation occurs when the shoulder slips out of the socket, causing severe pain, limited mobility, deformity, and bruising.
If you have recurring shoulder dislocation, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair the stretched or torn ligaments, thereby enabling them to better hold the shoulder in place.
Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
Shoulder impingement, which is a common cause of shoulder pain, develops when your shoulder blade’s top outer edge referred to as the acromion pinches or impinges on your rotator cuff.
Other than pain that gets worse at night and is present both at rest and during activity, shoulder impingement causes limited mobility and shoulder or arm weakness.
If an extensive course of conservative treatment fails to provide adequate relief, your shoulder doctor may recommend arthroscopic shoulder decompression—a type of surgical intervention done to remove part of the acromion and consequently give the rotator cuff more space.
Shoulder Doctor in Lutherville, Maryland
At Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder, our highly skilled upper-extremity specialists have earned the trust and confidence of countless people across Maryland for the unmatched quality of care and excellent treatment outcomes they have consistently been providing for over three decades.
To see one of our shoulder specialists, contact our clinic at (410) 296-6232 or use our appointment request form. We are proud to serve Bel Air, Clarksville, Eldersburg, Pasadena, and Westminster, Maryland.
