Conditions such as arthritis of the shoulder joint or disorders of the four rotator cuff muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder are common causes for shoulder pain. Treatments for shoulder pain may include physiotherapy, steroid injections into the joint or even surgery. When conservative measures have failed to provide significant benefit a minimally invasive treatment called a suprascapular nerve block may be beneficial. This involves injecting this local anaesthetic and a long acting steroid around the nerve using ultrasound or x-ray to guide the needle accurately to the correct location. This may provide improved analgesia, enabling the patient to perform their physiotherapy and rehabilitation. This treatment option is also suitable for patients who are not suitable or do not wish to proceed with surgery.
Treatments for shoulder pain
