Acute Shoulder Injury: Early Diagnosis with X-rays, Blood Work and Injections

Whether you've suffered a work related injury, were involved in a motor vehicle accident, sustained a sports injury or simply fell at home, the pain and complications associated with a shoulder injury can be life altering.

As a complex part of our anatomy, our shoulders encompass many intrinsic parts that are easily damaged and can lead to life long complication when not diagnosed and treatment properly. For many shoulder pain sufferers, the choice, initially, is to consider a home remedy, applying ice, heat and even purchasing arm slings at the local drug store.

If you are a person who experiences shoulder pain, it is important to understand the aspect of timing in the diagnosis in treatment of your injury. All too often, patients who experience shoulder pain attempt home remedies resulting in frozen shoulder syndromes and complications.

To properly diagnose and treat your shoulder injury, consultation with a healthcare professional is recommended early and soon after your injury occurs. While, initially, your doctor may encourage rest and the use of heat application with NSAIDs for inflammation, the doctor may, first, want to properly diagnose the complication. By obtaining x-rays of the shoulder, your doctor can rule out other pre-existing complications, such as arthritis, which may only serve to exacerbate your shoulder injury.

In addition to screening for arthritis, your physician will also need to evaluate your shoulders for the presence e of a condition known as adhesive capulitis which can develop, rather quickly, from the immobilization of the shoulder.

Beyond x-rays, your healthcare professional, upon examining and diagnosing a shoulder injury, should also obtain blood work to rule out, or confirm, the presence of complications such as rheumatoid arthritis. Because rheumatoid arthritis is a key player in the long term recovery of a shoulder injury, diagnosing this complication early can lead to more aggressive forms of treatment soon after the shoulder injury occurs.