Shoulder Surgery
Shoulder Surgery Columbia, SC
Common Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder pain leads many of our patients to seek help from our physicians. Pain in the shoulder decreases mobility and makes daily tasks, like getting dressed, working, or even sleeping, very uncomfortable. Because you rely on your shoulder for so much, symptoms and conditions of shoulder issues are usually easy and quickly identified. These symptoms and conditions include:
- Arthritis
- Rotator Cuff Tear
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
- Dislocation
- Slap Tear
- Impingement
Anatomy of the Shoulder
Your shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body. It can move in more ways than any other joint and is made up of three bones: the upper arm bone called the humerus, the shoulder blade known as the scapula, and the collarbone, or clavicle.
Common Shoulder Injury Symptoms
There are many different injuries of the shoulder you may encounter. Listed here are some of the common symptoms of a shoulder injury:
- Decreased range of motion
- Sharp pain when reaching
- Snapping or popping of the shoulder joint
- Stiffness
Shoulder Injury Treatments
Just like other orthopedic problems, our team of physicians can provide both surgical and non-surgical methods to heal your shoulder pain. These methods may include:
- Rotator Cuff Surgery
- Arthroscopy
- Injections
- Shoulder Replacement Surgery
- Physical Therapy
How Painful is Shoulder Surgery?
Shoulder surgery often uses neck or shoulder nerve blocks, because they relieve post-surgery discomfort. A general anesthetic puts you to sleep throughout the operation. Pain is a natural part of healing. Speak to your doctor if you feel you need suggestions on how to manage your recovery pain.
What is Shoulder Arthroscopy?
Shoulder arthroscopy is a surgery that is used to diagnose issues in the shoulder and fix it. If you have a torn rotator cuff or pain in your shoulder, you might have an arthroscopy done. Traditional surgery uses bigger incisions than minimally invasive procedures, and the size of each incision for arthroscopy is about the same as a keyhole.
Your surgeon will place an arthroscope, which is a small camera through an incision, and on a video screen, this camera shows pictures of your shoulder joint. Your doctor looks at these pictures to figure out what is causing your shoulder pain. If you need a repair done, the surgeon will use small surgical tools to fix your shoulder and get it moving again.
Shoulder Surgery Recovery
After surgery, you can expect to have pain and discomfort for a few weeks. If you had a bigger surgery, though, it might take longer for the pain to go away. Pain and swelling can be eased with ice, and if you need it, your doctor may give you pain medications.
Physical therapy will play a large role in your recovery. It is important to follow all instructions you are given to ensure a quick recovery. Although it takes longer to recover from more complicated procedures, it’s important to remember a full recovery is still possible, which may take several months.
If you’ve been experiencing shoulder pain, or have a shoulder injury that you’d like one of our physicians to assess, please call 803-256-4107, or click below.