Shoulder Tendonitis Relief

Tendinitis is an inflammatory condition of the tendon often caused by some type of repetitive motion. In cases of the shoulder, it is commonly a result of perpetual overhead movements of the arm, but it may also manifest due to overload or overuse of the actual shoulder. As you use your arm, the tendons of the shoulder can become weakened, irritated and inflamed, which can eventually cause pain, tenderness and limit your range of motion. Luckily, you don't need to simply live with this condition, as there are a number of treatments to bring you relief.

Self-Care Relief

• To find relief from this inflammatory condition, a little self-care can really go a long way. When tendinitis firsts sets in, apply ice directly to the affected shoulder. This not only lessens the inflammation you're currently experiencing, but also alleviates a great deal of the pain. Ice should only be applied anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes periodically during the day. You're only trying to decrease the amount of blood rushing to the injured tendon, so both swelling and pain are kept to a minimum. Any longer could make matters worse.

  As soon as you're finished icing the area, bind your shoulder with a bandage. Elastic wrap works the best, as it conforms to the contours of your shoulder and allows for some much needed pressure. Wrapping the shoulder compresses the area to further decrease the amount of swelling and immobilizes this region of the body to limit your movements. You're trying to lower the possibility of further irritation and injury, so binding the area should effectively accomplish this.

  Follow up the icing and binding with some rest. This method of relief is potentially the most effectual treatment for any type of tendinitis. Since one of the tendons in your shoulder is irritated and inflamed, movement can exacerbate the injury, so make sure to get the proper amount of rest. Do this throughout the day as you go about your normal activities, like work, chores and other pursuits.

Medical Relief

• While the majority of cases involving shoulder tendinitis benefit from self-care, some people may only find relief through medical care. Most of the time, this care includes a course of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but may also comprise of corticosteroids, a type of medication that effectively reduces pain by lessening any inflammation of the tendon.

  For more severe cases of tendinitis, you may need to participate in physical therapy. This form of treatment establishes a number of exercises to help heal and strengthen the shoulder while providing techniques to better prevent re-injury.

  When neither of these courses of treatment are successful, your doctor may recommend surgery to manually mend the injury or tear of the tendon.