Shoulder pain is a common condition, owing to the fact that it is the most mobile joint in the body. It should not be disregarded because like any other condition, the quicker it is managed, the better the results.

In tackling a shoulder malady, it is vital to gather sufficient information consisting of the history of the injury, diagnosis, and ultimately its cause. These are the measures by which the treatment plan is based. Naturally, formulation of a treatment regimen must depend on the cause of the shoulder problem. The most common causes are frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tears, referred pain from the neck, degenerative disorders such as arthritis and avascular necrosis, labral tears, calcific tendinitis, joint laxity, age, and tendon rupture.

Because the causes listed above have different levels of severity, we will focus on the more basic ways of treating a shoulder pain. Here are some forms of treatment that can be used for general shoulder conditions.

Rest. This is the hallmark of all treatments. All conditions should undergo a period of rest, especially if the area is swelling and extremely painful. But careful consideration should be made when it comes to the number of days of rest. For the shoulder, two or three days of rest and immobilization is appropriate, as too much rest may lead to a more debilitating condition, which is known as frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis.

Physical Therapy. The principles of physical therapy incorporate application of hot and cold in the acute, subacute, and chronic stages of healing, which precedes range of motion exercises. Exercises are initially passive and pain-free and then progressed to resistive to increase muscle integrity and strength. Physical therapy has been shown to help hasten alleviation when it is prescribed together with medical treatment.

Medications. Most simple pain killers can be obtained over-the-counter, the more common being aspirin and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Acetaminophens such as Tylenol, and ibuprofen such as Motrin and Advil, are also some common medicines that are used in the household as first liners to treat all sorts of pain, including shoulder pain. These medications usually have short term pain relief and should be prescribed along with other treatments.

Alternative Therapies. These are conservative, non-medical treatments that use various hands-on techniques of manipulation to aid in shoulder mobility and elimination of pain.

Massage. Massage is very beneficial when dealing with shoulder problems. Massage helps to relieve the muscle spasms surrounding the shoulder, which can increase circulation and facilitate healing.

Acupuncture. It is a technique which utilizes needles inserted to the different areas of the body where there is pain or discomfort. There has been evidence proving acupuncture to be an effective complementary therapy.

Chiropractic. Recognized as being the third largest area of medicine, chiropractic treatment deals with pain relief through specialized spinal manipulations that target the musculoskeletal and the nervous system. The chiropractor evaluates not only shoulder pain, but an individual's overall health, including formulation of diet and exercises based on a person's lifestyle.

Even though shoulder pain can be problematic, there are many conservative things that you can do before resorting to surgery. Giving these things a try can allow you to get relief, without having to resort to drastic measures.