Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Injury Care in Jacksonville

A chiropractor may help some types of shoulder pain, especially when joint stiffness or the neck and upper back are involved. Our chiropractic physicians use extremity adjustments along with exercise, and they work alongside our physical therapists. Tears and instability usually need physical therapy and sometimes a surgeon.

You can’t know for sure without an exam, and sometimes imaging. Signs that may point to a tear include weakness lifting the arm, pain when lowering it, pain at night, and a sudden loss of strength after an injury. An evaluation can tell whether imaging or a referral is needed.

Impingement means the rotator cuff tendons or the bursa above them get irritated as you lift your arm. It usually hurts in a middle range of motion, around shoulder height to overhead. It often responds to physical therapy that restores shoulder and shoulder-blade control.

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a tightening of the joint capsule that causes pain and stiffness in every direction. It usually moves through painful, stiff and thawing phases. Recovery often takes many months, and physical therapy may help you keep and regain motion along the way.

The shoulder can be strained by the seat belt, by bracing against the steering wheel, or by an impact with the door. Pain can also be referred from an injured neck. Because symptoms sometimes show up a day or more later, it helps to be evaluated even if the pain seemed minor at first.

Florida PIP may cover medically necessary shoulder care if your initial care started within 14 days of the crash. PIP pays 80% of reasonable charges. Medical benefits can go up to the $10,000 PIP limit, once a medical doctor, osteopathic physician, PA or APRN makes an Emergency Medical Condition determination. Massage therapy is not covered.

Research support is strongest for calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy, where calcium builds up in the tendon. Evidence for other shoulder problems is more limited. At our clinic, shockwave is cash-pay and not billed to insurance, and it isn’t appropriate for everyone.

Not always. Many shoulder problems can be diagnosed from a careful exam. We refer for X-ray, MRI or ultrasound when a tear, fracture or dislocation is suspected, when surgery may be considered, or when you are not improving as expected.

A surgical opinion may make sense for a suspected full-thickness tear, especially after a sudden injury, a shoulder that keeps dislocating, a fracture, or pain and weakness that don’t improve with a fair trial of rehab. We refer patients when the exam points that way.

Yes. An irritated nerve in the neck can cause pain in the shoulder blade, the top of the shoulder or down the arm, sometimes with numbness or tingling. That is why our shoulder exam includes a neck and nerve screen.

Most injury care at East Coast Injury Clinic is covered through one of four paths: auto insurance PIP after a car accident, a personal injury attorney’s Letter of Protection, state workers’ compensation for a work injury, or federal workers’ compensation (OWCP or Longshore) if you are a federal or maritime employee. We also see patients under Medicare, Tricare, VA Community Care, and a limited number of private plans. Our front desk verifies coverage before your first visit and explains exactly what is and is not covered for your specific case, so there are no surprises. Call 904-513-3954 or visit eastcoastinjury.com to start.