Pain After Shoulder Surgery

What is pain after shoulder surgery?

You might experience pain after shoulder surgery in response to failed shoulder surgery, as surgery brings no guarantee that you’ll be pain-free. 

Post-surgery pain can result from a botched surgery, undergoing the wrong type of surgery for your condition, improper healing, a new injury, or residual nerve related pain after surgical intervention.

What type of pain might I feel after shoulder surgery?

If you experience pain after shoulder surgery, you might notice:

• Sharp pain
• Dull or aching pain
• Pain with movement
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Decreased range of motion 
• Inability to move your arm above you head
• Burning, numbness, tingling in the shoulder, neck, or am

Shoulder pain ranges in severity from mild to severe. It can linger long-term or come and go periodically. If chronic or debilitating shoulder pain after surgery harms your quality of life, see the SamWell Institute for Pain Management team for evaluation and treatment. 

How does my provider diagnose pain after shoulder surgery?

To find the right solution for pain after shoulder surgery, Dr. Shah and his team review your medical and surgical history, ask about your symptoms, and complete a physical exam. They might recommend you undergo blood tests, MRIs, X-rays, or CT scans to develop a personalized pain-management treatment plan.

What are my shoulder pain treatment options?

Some of the numerous options available for treating pain after shoulder surgery include:

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS)

With SCS, Dr. Shah and his team implant a tiny device beneath the skin within the epidural space behind your spinal cord during a minimally invasive, outpatient and same-day surgical procedure. The device sends electrical impulses to block pain signals and alleviate discomfort.  Dr. Shah will perform an external trial of the device for 7 days to ensure that it has appropriately decreased your shoulder pain prior to proceeding with a long-term implant of the device. The procedure is performed under direct live fluoroscopic or X-ray image guidance for accuracy, precision, and safety. 

Shoulder nerve radiofrequency ablation

During shoulder nerve radiofrequency ablation, Dr. Shah uses pulsed radiofrequency energy to deactivate specific nerves responsible for pain signal transmission into the shoulder joint and its ligaments and tendons. The procedure is minimally invasive, pain-free, and causes little to no downtime.

Peripheral nerve stimulation

With minimally invasive peripheral nerve stimulation, the team at SamWell Institute for Pain Management implants small electrode leads underneath your skin to send mild electrical pulses to peripheral nerves. These pulses diminish pain signals and alleviate post-surgery discomfort by attaching to a small external battery device. The procedure is performed under direct ultrasound image guidance for accuracy, precision, and safety. 

After you’ve undergone shoulder surgery, you don’t need to live with pain that’s debilitating. Minimally invasive options to bring you relief are within reach at SamWell Institute for Pain Management. Call the office to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.