How Do You Treat a Trapped Nerve in the Shoulder?

You can treat a trapped nerve (cervical radiculopathy) in your shoulder with NSAIDs, hot or cold compresses, rest, and maintaining good posture. These methods relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and ease pressure on the affected nerve. Moreover, add exercises to improve mobility, strengthen shoulder and neck muscles, and prevent further nerve compression. However, if symptoms like muscle weakness or severe pain continue, consult an orthopedic surgeon to avoid permanent nerve damage.

At Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we understand how a trapped nerve in your shoulder can disrupt daily activities. Therefore, our expert surgeons provide treatment plans that include pain medications and anti-inflammatory injections to reduce pain and inflammation. However, if your symptoms persist, we offer minimally invasive surgeries to prevent long-term damage and restore full function. Call us at 855-321-6784 to schedule an appointment today.

Which Treatment Options Are Available for a Trapped Nerve in the Shoulder?

Treatments for a trapped nerve in the shoulder typically involve pain medications, rest, exercises, and surgical intervention if conservative treatments fail. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium, relieve pain by lowering inflammation around the trapped nerve. These medicines help ease shoulder pain and improve your ability to move.

In addition, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids if NSAIDs don’t relieve your trapped nerve symptoms. Corticosteroids are strong anti-inflammatory drugs that function like your body’s natural stress hormone(cortisol). Based on your condition and medical history, your doctor may give these pain relievers as oral pills or injections.

Targeted stretches and strengthening exercises also help reduce pain and improve your shoulder’s mobility. These movements focus on supporting the surrounding nerves and easing pressure on the affected nerve. Over time, they help restore strength to your neck muscles and shoulders. Moreover, Medical News Today suggests adjusting your workstation can help with a pinched nerve. For instance, using an ergonomic keyboard and mouse reduces pressure on your hands and wrists.

How Do Doctors Diagnose a Pinched Nerve in the Shoulder?

Doctors diagnose your pinched nerve in the shoulder through a physical exam, assessing your range of motion. If needed, they may use imaging tests like X-rays to look for bone spurs or herniated discs. Moreover, to examine nerve damage, they might recommend nerve conduction studies. These tests help our doctors determine the extent of the compression and guide treatment decisions.

Can Chiropractic Care Help Relieve a Trapped Nerve in the Shoulder?

Yes, chiropractic care can effectively relieve a trapped nerve in your shoulder by restoring spinal alignment. Chiropractors use targeted adjustments to improve spinal function and relieve pressure on the affected nerve. This adjustment helps ease shoulder, disc, and muscle pain and supports overall mobility. Moreover, chiropractic adjustments can also benefit issues related to the sciatic nerve, relieving symptoms like lower back pain, leg pain, and numbness.

Chiropractic care also offers long-term benefits for joint flexibility and spinal health. Improved joint movement supports better posture and allows you to move freely without neck pain. According to a ScienceDirect study, chiropractic care helped ulnar nerve compression symptoms in a 41-year-old woman. She had numbness and weakness in her right arm and hand. After 11 sessions, her symptoms fully resolved, and she returned to normal work activities.

However, always consult our healthcare provider before trying chiropractic care for nerve-related issues. Our doctor can assess your symptoms, identify the root cause, and recommend the safest treatment plan. This personalized care ensures you avoid further nerve damage and get the proper care for your condition.

Can Steroid Injections Help Alleviate Shoulder Nerve Pain?

Yes, steroid injections can help relieve shoulder nerve pain by reducing inflammation around the nerve root. These injections deliver strong anti-inflammatory medicine directly to the affected area. As a result, you get faster relief from symptoms like burning pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.

In many cases, the relief from steroid injections lasts for several weeks or even months. This extended relief gives your body time to heal and makes it easier to begin other treatments like gentle exercises. These added therapies can strengthen surrounding nerve tissues and reduce pressure on the compressed nerve.

Steroid injections also improve mobility in the neck and shoulders, helping you move more freely and reducing the risk of chronic pain. Over time, this treatment may prevent long-term complications such as permanent nerve damage or reduced function. A study in The Bone & Joint Journal found that epidural steroid injections gave faster short-term pain relief than intramuscular injections in 93 patients with nerve root compression.

What Are the Benefits of Using Roller Balls for Shoulder Pain Relief?

Roller balls apply deep pressure on tight muscles, which helps reduce tension and ease a minor pinched nerve. When a pinched nerve occurs in your shoulder, it often causes pain, stiffness, or even cervical radiculopathy. To ease these symptoms, rolling over sore spots boosts blood flow and supports the healing of compressed nerves. Over time, you feel less pain, regain motion, and lift pressure from the nerves and the spinal cord.

Moreover, you can use roller balls at home, making them a simple and cost-effective option for daily relief. They don’t require special equipment or professional help, so you can manage shoulder pain on your own. When used regularly, they help reduce pressure on the affected nerve and prevent chronic pain.

When Should You Consider Surgery for a Shoulder Nerve Compression?

You should consider surgery for shoulder nerve compression when non-surgical treatments fail to relieve symptoms. Persistent shoulder pain, even after rest, exercises, or NSAIDs, may indicate a more serious problem. As symptoms worsen, pressure on the spinal nerve or nerve root may increase, raising your risk of permanent nerve damage and long-term mobility issues. Therefore, orthopedic surgeons may recommend surgery to relieve pressure on the pinched nerve and restore function.

Common surgical options for pinched nerves include:

• Discectomy: Removes part of a herniated disk pressing on the spinal nerve.
• Foraminotomy: Widens the space where the nerve exits the spine.
• Laminectomy: Removes part of the vertebra to reduce spinal cord pressure.
• Spinal fusion: Joins two vertebrae to stabilize the cervical spine.

Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Provides Expert Care for Shoulder Nerve Compression — Schedule Your Visit Now!

Living with cervical radiculopathy or a pinched nerve in your shoulder can disrupt your daily routine. You may feel burning pain, tingling, or weakness that limits lifting, reaching, or sleeping. As bone spurs or herniated discs press on spinal nerves, symptoms of a pinched nerve can worsen. Without treatment, you risk neurological disorders, reduced mobility, or chronic discomfort. These issues can negatively affect your work, energy, and overall quality of life.

If you’re dealing with these problems, Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is ready to help. Our orthopaedic surgeons treat pinched nerves using accurate diagnostics and proven therapies tailored to your condition. We offer non-surgical options like NSAIDs and injections, and perform minimally invasive surgery when needed. Every plan focuses on relieving pressure and restoring function. Call 855-321-6784 or visit 207-12 Northern Blvd 3rd Floor, Bayside, NY 11361, United States, for an orthopedic evaluation and personalized treatment plan. 

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