Shoulder Pain Relief in Toms River, NJ

Shoulder pain can make it hard to reach a high shelf, lift a grandchild, swing a golf club or sleep on your side. At our Toms River office on Hooper Avenue, we look for the cause first, so your treatment is matched to what is going on in the joint, the tendons or the nerves.

Looking for our full Toms River clinic? Visit our pain management clinic in Toms River page for office hours, directions and every service offered at 1314 Hooper Ave.

Your visit starts with an exam of the shoulder and neck, a check of strength and range of motion, and a review of any X-rays or MRI. Common causes include rotator cuff tendinopathy and partial tears, impingement and bursitis, frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), arthritis of the shoulder or AC joint, and pain that travels from the neck. If your pain is coming from the neck, our neck pain treatment in Toms River page explains that care.

Most people start with physical therapy, activity changes and medicines. When pain keeps limiting sleep, work or exercise, options may include corticosteroid injections into the joint or bursa, hyaluronic acid (gel) injections for some arthritic shoulders, a suprascapular nerve block to quiet the main nerve that carries pain from the joint. If that block helps, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the shoulder sensory nerves may be discussed for longer relief. Other options include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for some rotator cuff and arthritis cases. For long-lasting shoulder pain that has not improved with other care, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) may be discussed.

For frozen shoulder and some other long-lasting shoulder pain, shoulder artery embolization is another option. GSMC providers complete the evaluation at the Toms River office. The procedure is performed by interventional radiologist Dr. Douglas Gibbens at Bey Lea Surgery Center in Toms River or Manchester Surgery Center in Whiting.

Some treatments, such as PRP, may not be covered by insurance; staff will tell you the cost before you decide. GSMC does not perform shoulder surgery. If your shoulder needs a surgical opinion, we explain why and help with a referral. Results vary from person to person.

Call 911 for shoulder or arm pain that comes with chest pressure, shortness of breath or sweating. Seek urgent care after a fall if the shoulder looks deformed or you cannot move your arm.