The Advantage of Ultrasound Guided Injections in Treating Shoulder Pain

If you have ever suffered from any kind of shoulder pain, then you will understand just how painful and debilitating it can be especially when trying to carry out normal daily activities. Rotation of this joint is essential for many daily must-do tasks, even reaching for items from shelves or through stretching will require a complete range of movement and so, shoulder pain relief is much needed.


In simple layman terms, we tend to think of the shoulder joint as a simple ball and socket joint, but it is a more complex than that and is one of the reasons that ultrasound-guided injections are far more beneficial in treating this part of the body.


The four main parts that make up the shoulder joint are:


  • Glen-humeral, which is often referred to as the true shoulder joint.
  • Subacromial space
  • Acromioclavicular joint
  • The bicep tendon sheath


It is possible that any of these areas are damaged and, more than one will need treatment. Cortisone injections are a highly effective way of treating shoulder pain. However, in the past, it has been very difficult to administer the cortisone by way of injection accurately. This often diminished the effectiveness of the treatment and caused the patient far more discomfort than was expectable.



Ultrasound is a very safe and painless way of looking into the body. You will have heard of it being used in pregnancy. The very high-frequency sound waves create an image of the scanned area and a medical expert is then able to guide the injection into the exact spot that it is required. This reduces discomfort and time.


Ultrasound-guided injections have been known as a major breakthrough treatment in treating the complexities of shoulder-related problems. They are far more accurate and more effective than traditional injections which involved feeling the shoulder and making a judgment which was often not successful.


Ultrasound reduces pain and that’s important. It’s also more efficient. Patients often feel relieved, especially if they have experienced the older blind methods of introducing cortisone to a targeted area in the shoulder.


How quickly will ultrasound guided injections relieve the pain?


It can be difficult to provide an accurate time as people will respond differently to treatment, but generally, there is quick relief from the pain. There may be a little burning sensation as the cortisone finds its way into the area, but this quickly disappears. It is also quite normal for pain to increase a few hours after the treatment, but this will quickly reduce.


A reliable pain management center who provide these treatments could provide the solution to your painful shoulder condition. Constantly taking pain management medication can have many side-effects over time and will mask the problem but, it will not repair the damage. Steroids such as cortisone can help with both pains and provide healing relief. Ultrasound-guided injections have proven to be the most accurate and simplest way to administer cortisone to the shoulder joint and if your shoulder is painful and you need help, it’s worth seeing a medical professional who specializes in this area.