What your doctor can do:

• Diagnose the injury by asking about your symptoms, doing a physical exam, and ordering shoulder x-rays.
• Rule out other diseases or conditions like arthritis or bone fractures (breaks).
• Prescribe medicines to reduce pain and steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation.
• Inject steroid medications directly into the joint or bursa (sac containing a lubricant that coats joint) to reduce inflammation.
• Recommend physical therapy to exercise and stretch the joint capsule.
• Manipulate the shoulder joint externally or recommend surgery to remove the adhesions.