Biceps Tendinitis - NJ's Top Orthopedic Pain & Spine Practice in New Jersey

Symptoms of Biceps Tendonitis

A throbbing ache or tenderness in the front of your shoulder may be a sign that you have or are developing biceps tendonitis. The pain may worsen with movement, especially when you reach overhead. Other symptoms of the injury include:

Swelling, which may be accompanied by redness or a warm feeling in your bicep
Difficulty performing routine movements, such as getting dressed
Stiffness in your shoulder
A clicking or snapping sound when moving your arm or shoulder

The pain may radiate down your arm, like many other ailments that affect your arm or shoulder. The symptoms can make it difficult for your doctor to distinguish biceps tendonitis from other conditions, including a pinched nerve in your neck or even cervical disc degeneration. The pain may get worse at night, especially if you lie on the affected shoulder.

Causes and Risk Factors of Biceps Tendonitis

Ordinary wear and tear can cause your tendons to weaken over time. This weakening may get worse with repetitive activities that require heavy or prolonged use of your shoulder and arm muscles, such as swimming or playing tennis. Other causes and risk factors of this condition include:

Shoulder injuries from falling on the shoulder or improperly lifting something heavy

Poor posture, which can irritate your shoulder tendons

Improper technique while playing sports

Rheumatoid arthritis

Smoking, which affects your tendon strength and quality

Some types of work, such as factory work, require repetitive movements and increase your risk of developing biceps tendonitis. The aging process also makes you more vulnerable, as it causes changes to the circulation and tendon elasticity of your biceps. Getting older not only increases your risk of injury, but it also reduces your ability to heal efficiently.

Treatment Options for Biceps Tendonitis

Treatment usually starts with the most conservative remedies, such as rest, ice and over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or naproxen. To start to heal, avoid activities that worsen your pain. If your arm and shoulder continue to cause you pain, your doctor may recommend more aggressive treatment options, such as:

Topical pain creams, gels or patches

Physical therapy that focuses on restoring shoulder movement

Stretching and strengthening exercises

Steroid injections

Biceps tendonitis may improve in one or two weeks with these treatments. If there’s no improvement from any of these treatments, surgery may be needed, but that’s usually only necessary in severe cases.

Preventing Biceps Tendonitis

It’s easier to try to prevent biceps tendonitis than it is to recover from it. The things you can do to help prevent this condition include:

Warm up before exercising or any athletic activity, so when you start playing, lifting or running, your muscles are already limber

Stretch after strenuous activity to cool down your muscles

Do some strength training three times a week to strengthen your shoulder muscles and prevent weakening brought on by aging

If you do a lot of overhead activity at your job or while doing household chores, take breaks periodically. Don’t try to work through the pain, since pain is your body’s way of letting you know that there’s something wrong and you should stop what you’re doing.

Expert New Jersey Pain Management

If you have pain in your arm or shoulder that isn’t responding to home treatment, see your NJ pain management doctor for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. If you don’t have your tendonitis treated promptly, you increase the risk of experiencing more serious medical problems, such as a tendon rupture. When you have your biceps tendonitis diagnosed and treated early, there’s a good chance you’ll recovery your full shoulder range of motion.

At Redefine Healthcare, patient care and pain relief are top priorities. Whether you have arm pain, back pain, knee pain or hip pain, expert pain management professionals can help. They have six convenient locations and have been providing treatments for effective pain relief for more than 20 years. Contact the nearest facility in northern New Jersey.