The painful shoulder: when to inject and when to refer

Physicians can usually diagnose the cause of shoulder pain by performing a focused history and physical examination and ordering anteroposterior and lateral radiographs. Treatment depends on the cause and can include physical therapy, injections of corticosteroids into the joint space or bursa, and surgery. This paper reviews the diagnosis and treatment of impingement syndrome, adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff tears, and arthritis of the glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular (AC) joint.