What is a shoulder injury?
A shoulder injury might occur because of playing sports, being in a car accident, having arthritis, or falling down. You might get injured because of lifting something heavy or completing repetitive motions at work.
What are the different types of shoulder injuries?
Symptoms of a shoulder injury are pain, stiffness, swelling, weakness, and a reduced range of motion. Common shoulder injuries include:
- Torn cartilage
- Fractures
- Joint inflammation
- Dislocated shoulder
- Frozen shoulder
- Arthritic joint damage
- Wear and tear
- Sprains
- Tendinitis
- Impingement
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tendon rupture
Your primary care doctor might refer you to the Medical Imaging Center of North Jersey for an MRI to properly diagnose your injury and develop an effective treatment plan.
What is an MRI?
MRIs are diagnostic imaging procedures your specialist can use to create in-depth images of structures inside your body. MRIs use a magnetic field and radio waves to develop these 3D images. The Medical Imaging Center of North Jersey uses the state-of-the-art AIRIS™ premium open MRI imaging system made by Hitachi.
What happens during a shoulder injury MRI?
No special preparations are necessary prior to undergoing an MRI at the Medical Imaging Center of North Jersey. Friendly staff members greet you when you arrive. They may inject a special contrast medium into a vein in your arm. You lie down on a comfortable exam table and remain as still as possible during the procedure.
The Medical Imaging Center of North Jersey uses an open MRI machine, meaning you don’t have to get enclosed in a tube-like machine. Your technician might stand next to you during the procedure, which is always painless. The MRI machine might produce a knocking sound while it takes pictures of tissues in your shoulder.
What should I expect after an MRI of my shoulder?
After completing an MRI for your shoulder injury, you can resume normal activities immediately. Your radiologist reviews the results to determine the type and severity of the shoulder injury you may have. Based on these results, your doctor may recommend one of the following shoulder injury treatments:
- Ice, rest, and elevation
- A sling or medical taping
- Joint injections
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Implanted nerve stimulation
- Surgical procedures
- Further diagnostic testing
After completing treatment for a shoulder injury, your pain should subside. If the discomfort returns or you experience another injury, you might require additional MRIs or X-rays.
If you need an MRI or X-rays because of a shoulder injury, call the Medical Imaging Center of North Jersey to book an appointment or schedule one online today.
