I would say yes, only in this setting when you’ve had an injury. Otherwise, you’re kind of wasting your time. Seriously.
If you fall or something happens to where you go from having a pretty normal shoulder to a severely painful shoulder and you can’t use your arm, you should go into the ER. If you just have aching in pain and it’s been going on for a while, you’re wasting your time.
Now, your best bet is to call a shoulder specialist and get in to see them as quickly as possible. They will get x-rays. We use in-office ultrasound, which is incredibly effective.
Not many surgeons do this, but it allows us to diagnose rotator cuff tears immediately in the office. It’s an incredibly inexpensive, efficient, and accurate test. Once you’ve had a severe injury, go to the ER.
If you have not had a severe injury, wait until the morning and get in to see your shoulder specialist as soon as possible.
Stop suffering in silence. Dr. Kevin Kruse offers personalized treatment plans for all types of shoulder pain.