What is the initial approach to the treatment of shoulder pain?

Abstract

There is some limited evidence supporting the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the initial treatment of shoulder pain. There is no evidence in support of most other therapies, including intra-articular or subacromial corticosteroid injection, intra-articular NSAID injection, oral corticosteroid treatment, physiotherapy, ultrasound, heat or ice therapy, laser treatment, electrotherapy, and iontophoresis (Grade of recommendation: B, based on extrapolation from systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials with inconsistent and inconclusive results)