There are two types of arthritis, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, both of which can help explain why you have shoulder pain with injury. However, arthritis in the shoulder is not very common. Most people that get arthritis in the shoulder have a history of overuse (think body builders, pitchers, quarterbacks) or previous traumatic injury. If you fit in this category, you might want to get an X-ray to rule this out as a possibility.
Like any treatment, the options are going to depend on the cause of the pain. With tendinitis, bursitis, and weakened rotator cuff the treatment is going to be similar. First reduce the inflammation, then strengthen the rotator cuff tendons. This can be easier said than done and does require diligence on the side of the practitioner and patient alike.
The inflammatory process is needed for our bodies to repair damaged tissue and so it can be replaced by new healthy tissue. Problems arise when the body never receives a signal to down regulate the inflammatory process. With this the body is in continuous tissue repair mode. With no tissue to repair, the healthy tissue will be attacked like it were damaged. When this happens, you end up with a chronically inflamed shoulder. Medication can both help an hinder this process.
Some medications (like cortisone) act to stop the inflammatory process in its tracks but don't allow the body to repair the tissue. With these the area becomes weakened and more susceptible to injury because there is no tissue repair. What you want for the injured area is a medicine that modulates the inflammatory process.
Inflammatory modulators are most commonly seen in the form of single herbs or combinations of herbs. So what is a modulator? When it comes to inflammation, a modulator is something that can both increase inflammation or decrease it. When inflammation is high modulators will decrease the inflammation and when low they will increase it. This is key when it comes to the shoulder because you want something that helps repair the damaged area but also helps turn off inflammation once the repair is done. Some of my favorite modulators are Turmeric, Licorice, and traumeel. When injected into the problem areas, traumeel has proven to have amazing results. Once the inflammatory process and pain are under control, you can start physical therapy to strength the weakened tendons. With persistence, the tendons and shoulder will become strengthened.
If you want to learn more about treatment for shoulder pain without injury or shoulder pain relief, click on the link below.