Shoulder Pain That Keeps You Down: Is Regenerative Medicine an Option?
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Causes of Shoulder Pain
Chronic shoulder pain may arise from many different underlying causes. Often there are several underlying problems. The shoulder is a complex joint, so with many parts involved, it is not always as simple as we would like. This is especially true as we age, and with a prior history of sports, and or trauma. Whether or not, it is your dominant arm that is often a factor. Surprisingly though, the non dominant arm is often the problem shoulder. Quite often one shoulder is worse, and the other is starting to have symptoms. When shoulder arthritis is found, it can even be seen on x-rays of a non-symptomatic shoulder. This can be explained by how degenerative shoulder arthritis manifests as a progressive disorder. Some people have shoulder pain that evolves slowly or time, while others only develop shoulder pain at an advanced age. This late onset of shoulder pain can unfortunately be associated with severe degenerative changes. Patients are often shocked to hear they may need a shoulder replacement surgery.
Shoulder Pain Syndromes at a Glance
Shoulder Arthritis
Shoulder Impingement
Rotator Cuff Tears
Bicep Tears
Labral Tears
Fractures
Acromioclavicular separations and arthritis
Shoulder AVN or Osteonecrosis
This is not an all encompassing list. It makes up a great majority of frequently seen shoulder problems, and some less commonly seen. It also illustrates how difficult it is to manage shoulder pain when multiple problems co-exist at once.
Symptoms of Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder impingement is actually not very specific to a anatomic problem as much as to a set of symptoms, that may derive from several common underlying problems. When the shoulder is raised outward, and externally rotated or raised and internally rotated above shoulder height, several things can occur. Pain with these motions is the hallmark of shoulder impingement. Literally something is being impinged or pinched with these activities. Often what is occurring is the supraspinatus tendon, one of the four tendons comprising the rotator cuff, is being compressed against the acromioclavicular joint which lies above.
Can Regenerative Therapy Help?
Each patient must be individually assessed for treatment. Their goals and their condition are important to formulating a treatment plan when Dr. Lox is considering Regenerative Medicine. Lastly, in addition to Regenerative Medicine options, a structured exercise program must be addressed. It is too often that athletes are doing the wrong exercises and aggravating their underlying shoulder condition. Dr. Lox can help in this regard. A proper program understands not just what the shoulder problem is, but what keeps aggravating it.
Whether you are a professional athlete, weekend warrior, or have arthritis from aging, Dr. Lox can help. Dennis M. Lox, M.D. is an internationally renown Sports and Regenerative Medicine specialist. Dr. Lox incorporates Regenerative Medicine techniques such as cell science applications, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Tissue Engineering aspects, to help patients from around the world with a vast array of problems. Dr. Lox is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Lox lectures extensively and has edited two PM&R textbooks, the prestigious A State of the Art Review (Star) on Low Back Pain, and Soft Tissue Injuries: Diagnosis and Treatment. Dennis M. Lox, M.D. maintains an active practice in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, and in Beverly Hills, California.
If you haven't found joint relief should schedule a personal consultation with Dennis M. Lox, M.D., to learn if you are able to get joint relief without the need for invasive surgery.
*DISCLAIMER: Like all medical procedures, those performed by Dennis Lox, M.D. have a success and failure rate. Patient reviews and testimonials on this site should not be interpreted as a statement on the effectiveness of our treatments for anyone else.