Shoulder pain is a common complaint among athletes and older adults. If you can’t find relief from shoulder pain with medications, it may be time to consider your alternatives.
Here at the offices of Steven Grossinger, DO, Dr. Grossinger uses diagnostic testing to identify the source of your shoulder pain. The pain management specialist can also determine if you’re a candidate for nonsurgical regenerative therapy using platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
PRP is a substance found in your blood that contains essential growth factors and can heal damaged tissues supporting your shoulder joint.
To get the PRP we use in your treatment, we draw a sample of your blood. Dr. Grossinger prepares the blood in a centrifuge, a quick-spinning device that separates platelets from your other blood materials.
We inject a high concentration of platelets into specific points in your shoulder to stimulate your body’s natural healing process. PRP triggers your body to produce new, healthy soft tissue cells to replace those damaged by injury or degenerative disease.
PRP injections can also reduce inflammation that irritates your shoulder joint.
If you’ve injured the bones in your shoulder or the nerves surrounding your shoulder joint, Dr. Grossinger can use stem cells, another type of regenerative medicine, to support healing.
Stem cells have the unique ability to regenerate into any type of cell, including bone, nerve, muscle, and ligament, to repair damage in your shoulder joint.
Your shoulder is a complex joint. The muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments all work together to give your shoulder a wide range of motion.
Your shoulder joint allows you to lift your hands over your head or reach behind you. When you experience an injury to any part of the joint, you may not be able to lift or reach without pain.
Three common shoulder injuries PRP can treat include:
Bursitis describes persistent inflammation in the small, fluid-filled sacs (bursae) in your shoulder joint. Each bursa works like a cushion to prevent bones and surrounding tissues from rubbing together and creating friction that leads to pain.
You might develop bursitis from overuse of your shoulder joint during sports or other activities. PRP injections can reduce inflammation in tissues surrounding your joint to improve your range of motion.
Tendinitis describes inflammation in the tendons of your shoulder. A tendon is a thick cord that connects bone to muscle.
You can develop tendinitis if you make a lot of overhand movements at work or while playing sports, such as repeatedly throwing a baseball. This condition can become chronic if you have a degenerative disease like osteoarthritis.
Tendon tears are a common side effect of acute injuries like falls. You might also be at risk for tendon tears in the shoulder as you get older or if you play certain sports that require heavy use of your arms.
Often, tears develop in the rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons that keeps your shoulder joint in place.
Tears can be partial or a complete separation from the bone. PRP injections support new tissue growth to help partial tears heal without surgery.
If you have persistent shoulder pain that you can no longer manage on your own, call the office of Steven Grossinger, DO, nearest you, in Wilmington, Delaware, or Springfield, Pennsylvania, to schedule a PRP consultation.
