You have options when it comes to treating shoulder pain. That was the theme of a recent seminar hosted by Dr. Carl A. DiRaimondo of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine BayCare Clinic in Manitowoc.
DiRaimondo addressed an audience of more than 30 individuals at the Holiday Inn in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. As audience members enjoyed a light dinner, the orthopedic surgeon shared his thoughts on how attendees could determine ideal treatment options for their individual shoulder pain issues.
“The key is to communicate thoroughly with your physician,” DiRaimondo said. “Help the physician establish your shoulder health history. Once we get an understanding of that shoulder history and follow that up with a hands-on examination, we can better diagnose the problem and have an idea of the one or two things that could be causing your shoulder pain.”
There are tools to help diagnose the cause of shoulder pain, DiRaimondo said, citing X-ray and ultrasound as examples.
“There’s a growing tendency in the industry to use ultrasound as an additional screening tool,” he said. “It’s a very good screening tool and is less expensive than an MRI.”
Shoulder ailments often are the result of repetitive activity which stresses the joint and results in pain, DiRaimondo said. Other causes include osteoarthritis, tissue inflammation and traumatic injury.
Treatment options typically include but are not limited to:
- Shoulder arthroplasty
- Shoulder stabilization surgery
- Superior capsule reconstruction
- Total shoulder replacement
- Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty
- Cortisone injection
- Stem cell-based therapy
“We have many treatment options designed to get you back to optimal or near-optimal shoulder health,” DiRaimondo said. “Once our job is done, the rest lies with you. You must follow your doctor’s recommendations for restrictions, complete physical therapy and do your part to help us get you back to optimal health.”