Do I get the physio or the steroid injection?

[Oakie]

I have an injury to my shoulder. (Calcification and inflamation of a tendon)
Went to the Doctor. He referred me to a Physio. The Physio asked for X-Ray and ultrasound, the results of which were sent to both the Doctor and the Physio. The Physio has suggested that a course of up to 30 ultrasound treatrments and physiotherapy will fix the problem. The Doctor said that a steroidal injection into the damaged area will fix the problem.

I've had enough physio to know what I'm in for there but have heard very little about steroid injections. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom they'd like to share with me about this from their own experiences. Particularly from anyone who has had both treatments on the same injury.

Covered by ACC at this stage so cost isn't a major factor yet.

[NOMIS]

I have an injury to my shoulder. (Calcification and inflamation of a tendon)
Went to the Doctor. He referred me to a Physio. The Physio asked for X-Ray and ultrasound, the results of which were sent to both the Doctor and the Physio. The Physio has suggested that a course of up to 30 ultrasound treatrments and physiotherapy will fix the problem. The Doctor said that a steroidal injection into the damaged area will fix the problem.

I've had enough physio to know what I'm in for there but have heard very little about steroid injections. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom they'd like to share with me about this from their own experiences. Particularly from anyone who has had both treatments on the same injury.

Covered by ACC at this stage so cost isn't a major factor yet.

Yes had a similar thing happen to me. sholder still plays up now and again and pain still comes back when I agravate it I had the steriod injection, And physio - By agravating I mean by crashing my motorbike again.

The injection ( I think ) works well I think the best thing for it is the hard yards of going to the gym and exercise, and weights to rebuild the strength in it.

[helenoftroy]

Thats no good Oakie

Steroid inj would seem to be effective for a while but ultrasound and intensive physio will have more long term benefits.

You could do both......:doctor:

Hope it settles.....so you can come ride with us!

[slimjim]

try Shit..don't know how to spell it..(but the needle thingee)that chinesse do...lol...as old ways work better i feel than been to intensive...sometimes only reconstruction is the end of all ends

[Stirts]

I know a lot of people who have fucked shoulders, tried all sorts of things. I think it is a case of "finding what works best for you"

I have had physio (ultrasound, manipulation etc etc), and acupuncture done on my shoulder. Will never be 100%, and still tries to pop out from time to time. Would never get the inj thou, you can only have that 2 or 3 times? Then I think they look at surgery after that.

Best thing I have ever done for it is building up strength with weight training.

[Swoop]

Steroid injection???
You did watch American Dad last night, didn't you?:rofl::rofl:

[jrandom]

Best thing I have ever done for it is building up strength with weight training.

... so that you can soften 'em up before finishing 'em off with your vagina laser?

[Number One]

Best thing I have ever done for it is building up strength with weight training.

ooo I love a girl who is big, strong like Bull! (said in thick Bulgarian accent :buggerd:)

Seriously though - my ma has a fucked shoulder she had the steriod injection and a year and half later she is still happy with the result. Hasn't needed more physio either. Though hers wasn't due to any bike crashes or serious injury - more a shitty genetic thing.

[Stirts]

...soften 'em up before finishing 'em off

a girl can't finish em off if they soft :stupid:

[Stirts]

ooo I love a girl who is big, strong like Bull! (said in thick Bulgarian accent :buggerd:)

Seriously though - my ma has a fucked shoulder she had the steriod injection and a year and half later she is still happy with the result. Hasn't needed more physio either. Though hers wasn't due to any bike crashes or serious injury - more a shitty genetic thing.

Yeah I so strong, strong just like bull....I farked my shoulder holding a badminton racquet :doh:

[CM2005]

Here's my 2c worth..
I'd go with the physio/ultrasound treatment first, and use the Cortisone(steriodal injection) as a last resort, simply because one you have them, you need to have more of them and so on.
Also, doing some building of the muscles in your shoulder is a good idea to helpo stabilize the joint, but at the same time, overdoing it is likely to have a bad effect.

yeh.

[slowpoke]

Hmmmm, had the physio thing (infra-red, ultrasound, acupuncture, hot cups etc) and they gave reasonable relief but only for a very short term. Had a series of cortisone (ultrasound guided) injections which lasted longer but was at the stage of requiring a shoulder "decompression" after the 3rd one started to wear off.
I started on Glucosamine/Chondroiton (sp?) tablets and they have kept it under control for the last 5 or so years.
Similar to you I had done the damage with years of throwing-type sports (tennis/softball etc). I could hardly throw a ball for my dog or go to the gym at one stage but now it gives virtually no problems.

[AllanB]

go the roids arrhhhhhhhhh

rhhhhhhhhhhhaaaarhhhhhhh

[Usarka]

Make sure that they don't give you a haemmoroid injection :pinch:

+1 to try physio and get inj if not worked. I've heard a couple of people had a bad time with the injections, though this was a few years ago....

[Forest]

The deal is this.

The physio has invested a stack of money to buy the ultrasound machine. Therefore the only way he can recoup his invest is to use the machine as much as is possible. Of course he will tell you that it will cure you - do you think he'll turn away a series of 30 treatments?

And the truth is that the ultrasound might work, or maybe the shoulder will just heal itself (as 30 treatments will take a considerable amount of time). But there is still a chance that the treatments won't benefit you.

So what can you do? The answer is to keep an open mind and, if the treatments don't work, then be prepared to go elsewhere and try different things. Because we have different bodies and different injuries, our bodies respond in different ways to treatments.

[alanzs]

Just a thought. Are you sure it is the shoulder itself? I ask this because I was having pain over a long period of time in my left shoulder. I chalked it up to crashing bikes, sports injuries, age, etc. The doctor had xrays done and said that there was nothing particularly evident. But the pain persisted. I complained enough and he sent me to get an MRI. Turned out it was the C4/5 disc in my neck pressing on the nerves causing the pain in my shoulder, not the shoulder muscles/bone at all. Just a thought.... :2thumbsup

[Oakie]

Just a thought. Are you sure it is the shoulder itself? :2thumbsup
Yep. I saw the pretty pictures myself. Quite interesting watching how it all moves in there (if you can figure out which bit is which).

[ElCoyote]

Hmmmm, had the physio thing (infra-red, ultrasound, acupuncture, hot cups etc) and they gave reasonable relief but only for a very short term. Had a series of cortisone (ultrasound guided) injections which lasted longer but was at the stage of requiring a shoulder "decompression" after the 3rd one started to wear off.
I started on Glucosamine/Chondroiton (sp?) tablets and they have kept it under control for the last 5 or so years.
Similar to you I had done the damage with years of throwing-type sports (tennis/softball etc). I could hardly throw a ball for my dog or go to the gym at one stage but now it gives virtually no problems.


Agree with that. I presume anti-inflams and muscle relaxants have been tried. Acupuncture is good but only if administered by a qualified person. Physio ditto. PM me if you need the names of the appropriate people. Been there done that. Glucosamine/Chondroiton should be taken with fish oil tablets to get maximum benefit, but understand this is not a quick fix but must be continued even if you think it's not working. :niceone:

[ElCoyote]

Just a thought. Are you sure it is the shoulder itself? I ask this because I was having pain over a long period of time in my left shoulder. I chalked it up to crashing bikes, sports injuries, age, etc. The doctor had xrays done and said that there was nothing particularly evident. But the pain persisted. I complained enough and he sent me to get an MRI. Turned out it was the C4/5 disc in my neck pressing on the nerves causing the pain in my shoulder, not the shoulder muscles/bone at all. Just a thought.... :2thumbsup

Stole my thunder, my problem was C6 and manifested itself in shoulder. Ultrasound and X-Rays did not find problem but MRI is very accurate. Following 2 weeks in Aus doing nothing more strenuous than lifting a pint it settled down but I still think Glucosomine helped

[JMemonic]

Personally I would go Physio first if you are getting through ACC and this problem has been recurring ask for a physo based gym program to build up the muscles and strength.

Mum used to get hyrdocortisone injections for her knee, they work off in less time each time and she could not walk for a day or so after.

At the end of the day ask for professional advice, geat as much info as you can, its your body, you get to choose.

[Kickaha]

I went to my Doctor re something similar, he was away and the locum sez "rotator cuff injury" off to physio for you

3 months of physio and the physio sez, strength is ok but you still shouldn't be getting that pain go back to your GP

regular GP is back on board and he sez "we can give you a steroid injection or more physio but it's waste of time treating it if we don't know for sure what it is", off to xray and ultrasound and then we'll refer you to a specialist

Ultrasound shows a torn tendon but the Speciaist sez, I see that all the time it's something else we better fire up the MRI machine

MRI machine shows up some other stuff, so they carve me up to fix it, grind some bone away, trim up some muscle and tendons and show me a fantastic time on the self administering morphine

Me personally I'd be going further up the food chain than a physio or GP to get it sorted before I bothered with the physio or any injections

[Usarka]

Me personally I'd be going further up the food chain than a physio or GP to get it sorted before I bothered with the physio or any injections

Good call.:first:

[Naki Rat]

Here's my 2c worth..
I'd go with the physio/ultrasound treatment first, and use the Cortisone(steriodal injection) as a last resort, simply because one you have them, you need to have more of them and so on.
Also, doing some building of the muscles in your shoulder is a good idea to helpo stabilize the joint, but at the same time, overdoing it is likely to have a bad effect.

yeh.

Pretty much what he said but worth adding that cortisone works by generating tissue growth, which potentially includes stimulating cancer growth. So good if one shot does the trick, but a slippery slope if it doesn't. Your specialist should confirm this.

Also if applicable cortisone will antidote (nullify) any homeopathic remedies you are taking at the time.

My suggestion, confirm the site of the problem, build up the supporting muscles with physio/controlled exercise and get into some acupuncture to manage the pain. Having just come through a knee joint replacement I would highly recommend protecting what you have while that remains an option.

[Oakie]

Thanks all for your input. At the moment I'm leaning towards letting the physio have a crack at it for a couple of months at that seems to provide the best chance of a long term fix. Following that, a bit of weight work to build the area up.
Sounds pretty much like the choice is the physio which may take 3 months to fix it or the injection which may only fix it for three months.

[Forest]

Also if applicable cortisone will antidote (nullify) any homeopathic remedies you are taking at the time.

That's hardly surprising. Given that homeopathic remedies have absolutely no therapeutic effect.

[BarBender]

Me personally I'd be going further up the food chain than a physio or GP to get it sorted before I bothered with the physio or any injections


Good call.:first:

+1


10 chars

[fireball]

when i busted my shoulder (dislocation and continual subluxations due to muscle fade) i had the same options physio or the roids in my case i had to take the roids to be able to even start physio as i neded to get some movement back to rebuild the muscles. but i had to remind myself even though i couldnt feel pain what i was doing would be hurting.

3 roid jabs later (with 18months of treatment) and physio my shoulder is still fucked they are one of those things that will never come right.

so its more of a what will be best for you option if physio alone doesnt work i do reccomend the drugs and/or a combo of both.

[alanzs]

MRI machine shows up some other stuff, so they carve me up to fix it, grind some bone away, trim up some muscle and tendons and show me a fantastic time on the self administering morphine

Yeah, same here. Had a fusion done with bone graft from my hip. That morphine pump was fucking brilliant. It's been a little over three months now and I haven't felt this good in years. I have full range of motion in my neck, and there is no pain at all in my shoulder. The numbness and tingling was gone immediately after the surgery.
You don't realize how much pain intrudes into your life till its gone. :niceone: