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......

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?

[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 )

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

[Stirts]

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

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

[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

+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.