by Comp Ortho | Jan 29, 2018 | Wellness
CompOrtho has the very latest in modern MRI technology with our Paramed Open MRI scanner. This unit doesn’t have that loud hammering sound like traditional scanners, therefore patients can enjoy the music of their choosing! For almost all scans, the head is completely out, and only the body part scanned is actually under the unit. To say patients are happy with this unit is an understatement! 
by Comp Ortho | Jan 29, 2018 | Anti-aging, pain, Shoulder, surgery, Wellness
Professional athletes aren’t the only people who suffer from unstable shoulders. We’ll walk you through the most common causes of — and treatments for — this condition.
Because professional athletes have undergone intense training to mold their bodies into peak physical shape, it’s easy to assume that they’re immune to the common injuries that affect the rest of us. Recent news, however, has shown that no one is completely protected from injury. For example, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers — two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL — have both shown that they are suffering from significant shoulder injuries, with Rodgers missing the remainder of the season due to a broken collarbone.
In fact, shoulder damage is one of the most common injuries for NFL players and laymen alike. Since the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, it’s especially prone to problems. For most of us, however, shoulder injuries are caused by gradual wear and tear rather than sudden trauma. While these injuries don’t ultimately result in chronic instability, they can hasten the degeneration of the cartilage in the shoulder, which then can leave the shoulder unstable. Fortunately, these problems can be effectively treated with the help of a qualified orthopedic specialist such as Dr. Main and Dr. Gershtenson, and a rigorous rehabilitation program.
What Is Shoulder Instability?
Shoulder instability is a chronic condition that leads to frequent dislocations of the shoulder. It occurs when the end of the humerus (the ball of the shoulder joint) separates from the glenoid (the socket of the shoulder joint). These dislocations can be either partial or full.
Shoulder instability has a variety of causes. In many cases, it’s simply a product of previous shoulder dislocations, since a traumatic dislocation often causes tears in the stabilizing cartilage and ligaments. A shoulder is more likely to be dislocated again if it’s already been dislocated. Unusually loose ligaments in the shoulder can also heighten the risk, especially if they’ve been loosened by repetitive motion and strain, as often occurs in football players, swimmers, and tennis players.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
There are several symptoms of a chronically unstable shoulder. One of the most common is frequent subluxation, or repeated partial dislocations. Often caused by overhead motions, these subluxations create a brief feeling of pain and a slipping sensation in the shoulder. In more severe cases, full dislocation may occur, resulting in intense pain and visible abnormalities like bumps in the shoulder. Shoulder instability can also result in a “dead arm”, or a feeling as though a nerve has been pinched.
While you can perform some tests on your own, self-examinations can further aggravate the shoulder — so it’s best to let a professional diagnose your condition. In addition to consulting your medical history, a doctor may move your shoulder into specific positions to test the stability of the joint. If these movements cause pain or further displace the shoulder, it’s likely unstable, and X-rays and an MRI might be needed to determine the extent of the injury.
Treatment
Non-traumatic shoulder instability can often be treated nonsurgically, through rest, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy. If the instability is the result of trauma and it creates a Bankart lesion (a tear in the cartilage), then arthroscopic surgery is usually necessary to stabilize the joint and prevent recurrent dislocations, which can otherwise lead to degeneration and premature arthritis.
Physical therapy largely consists of various stretching and strengthening exercises that rebuild the joints, ligaments, and muscles and restore their range of motion, stabilizing the shoulder in the process. These exercises are often targeted to strengthen the rotator cuff and the scapular muscle, and can be aided by resistance bands. In addition, your physical therapist will teach you how to properly use your shoulder, reducing the chance of painful subluxation and dislocation while you heal.
If you’re concerned about your shoulder, our team of best-in-class orthopedic physicians at CompOrtho are here to help. With our extensive experience, we have the knowledge and ability needed to help you at every stage of treatment, from diagnosis through rehabilitation. If you’re searching for a reliable and compassionate provider, contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
by Comp Ortho | Jan 25, 2018 | Anti-aging, arthritis, Elbow, Hip, Knee, pain, Shoulder, Spine, Wellness
Cortisone shots can potentially provide long-lasting relief from pain and inflammation in the joints.
Many injections can greatly reduce pain and inflammation caused by musculoskeletal injuries or chronic conditions such as arthritis, significantly shortening recovery timelines and providing lasting relief. One shot we particularly recommend to patients entails an injection of cortisone into a damaged joint. We’ll tell you what you need to know about this tried-and-true treatment for pain and inflammation in the joints.
What Is a Cortisone Shot?
A cortisone shot is an injection composed of a corticosteroid medication and a local anesthetic. Used to relieve pain and inflammation, it’s most commonly injected into a joint, often in the shoulder, hip, or knee. These shots are often one option in a comprehensive treatment plan for chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, tendinitis, or rotator cuff impingements or tears.
How Long Does a Cortisone Shot Last?
A cortisone shot’s effectiveness depends on the severity of the patient’s condition. In most cases, pain and inflammation will marginally increase for about 48 hours following the injection, and will decrease precipitously thereafter. In some cases, a single injection can provide relief for as long as several months.
Generally, cortisone shots should only be given two times per joint per year. Repeated cortisone injections can damage the cartilage in the joint.
What Are the Side Effects of a Cortisone Shot?
Cortisone shots are typically safe in moderation, but since they infrequently lead to serious complications, they should be taken under a doctor’s supervision. Be sure to let your doctor know if you suffer from diabetes or other any other conditions affecting your blood sugar levels, as well as any medications that you are currently taking.
Most cortisone shots have some minor side effects, including a temporary uptick in pain and inflammation in and around the joint, and a thinning and lightening of the skin around the site of the injection. In some cases, however, they can result in a sudden spike in blood sugar if you’re diabetic and have poorly controlled blood sugar levels. .
What If the Cortisone Shot Doesn’t Work?
Cortisone shots provide a source of temporary relief from inflammation and pain. They will not solve the underlying problem, and pain may gradually return as the shot’s effectiveness subsides. As a result, cortisone shots should be administered as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan that may include physical therapy or surgery.
Fortunately, our team of orthopedic specialists at Comprehensive Orthopaedics has several years of experience in treating joint problems. Regardless of your specific condition, we’ll work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that provides lasting relief from your symptoms.
by Comp Ortho | Jan 15, 2018 | Spine, Wellness
The onset of back pain among runners may stem from a general weakness in their deep core muscles, new research indicates.
Such deep muscles are located well below the more superficial muscles typified by the classic six-pack abs of fitness magazine fame, the researchers noted.
Using computer simulations, they found that runners with relatively weak deep core muscles end up relying more and more on their superficial muscles to keep on running. The result is a higher risk for back pain.
“We measured the dimensions of runners’ bodies and how they moved to create a computer model that’s specific to that person,” said study lead author Ajit Chaudhari. “That allows us to examine how every bone moves and how much pressure is put on each joint.”
Chaudhari is an associate professor of physical therapy and biomedical engineering at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center.
The investigators found that “when your deep core is weak, your body is able to compensate in a way that allows you to essentially run the same way,” Chaudhari said in a medical center news release, “but that increases the load on your spine in a way that may lead to low back pain.”
The study team said it’s not uncommon to find avid athletes who fail to put sufficient focus on their deep core strength, perhaps because superficial muscle maintenance tends to get a lot more public attention.
However, Chaudhari said, “working on a six-pack and trying to become a better runner is definitely not the same thing.
“If you look at great runners, they don’t typically have a six-pack, but their muscles are very fit,” he said. “Static exercises that force you to fire your core and hold your body in place are what’s really going to make you a better runner.”
The study was published online recently in the Journal of Biomechanics.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has information on low back pain.
SOURCE: Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, news release, Jan. 3, 2018
by Comp Ortho | Jan 11, 2018 | pain, Spine
A new treatment that aims electrical pulses at irritated nerves around the spinal cord appears effective at relieving chronic lower back pain and sciatica, a preliminary study suggests.
The minimally invasive procedure, called image-guided pulsed radiofrequency, eased lingering pain in 80 percent of 10 patients after a single 10-minute treatment. Ninety percent were able to avoid surgery.
“Given the very low risk profile of this technique, patients suffering herniated disc and nerve root compression symptoms may undergo a safe and fast recovery, going back to normal activities within days,” said study author Dr. Alessandro Napoli. He’s an interventional radiologist at Sapienza University, in Rome, Italy.
“In fact,” he added, “one of the dramatic advantages of this technology is that we can perform it in a day-surgery setting, without anesthesia, and [patients] go home the same day.”
Napoli’s study is scheduled for presentation Wednesday at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting, in Chicago. Studies presented at scientific conferences typically haven’t been peer-reviewed or published, and results are considered preliminary.
About 8 in 10 people suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives, according to study documents. This pain can be due to a herniated disc in the lower spine. Sciatica is radiating leg pain caused by a pinched nerve in the lower spine, which also may be due to a herniated disc.
Also called a slipped or ruptured disc, a herniated disc occurs when the spongy material inside a spinal disc squeezes through its tough outer shell because of aging or injury. This material can press on surrounding nerves, causing pain and numbness or tingling in the legs, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Conservative, nonsurgical approaches typically ease symptoms of a herniated disc over time, according to the AAOS. These treatments include rest, gentle exercise, pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, cold or hot compresses and physical therapy.
However, about 20 percent of those with acute low back pain don’t find relief through these measures. That leads some to decide on surgery to remove disc material pressing on their spinal nerves. For these people, Napoli said, image-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment may become a viable option if larger studies reinforce his findings.
Napoli’s research included 80 people who had experienced at least three months of low back pain from a herniated disc that hadn’t responded to conservative treatments.
Image-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment uses computed tomography — a CT scan — to help physicians insert a needle to the location of the herniated disc and surrounding nerves. A probe that’s inserted through the needle tip delivers pulsed radiofrequency energy to the area over a 10-minute period, resolving the herniation without touching the disc, Napoli explained.
More than 80 percent of the 80 study participants were pain-free a year after a single treatment. Six people required a second treatment session.
Pulsed radiofrequency has been widely used in pain medicine for other types of chronic pain, Napoli noted.
He said the treatment works by “eliminating the inflammation process” in nerves surrounding the herniated disc, hindering painful muscle contractions. “The aim was to interrupt this cycle and give the body the chance to restore a natural healing,” he added.
Dr. Scott Roberts, a physiatrist with Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Del., said the new findings showed “an impressive drop in pain and improvement in function.” However, he noted that the research didn’t include a control group for comparison with people not given the treatment.
“With no control group, we don’t know how much of the improvement we’re seeing would have happened anyway,” Roberts said. “I was very encouraged by [the study] because its results are significant, but it’s far from conclusive without a control group.”
