Friday, June 25, 2010

Judy's Shoulder

I went to a new orthopaedic doctor yesterday, as my therapist suggested I get a second opinion. She recommended a doctor she'd heard good things about. He, considentally, was the doctor I was originally referred to, but it took so long to get in that I switched to another (perhaps less popular) doctor.

Doctor B (as in Blue) concurred with Doctor W's assessment that I, indeed, do have a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). The upside, however is that Dr. B recommends something besides therapy to treat it. It's called shoulder manipulation. They knock out the patient (me) with anesthesia and then move my shoulder in all the ways it should but that that are unbearable to me because of the pain. It breaks up the scar tissue and I wake up with increased movement, and it shortens the recovery time.

After manipulation I would have a few weeks of therapy, then just do some exercises on my own. Apparently, untreated, the shoulder would eventually unfreeze by itself (perhaps after several years). Therapy often doesn't help, because it makes the patient (again, me) so sore that she (me) uses it even less than without therapy.

I just looked up this treatment online, and it seems standard. It begs the question, of why didn't Dr. W offer it to me? That was what Dr. B was wondering, also. So, I'm am cautiously optimistic about my chances of a speedier recovery.

I also had a dental post implanted yesterday. I'm a little puffy on the left side, but not as bad as Crystal after her wisdom teeth were removed. I have to wait another 6 months for a tooth! Maybe I'll get a tooth about the same time my should stops hurting!

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Ver said...
    It is good example of less being more, it is certainly a good thing that you got a second opinion.

    Good luck on you dental implant. Dental implants are not something you want to take lightly.

    Sounds like you are planning on keeping your good looks until your eighty. Me, I plan on have all me teeth pull at a certain age, just so I can frighten all the thugs living in the hood. I am glad that you discovered you may not have to have surgery on you shoulder.

    I don't believe your first MD thought you should have the surgery because there was more money involved, there are too many government agencies(and peer reviews) that review MD recommendations these days, but it is weird that he did not want to at least try manipulation first.

    I missed you blog this week. I got loney for the written word. I wished Barbara would write more often. How did Eli's cityscape turn out, Barbara? Abby gave a very grown up talk in church on Sunday, I am sure she will make a great missionary.

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  3. Impressive shoulder picture. Good luck. It all sounds painful to me.

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  4. Judy,

    I hope everything turns out okay with your shoulder. I posted this video about Manipulation Under Anesthesia some time back...as you can see, they are not gentle.

    http://therotater.com/blog/frozen-shoulder-manipulation/

    Like Barbara, I like your shoulder picture.

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  5. Thanks for the video. It looked a little scary. I trust your comment wasn't posted to dissuade me from having the procedure!

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  6. After watching the video I think your 1st doctor was going to offer surgery, but he wanted you to focus on PT and give it a chance. Did you 1st doctor look like he spent much time working out?

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