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← Return to PRP for rotator cuff injury?
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@heyjoe415 Thank you I am trying to advoid surgery if possible because of other medical issues but it is hard. Starting pt again and will probably try PRP as last resort
Replies to "@heyjoe415 Thank you I am trying to advoid surgery if possible because of other medical issues..."
@silvern12
I have had 3 PRP for knee pain and have experienced reduced pain and increased function. Good luck… it takes time and patience.
@silvern12 My shoulder doc declined to try PRP on a "gnarly" rotator cuff tear - he said there were so many areas damaged that trying to figure out where to inject would be a guessing game. And that, based on his research and experience, even with a guided injection into a single area of damage, chances of success are below 50% on shoulders. On the other hand, he does use it on elbows where the point of damage is usually more clearly defined, so he is not anti-PRP.
PS My 20 month old complex repair is holding up well. Although the recovery and PT were long (and boring), it was far from the most painful surgery I ever had. The results are worth it - I have regained 90%+ range of motion, 80% strength, and lost all the pain.
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Thanks for the information Silver and I do hope you feel better soon.
It's easy for me to suggest surgery, but I can't know all the details of your situation, so please forgive me for being presumptuous. I didn't mean to me.
So yes, check with your surgeon to see if he or she would consider a PRP injection for you.
And a correction, PRP is not the same as a gel (hyaluronic acid). Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) uses your own plasma. The gel injection does not. As far as I know, gel injections are approved for the knee by the FDA, but no other joint. Drs still give gel injections in the shoulder (a "black label" or off-label use), so please do check with your Dr on what may be best for you).
Whatever you do, I hope you find relief. I lived with shoulder pain for the better part of a year and it interfered with just about everything I did, including sleep. If at some point surgery is an option for you, the recovery takes time but it does eliminate the pain in almost all cases. Your surgeon can explain the process in detail and specific to your unique case.
(In the meantime, you could look into using BioFreeze Professional, a very effective but temporary menthol gel. KT Tape may also be an option worth looking into. I'm not sure that works for an RC tear. I had extensive osteoarthritis in my shoulder but my RC was intact, and so I had an anatomically-correct TSR and the tape helped pre-surgery. Finally, 5% lidocaine patches are available with a prescription. They can be placed over the shoulder and last 12 hours.)
All the best to you Silver!
Joe