Cortisone injection again or no?

thebrick · Mar 14, 2008

I'm frustrated. I need to vent. Some of you may remember about 10 months ago, I partially tore my right supraspinatus tendon. I went to a top sports ortho doc in my area and it was determined not to require surgery. So I was given a cortisone injection and after some rest I slowly worked my way back into the gym.
Next chapter...
Yesterday afternoon after my shoulder warm-ups, with only 185# on the bar for shoulder presses, I came out of the rack and down and PING! Same thing happened again. Exact same spot. Damn! So here I sit this AM, not sleeping all night because of the pain, 5 ibuprofen later and I am still in pain, mad at myself for pushing myself, mad at myself for my all-or-nothing personality. The doctor told me last year that my shoulders (joints) are in such bad shape, he didn't know how I could work out at all. Basically I am down to bone on bone and the only thing left they could do was a joint replacement. That is out of the question for me… absolutely not. I said you would be suprized what you can get used to.

He said if I needed more cortisone to come back, but I don't know, I have heard that it can be havoc on the connective tissue after multiple injections in the same joint. My wife says no more cortisone. I feel like I am beating my head against a wall here. I'll take advice here... Sometimes I think after 30+ years of self-inflicted joint damage I should just retire.

hotttsauce · Mar 14, 2008

thebrick said:
I'm frustrated. I need to vent. Some of you may remember about 10 months ago, I partially tore my right supraspinatus tendon. I went to a top sports ortho doc in my area and it was determined not to require surgery. So I was given a cortisone injection and after some rest I slowly worked my way back into the gym.
Next chapter...
Yesterday afternoon after my shoulder warm-ups, with only 185# on the bar for shoulder presses, I came out of the rack and down and PING! Same thing happened again. Exact same spot. Damn! So here I sit this AM, not sleeping all night because of the pain, 5 ibuprofen later and I am still in pain, mad at myself for pushing myself, mad at myself for my all-or-nothing personality. The doctor told me last year that my shoulders (joints) are in such bad shape, he didn't know how I could work out at all. Basically I am down to bone on bone and the only thing left they could do was a joint replacement. That is out of the question for me absolutely not. I said you would be suprized what you can get used to. He said if I needed more cortisone to come back, but I don't know, I have heard that it can be havoc on the connective tissue after multiple injections in the same joint. My wife says no more cortisone. I feel like I am beating my head against a wall here. I'll take advice here... Sometimes I think after 30+ years of self-inflicted joint damage I should just retire.

Sorry to hear that brick. That's a tuff spot to be in. I am sure you have considered a second opinion for alternate solutions, but have you seen anyone else even tho this Dr. is the best in the area? That's a bad injury you have there and sounds like a lot of joint break down. Hope the best for ya big guy!

Armageddon · Mar 14, 2008

Try prylotherapy, alittle more painfull but not as damaging as the other injections. from what I've read, the NFL started using it to try and discontinue the cortisine shots. Basically it's some kind of saline solution. Don't know where this product stands as of now but alot of people where turning to it a few years ago.

thebrick · Mar 14, 2008

hotttsauce said:
Sorry to hear that brick. That's a tuff spot to be in. I am sure you have considered a second opinion for alternate solutions, but have you seen anyone else even tho this Dr. is the best in the area? That's a bad injury you have there and sounds like a lot of joint break down. Hope the best for ya big guy!

thanks Hottt. Actually, before my injury last year I had seen another good sports doctor. He works on the two pro-sports teams in my city. He did my shoulder clean-up some years ago (both shoulders). He told me pretty much the same thing as this newer doc. His words were "I wish I had got to you sooner" hey! I feel better already after that encouragement!

thebrick · Mar 14, 2008

Armageddon said:
Try prylotherapy, alittle more painfull but not as damaging as the other injections. from what I've read, the NFL started using it to try and discontinue the cortisine shots. Basically it's some kind of saline solution. Don't know where this product stands as of now but alot of people where turning to it a few years ago.

thanks! I will do some research! at this point, I am open to ideas.

oldfella · Mar 15, 2008

Brick, for future reference, Nothing says you must press overhead to build shoulders. Just do dumbell work, sides, fronts and rears. Do some shrugs and call it a workout. This is all I do and my shoulders are not shrinking. At our age we need to find smarter training solutions. We can no longer endure those punishing workouts without paying a price.

Dr.S · Mar 15, 2008

oldfella said:
Brick, for future reference, Nothing says you must press overhead to build shoulders. Just do dumbell work, sides, fronts and rears. Do some shrugs and call it a workout. This is all I do and my shoulders are not shrinking. At our age we need to find smarter training solutions. We can no longer endure those punishing workouts without paying a price.

This is a great point about the overhead pressing-- After 2 surgeries on the right and 1 on the left shoulder I will be following this advice as well. Funny, the Physical Therapist I'm seeing thinks direct overhead pressing puts the rotator cuff in a much worse position than bench presses........I actually avoided, for the most part, direct overhead pressing for the past couple years----but wear and tear from the old days caught up with me anyway (doctor said I was a "type 3" when it comes to shoulder genetics---type 3 being the worst 1,2,3. genetically speaking, I have---or had before the surgeries----very little room in the shoulder for optimal movement--- so the bone was scraping away at the rotator cuff)....

I generally use a machine or bench that always for a pressing angle almost close to an incline bench press----looks like I need to be even more careful, though