PRP | Platelet Rich Plasma | Shoulder Pain / Rotator Cuff Injury

PRP Shoulder Pain / Rotator Cuff shoulder injury treatments are now being offered in Gilbert, AZ and the surrounding communities of Chandler, Queen Creek, San Tan and Mesa, AZ.  Stop suffering and start living pain free with platelet rich plasma!

Overview of Shoulder Anatomy

The rotator cuff refers to a group of muscles and tendons that surround and provide structure to the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint.  The joint itself is composed of the humerus and the scapula, that is protected internally by the labrum.  The main muscles involved in the rotator cuff are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.  The ligaments that stabilize the shoulder joint are the glenohumeral, coracoacromial, coracoclavicular, and transverse humeral.  These structures work harmoniously together allowing the shoulder to adduct, abduct, flex, extend and rotate internally and externally.  Due to the complexity of this joint, an injury to any structure can illicit pain and put more sprain on the surrounding structures as they are forced to compensate.  Typically, people who are repeatedly completing overhead motions develop rotator cuff injuries.  This includes athletes in football, baseball, tennis and more commonly in trade workers involved in painting, carpentry or construction as they tend to use their shoulders heavily while working.  

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Partial tendon tears
• Labral tears

Signs of Rotator Cuff Injury

• Dull aching pain in shoulder
• Decreased range of motion
• Muscle weakness
• Poor sleep

Conventional Approaches

The cause of most rotator cuff injuries is from chronic overuse that accumulates over time.  The injury can usually be diagnosed in office through comprehensive palpation and a orthopedic physical exam of the shoulder.  For more severe injuries, MRI imaging provides the most detail and extent of the damage.  Treatment options will be assessed depending on the severity.  Simple rest and a small break from activity is often the starting treatment.  If pain persists, steroid injections into the shoulder and physical therapy will be explored.  Surgery is the last treatment, for the most severe injuries with chronic pain that are not responsive to other conventional therapies.  The different surgical options are Arthroscopic tendon repair, open tendon repair, osteophyte removal, tendon transfer and shoulder replacement.

PRP Shoulder Pain Relief 

At Atlas Health Medical Groups Gilbert, AZ clinic platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections are used to treat rotator cuff injuries with the aim of healing the damaged tissue and restoring full function back to the joint.  The treatment involves taking a sample of the patient’s own blood and then extracting the platelets from the other components of the blood. Once the platelets are extracted and concentrated, they then can be injected into the origins and insertions of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis.  We also inject the PRP into the joint itself to treat the labrum and provide more lubricant into the joint.  The supporting shoulder ligaments are also treated with PRP and they include all of the glenohumeral, coracoid and transverse ligaments.  

Platelet Rich Plasma Benefits

• Pain Relief
• Strengthens Ligaments, Tendons, Cartilage, and Connective Tissue
• Utilizes your Natural Growth Factors
• Quicker Recovery Time
• Non-Surgical
• Non-Invasive

This comprehensive PRP Shoulder Pain relief approach addresses the degeneration that may be present inside the joint, the torn labrum or tendons, and the weak or lax ligaments.  By treating the entire joint and all of the surrounding structures, we are able to prevent further damage and heal the injury that is causing the pain.  This type of regenerative medicine produces clinical outcomes that have repeatedly been shown to be superior to steroid injections and can prevent the need for surgery in some select cases depending on the severity.  Patients begin seeing improvement within 1 months time, with the best results observed 3 months post injection typically.  These outcomes provide attractive alternatives to conventional care with minimal expense and downtime.  Patients often return to normal living activities and begin to re-engage in hobbies, athletics, and exercises that they enjoy with their friends and families.

For more information about Regenerative Injection Therapy, Atlas Health Medical Group, Platelet Rich Plasma, Naturopathic pain management, Dr. Dylan W. Krueger, NMD, or our Gilbert, AZ location, please contact us at: 480-648-1534 

Additional Resources

Stop Suffering and Live the Pain Free Life YOU intended Today!

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are for educational purposes only.  Statements are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.  Always consult with your physician about your medical care options.