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Do you have nagging shoulder pain that doesn’t seem to have been caused by an injury? Treatment can start at home with rest and avoiding overhead reaches or other movements that cause pain. An ice pack wrapped in a cloth for 20 minutes a few times a day can help reduce any swelling. Anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen can ease pain. Try sleeping on your back or on the side opposite the affected shoulder.
Seek urgent care for a potential shoulder fracture or pain resulting from an injury.
If your shoulder is still bothering you after a week, has gotten worse or makes it difficult to sleep, it’s time to talk to a health care professional. Less expensive, nonsurgical treatments often restore movement and ease pain.
Conservative treatment likely will start with continued rest and pain medication. Your provider may prescribe a month or so of physical therapy to restore strength and movement, depending on your diagnosis. You also may get a set of exercises to perform at home.
A steroid injection or two into the shoulder joint, between the bone at the top of your shoulder and the top of your upper arm bone, may be needed for pain management. Your diagnosis will guide next steps and whether you need to see an orthopedic shoulder specialist.
Arm, upper back and neck pain all can be signs of a heart attack.
If conservative approaches don’t bring relief, you may be a candidate for surgical intervention that could include minimally invasive techniques to repair damaged tissue in the shoulder or, in extreme cases, shoulder replacement surgery.
The nonsurgical orthopedic specialists and orthopedic surgeons at Norton Orthopedic Institute have the experience and expertise to know when conservative treatment can ease your pain and restore mobility and when it’s time to consider more aggressive approaches. Our shoulder specialists are at the forefront of the latest advancements in both nonsurgical and surgical care, often leading to faster recovery times. They are actively involved in clinical trials, offering patients access to innovative shoulder implants and techniques.
Equipped with advanced imaging and diagnostic tools, our orthopedic shoulder specialists can identify precisely the cause of your shoulder pain. They will develop a personalized treatment and rehabilitation plan tailored to your specific needs.
Norton Orthopedic Institute’s sports health specialists are dedicated to the unique needs of athletes and others whose occupations put heavy strain and reliance on their shoulders. Both nonsurgical and surgical sports medicine providers focus on restoring pain-free movement and preventing reinjury.
Shoulder pain making things uncomfortable? Complete our Shoulder Assessment to see if it’s time to see a Norton Orthopedic Institute provider.
The assessment takes a few minutes to gauge your next step
This minimally invasive surgery, performed under anesthesia, can be used to correct many shoulder conditions that haven’t responded to more conservative treatment, including rotator cuff tear or chronic rotator cuff tendinitis (inflamed tendon), biceps tendon tears or tendinitis, labral tears, frozen shoulder, cartilage tears, shoulder instability, shoulder impingement syndrome and shoulder arthritis.
In the shoulder joint between the shoulder blade and the top of your arm bone, cartilage cushions bones and helps the joint move smoothly. The cartilage can wear down as a result of injury such as a shoulder dislocation or, in the case of osteoarthritis, wear and tear over time. Arthroscopic surgery can remove damaged cartilage and encourage the growth of new cartilage.
Shoulder resurfacing is a minimally invasive procedure that may be a good alternative to shoulder replacement surgery if the socket is still in good condition. The damaged surface of the ball at the top of the upper arm bone is removed and a metal cap is secured in its place.
In minimally invasive shoulder surgery, your surgeon will make several small incisions to insert an arthroscope, a tiny camera, to see inside your shoulder. The arthroscope allows your surgeon to see inside your shoulder and understand the precise nature of what’s causing your pain. Your surgeon can use various tools to address the condition without a more significant incision.
Minimally invasive surgery reduces your pain and recovery time compared with conventional surgery. You’ll typically go home the same day as the surgery, which lasts a couple hours at most. Since your surgical wound is smaller, your recovery is faster, and the risk of infection is less. You’ll be able to start moving your shoulder sooner, get a jump on recovery and reduce the risk of stiffness later.
Full recovery can take several months, and the first day or two of recovery can be painful. You’ll need a sling for at least a few days and possibly several weeks. Your surgeon will prescribe physical therapy to regain strength and motion.
Years as a competitive baseball and softball player wore Percy Reynolds’ shoulder down to the bone. But a co-worker led Percy to Louisville for a game-changing procedure.
You may be a candidate for a shoulder replacement if you have arthritis, damaged bone and cartilage from a rotator cuff injury, shoulder fracture, or any other condition that has compromised your shoulder bone and cartilage. Arthritis and serious rotator cuff injuries can lead to cartilage damage. Rheumatoid arthritis, caused by an overactive immune system, also can damage cartilage, bone and the rotator cuff, making a shoulder replacement necessary.
Also called shoulder arthroplasty, shoulder replacement removes damaged parts of the bone in your shoulder and replaces them with implants made of metal and plastic. Conventional shoulder replacement techniques replicate the existing ball at the top of the upper arm bone and socket in the shoulder blade. The new ball typically is made of metal, and the new socket usually is made of plastic.
Hemiarthroplasty involves replacing only one part of the shoulder joint, typically the ball, while the socket is left intact. Hemiarthroplasty may be appropriate for certain types of fractures and specific shoulder arthritis patients.
Shoulder replacement is typically a traditional “open” surgery, but the shoulder specialists at Norton Orthopedic Institute are pioneering a new approach that uses the minimally invasive arthroscope and other tools to replace the shoulder joint with fewer incisions and a faster recovery. Known as a subscapularis-sparing total shoulder replacement, the innovative surgical technique aims to minimize damage to the subscapularis muscle, the large muscle covering the back of your shoulder blade. This technique drastically improves surgical outcomes and reduces recovery time, allowing patients to return to their usual, day-to-day lives quicker.
Norton Orthopedic Institute shoulder specialists perform shoulder replacement surgeries nearly every day — hundreds each year — and often use robotic assistance to achieve a precise fit for the new joint. Before surgery, a 3D map of your shoulder is created, allowing your surgeon to choose the proper implant size and alignment. The robotic assistance can use the 3D image to help guide the placement with precision, which contributes to a more natural-feeling joint and helps guard against the implants loosening over the years.
You can expect significant relief from presurgery pain within weeks. Full rehabilitation typically takes a few months. Physical therapy starts shortly after surgery and is focused on regaining range of motion and strengthening the shoulder muscle. You will be limited in how much weight you can lift even after recovery is complete.
If your shoulder condition is the result of a rotator cuff tear or other damage to the soft tissue that holds the shoulder in place, a reverse shoulder replacement might be the right approach. This technique actually switches the natural anatomy of the shoulder by placing a ball on the shoulder blade and a socket at the top of the upper arm bone. The result is the large deltoid muscle in your shoulder takes over the work of the damaged rotator cuff in lifting your arm.
The technique has been so successful that reverse shoulder replacements now make up a majority of replacements. In cases where the rotator cuff has failed, as is often the case with shoulder arthritis, conventional shoulder replacement doesn’t allow lifting the arm up overhead. Reverse shoulder replacement solves this by employing the deltoid muscle to do the work of the rotator cuff.
Justin M. Givens, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute, is among the first five surgeons in the country — and the first in Kentucky — to perform a groundbreaking, robotic-assisted reverse shoulder replacement surgery with Mako SmartRobotics.
The robotic technology is designed to elevate the surgeon’s control and confidence. The surgeon gets 3D images of the patient’s anatomy and can study simulations before surgery. During surgery, the 3D images are available to reference. The robotic arm assists in shaving down the patient’s glenoid (shoulder socket), creating the new surface and inserting the implant. It ensures movements are exact and cuts are precise.
The robotic arm provides feedback to ensure the implant is positioned within the preplanned boundaries to allow for a more natural range of motion and better long-term outcomes.
Knee Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Shoulder Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery, Shoulder Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Shoulder Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Shoulder Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Knee Orthopedic Surgery, Shoulder Orthopedic Surgery, Hip Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Knee Orthopedic Surgery, Shoulder Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery
Copays or fees are typically due at the time of service. If you have insurance, your copay amount will depend on your plan. For self-pay patients, the cost of a visit typically ranges from $100 to $250, depending on the services provided. There may be additional charges for services such as lab tests or X-rays.
If you have questions about your bill or need assistance with payment options, you can contact Norton Healthcare customer service at (502) 479-6300 or (800) 874-3979.