Shoulder Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is characterized by the destruction of the
protective
cartilage in the joint with painful and restricted motion. Arthritis
does not affect the shoulder joint as often as it does large weight-bearing
joints, such as the hip and knee. There is usually a history of trauma to the
shoulder or previous surgery. While plain x-rays can confirm the presence of
osteoarthritis in the shoulder, the most common unseen culprit to the
development of arthritis is chronic ligamentous laxity. Following trauma to the
shoulder, such as a fracture, damaged
ligaments may go undetected. The excessive
play in the joint may result in the development of bone spurs, which is the
body's way of reducing joint motion. Remember, that if the physician tells you
that a bone spur is found on x-ray, it almost universally means that there is
ligament laxity. The orthopedic surgeon may convice the patient that the spur
must be surgically removed. This, however, does nothing to remove the cause of
the spur. This whole situation can be prevented if proper shoulder management is
followed by the treatment of ligamentous injuries with
Prolotherapy, because the
cause of the spurs is addressed. This is especially true for athletes who
fracture the bones of a joint, such as the shoulder. The ligamentous injuries
need to be treated with Prolotherapy. Otherwise cartilage deterioration, bone
spurs, and osteoarthritis will form.
Osteoarthritis is not a common problem for the young athlete, but young athletes
beware! At some point, you will get older and be a senior citizen who lives for
tennis or whatever the sport, so prevent osteoarthritis now! Osteoarthritis due
to weak ligaments can be prevented in later life by doing Prolotherapy today.
Anytime you are injured, make sure you heal completely. The best way to do this
is to have a
Prolotherapist on your sports team. Only this person has the
expertise to diagnose and treat ligament injuries with Prolotherapy.
Prolotherapy is an excellent treatment for lligamentous
Laxity that leads to
osteoarthritis. As with most disease states, catching the problem early is the
smart thing to do. Severe or late-stage osteoarthritis of the shoulder can be
improved with
Prolotherapy injections, but results are less dramatic because of
the permanent destruction of cartilage. In this situation it can provide some
pain relief, but often natural medicine treatments are also needed. Using the
natural medicine approach, in conjunction with Prolotherapy, has allowed many
people to avoid total joint replacements. |
Ross
Hauser, M.D.
Our
Prolotherapy Books - 
The Journal of Prolotherapy
is unique in that it has a
target audience of both physicians and patients. The purpose of this
journal is to provide the readers with new cutting-edge information
on Prolotherapy, as well as provide a forum for physicians and
patients alike to tell their stories.
POWER
OVER PAIN