Eliminating Shoulder Pain

foxnews.com—May 11, 2010

Getting old is tough. In fact, arthritis is the second most frequent chronic condition in the United States today. It can affect any joint in your body and it can really stop you in your tracks. Luckily, there are many options available to those suffering with this condition, including joint replacement surgery.

Arthritis was getting between 61 year old Lou Serio, patient at Hospital for Special Surgery, and his life. He’s normally very active is usually outside biking or kayaking. But this degenerative condition stopped him from doing what he loves.

“At the gym, my form was so contorted that I thought I was doing more harm than good,” said Lou. “It was also extremely difficult to dress.”

When Lou was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, he took medication, modified his lifestyle and got cortisone shots for relief.

“The whole idea behind arthritis is that the pain in part comes from inflammation, so part of it is to keep the joint quiet,” said Edward Craig, M.D., Lou’s doctor.

But none of the treatments restored Lou’s range of motion, so he got a total shoulder replacement.

“The way this particular operation is done is an incision is made in the front of the shoulder and you basically open the door by cutting open the muscles; then you insert the ball and the socket, position them, and close the door by sewing up the muscles,” Dr. Craig said.

The surgery takes about two hours and most insurance providers will pay for it. Dr. Craig says there’s no limitation after the patient has fully recovered and the replacement should last a lifetime.

Lou says he’s thrilled with the results.

“I kayaked last week, I also did rock climbing last year, I bicycle often – I’ve really gotten my life back,” he said.

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