What are rotator cuff and musculoskeletal injections?
Injections of steroids are effective treatments for rotator cuff and musculoskeletal injuries. Injections can also provide diagnostic information and are commonly used for controlling postoperative pain. Local anesthetic can be injected in combination with steroids to offer additional, rapid pain relief.
Why choose Dr. Heidi Seifert?
- Most of our patients are referred by other patients or by surgeons for a specific type of injection.
- Dr. Seifert is an interventional anesthesiologist whose primary interests are in diagnostic and therapeutic injections and state-of-the-art regenerative techniques.
- She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic pain, using advanced nonsurgical, minimally-invasive procedures.
Who is a good candidate for this treatment?
You may be a candidate for injections in Bellaire, Texas if you have an injury, inflammation, or a degenerative condition of the:
- Rotator cuff (a group of four tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint)
- Subdeltoid bursa (fluid-filled sac located under the deltoid muscle in the shoulder joint)
- Supraspinatus tendon (part of the rotator cuff of the shoulder)
- Infraspinatus tendon (located along the posterior shoulder blade)
- Subscapularis tendon and bursa (tendon and fluid-filled sac attached to the shoulder muscle that lets you internally rotate your arm)
If you have chronic pain in the shoulder, a suprascapular nerve block may be recommended. This treatment consists of injecting an anesthetic in the suprascapular nerve, which provides pain signals to the shoulder joint.
What can I expect with rotator cuff and musculoskeletal injections in Houston?
- Dr. Seifert identifies and marks the areas for needle placement, and your skin is cleaned with alcohol or iodine.
- A topical anesthetic may be applied for comfort.
- The doctor carefully guides the needle into the injection site and injects the medication into the affected area.
- The needle is removed, and a bandage is applied.
How much recovery time do rotator cuff and musculoskeletal injections require?
You may experience some pain for a day or two after the procedure. The anesthetic typically wears off in a few hours. Discomfort can be controlled with ice and over-the-counter medications. You can return to your normal daily activities immediately after the procedure, but you may be asked to avoid strenuous activities for approximately two weeks.
Where and why are rotator cuff and musculoskeletal injections performed?
Rotator cuff and musculoskeletal injections can be intra-articular (within the joint space), periarticular (around the joint space), or within soft tissue structures. They may be designed to definitively treat a condition, to provide a pain-free window in which rehabilitative therapy can be performed, or to provide relief from episodic pain and symptoms.
