@RadDrDuke,
My Better Half's had two MRIs in 18 months and three steroid injections [not guided] over about the same time. Injections seem to help a couple months and then the pattern of popping and a half-nights of sleep returns. Taking IBU all the time doesn't seem to help with the pain. She's given up with the lame PT protocol they gave her and she just works on maintaing range of motion and stays as active in sports as much as possible. I've had success with her medical group. I had a full thickness supraspinatus tear which was reattached, but my arthritis is minimal. It's been about 11 months and I'm happy. However, I'm not happy with the entire orthopod group. The doc who read my pre-op MRI noted that my long head biceps attachment was normal, but at first post-op visit surgeon [not same doc who read MRI], they told me I have no long head biceps. Oops, guess that tiny detail was overlooked...
We're getting 2nd and additional opinions. Giving docs the MRIs, without the MRI reads so they can form their own opinion. IMHO, something can be done, be it debridement/resurfacing, etc. to get past this tough-it-out and wait until you are older for a shoulder replacement phase. So, until the 2nd and additional opinions come thru, we're researching stem cell treatment [the reason I started this thread].
Re: stem-cell treatment - My take is that it can be effective if soft tissue isn't totally degenerated and the underlying structures are in decent shape, right? I remember my pre-op PT telling me to ask the surgeon, after the surgery, if my tissue was "like crab meat". It wasn't. Perhaps stem cells only work at repairing minimally damaged tissue/tendons.
RadDrDuke wrote: ↑Fri May 18, 2018 1:44 am
...snip...
If it were my shoulder I would: get an MRI, consult a shoulder orthopod, consult a second, do full 6 months PT and shoulder injections, and then finally POSSIBLY think about stem cells but only if no true underlying structural defect exists.