Patient FAQ
Q: What about pain medicine?
A: You will be given a prescription for pain medicine when you leave the hospital. Have this filled at your local pharmacy. Please take this as directed. That means that you may take the pills every 3-4 hours as needed. You do not have to take the pills if simple rest, arm repositioning or the Cryo Cuff ice pack controls the pain. When you need more medication, contact your pharmacy and they will call the office so that we may refill the prescription. We cannot do this after 5:00 PM, as no one will be in this office.
We cannot refill narcotic medication on weekends. One of my colleagues at the Fondren Orthopedic Group is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but we ask that you restrict after hours and weekend call to emergencies only and let us handle less urgent problems during the week.
Q: Is a blood transfusion needed?
A: A blood transfusion is unlikely. While a transfusion is possible, the odds are so small that Dr. Gartsman does not advise donating your own blood in advance of surgery. In more than 5,000 cases, he has never given a transfusion to a patient for this type of surgery.
Treatment with steroid injections: Cortisone shot FAQ's
Q: What is cortisone?
A:
Cortisone is strong anti-inflammatory medication.
Q: How does the cortisone injection help?
A: Cortisone can reduce the inflammation in an area of the body enough so that the body’s natural defenses can work more effectively. Often there is just too much inflammation for our body to deal with.
Q: What are some common reasons for a cortisone injection?
A: In my practice, the usual reasons are shoulder bursitis, rotator cuff tendinitis and shoulder arthritis.
Q: Does the cortisone injection hurt?
A: Usually the discomfort is minor. I use lidocaine as a numbing medicine along with the cortisone.
Q: Can I get a cortisone injection more than once?
A: That depends on your particular problem. I make my decisions based on the nature of your shoulder problem and how you reacted to the first injection.
Q: How long will the injection last?
A: People respond very differently to a cortisone injection. In some patients the injection helps right away but in others the benefit may begin 2-3 days or 2-3 weeks later. I have had people tell me an injection can help for years while in others it doesn’t work at all.
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