The Levator scapulae muscle is located down either side of your neck. Tendons attach this muscle to the neck bones. Levator scapulae tendinosis is a chronic injury to the tendon that has never healed properly.
Symptoms include pain in and around the neck, perhaps radiating down into the upper back or shoulder. The pain usually worsens with activity. As the day progresses, the area can get stiff as swelling increases. Symptoms may also include headaches.
Typically, this type of injury may have its origin in whiplash, prolonged bad posture or failure to stretch and strengthen the neck muscles regularly. The continual damage from repeated injury results in tendinosis, or chronic tendon damage at the cellular level.
Traditionally, treatment of Levator scapulae tendinosis included cortisone injections and physical therapy, basically providing temporary pain relief, not actual healing. Because of the continual damage to the tendon through every day activities and the fact that there is poor blood supply to the tendon to actually promote healing, healing is often very slow and many never regain their original strength. People with injuries of this sort could expect to suffer throughout their lifetime with chronic pain.
However, today, thanks to the cutting edge techniques and regenerative medicine practiced at the Institute of Regenerative & Molecular Orthopaedics, repair of the injured tendon and relief of the debilitating pain of Levator scapulae tendinosis may be possible.
Exciting technological advances such as platelet rich plasma and stem cell treatment actually promote the body's self-healing ability to regenerate and repair the damaged tendons. The bioactive proteins in specially prepared platelets trigger and speed tissue repair and healing. These platelets work together with the stem cells in the healing process.
In both the stem cell treatment and the platelet rich plasma, the source of the stem cells and plasma is the patient. No worry about contaminated blood or the use of embryonic stem cells. And both are done locally in the office.
In addition to the use of stem cell treatment and platelet rich plasma, the Institute of Regenerative and Molecular Orthopaedics utilizes various growth factors and supplements to dramatically increase stem cell production and further promote healing of the damaged tissue.
The Institute of Regenerative & Molecular Orthopaedics has effectively combined traditional orthopedics with the latest in technology and regenerative medicine for the best possible outcome for their patients.