Shouldering the Pain Without Surgery
Shoulder pain doesn’t have to sideline your life. Today’s treatment options offer relief without the risks of surgery.
BY DR. CHRISTOPHER L.
DILLINGHAM, M.D.
BOARD-CERTIFIED, FELLOWSHIPTRAINED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
Every day, I see patients whose shoulder pain is holding them back-sometimes from enjoying their favorite sport, sometimes from simple daily activities like reaching into a cabinet or lifting a grandchild. Many of these people wait to seek care because they fear I’ll tell them surgery is their only option.
Here’s the good news: in most cases, surgery is not the first, or only, answer. Today, we have advanced, effective, and non-surgical treatments that relieve pain, restore motion, and help patients return to the activities they love.
The shoulder is unique. It’s the only joint in the body with a full 360-degree range of motion. That freedom allows us to throw, swing, lift, and reach but it also makes the shoulder more vulnerable to injury and instability. Fortunately, innovative regenerative therapies are changing the way we treat shoulder pain.
Biologic options like platelet-rich
Other minimally invasive approaches, such as corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections, combined with tailored physical therapy have been highly effective. My goal is always to develop a plan that fits each patient’s needs and lifestyle. That begins with a careful evaluation, including a physical exam and imaging, followed by a conversation about the best next step.
After appropriate non-surgical treatment, many patients feel improvement within weeks to a few months.”
aspirate concentrate (BMAC) harness your body’s own healing power. PRP uses growth factors from your blood to stimulate tissue repair, while BMAC adds cells from your bone marrow that help regenerate tendon, cartilage, and other tissues. Both can reduce inflammation, decrease pain, and improve function in conditions such as tendonitis, partial rotator cuff tears,
In my experience, after appropriate non-surgical treatment, many patients feel improvement within weeks to a few months. Often, they can return to playing golf, reaching overhead, or playing with their grandchildren without needing surgery at all.
At Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics, we see our patients as more than an injury or diagnosis. We believe true healthcare is personal-and it’s rooted in options, not just operations. Our team is here to
— Christopher L. Dillingham, M.D.
help you heal, regain confidence, and most importantly, get back to doing what you love. You don’t have to live with shoulder pain or assume surgery is the only answer. Relief and recovery are possible. Call us today at 941.378.5100 or visit sforzodillingham.com to schedule your appointment.
Caring for Ears, Noses, and Throats From Children to Adults
Loss • Chronic Otitis
• Chronic Tonsillitis and Tonsil Stones
• Dizziness/Vertigo • Ear pain/Plugging/Popping
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Voice and Swallow Disorders
• Head and Neck Cancer
From Frustrated to Fit
From Frustrated to Fit
How one holistic program is helping clients shed pounds and feel stronger than ever.
How one holistic program is helping clients shed pounds and feel stronger than ever.
If you’ve ever lost weight, only to see it slowly return, you’re not alone. Many diets focus on the number on the scale, not on how the body works during weight loss or how to maintain results long term.
Bringing Compassion and Expertise to Retina Care
f you’ve ever lost weight, only to see it slowly return, you’re not alone. Many diets focus on the number on the scale, not on how the body works during weight loss or how to maintain results long term.
That’s where Danee Barnett takes a different approach. A local acupuncture physician with more than 15 years of experience in healthy weight management, Barnett has helped her clients lose a combined 80,000 pounds. But her real mission goes beyond weight loss. It’s about protecting muscle, shifting habits, and building long-term wellness.
At The Retina Group of Florida, Dr. Jie Sun delivers the same caring expertise that once helped her own family.
That’s where Danee Barnett takes a different approach. A local acupuncture physician with more than 15 years of experience in healthy weight management, Barnett has helped her clients lose a combined 80,000 pounds. But her real mission goes beyond weight loss. It’s about protecting muscle, shifting habits, and building long-term wellness.
SIGNS YOU NEED RETINAL CARE
If you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s important to see a retina specialist promptly:
DANEE BARNETT
DANEE BARNETT
WHY MOST DIETS MISS THE MARK
WHY MOST DIETS MISS THE MARK
Traditional diets often lead to fast results, but a lot of that initial weight loss comes from water or even muscle. And since muscle plays a major role in metabolism, losing it can make your body burn fewer calories over time.
Traditional diets often lead to fast results, but a lot of that initial weight loss comes from water or even muscle. And since muscle plays a major role in metabolism, losing it can make your body burn fewer calories over time.
“Muscle is metabolically active tissue,” Barnett explains. “You might look smaller for a while, but if you lose muscle, your body becomes less efficient. That’s why preserving lean mass is so important.”
“Muscle is metabolically active tissue,” Barnett explains. “You might look smaller for a while, but if you lose muscle, your body becomes less efficient. That’s why preserving lean mass is so important.”
A SMARTER, MORE PERSONALIZED PLAN
A SMARTER, MORE PERSONALIZED PLAN
Barnett’s four-phase program uses advanced metabolic testing to personalize each plan. At the core is bioimpedance analysis (BIA), a tool that measures body composition including lean mass, fat mass, water levels, and metabolic rate.
Barnett’s four-phase program uses advanced metabolic testing to personalize each plan. At the core is bioimpedance analysis (BIA), a tool that measures body composition including lean mass, fat mass, water levels, and metabolic rate.
“Two people might have the same weight and height but very different body makeups,” she says. “BIA helps us see what’s really changing so we can adjust the plan in real time.”
“Two people might have the same weight and height but very different body makeups,” she says. “BIA helps us see what’s really changing so we can adjust the plan in real time.”
Jie Sun, M.D.
THE FOUR PHASES OF THE DANEE BARNETT APPROACH
THE RETINA GROUP OF FLORIDA
THE FOUR PHASES OF THE DANEE BARNETT APPROACH
ADDRESS: 5985 Silver Falls Run, Suite 102 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211
Phases 1 & 2: Burn fat, improve body composition
Phases 1 & 2: Burn fat, improve body composition
PHONE: 941-269-4150
WEBSITE: retinagroupflorida.com
Phase 3: Learn to maintain, not rebound
Phase 3: Learn to maintain, not rebound Phase 4: Build real habits for life
Phase 4: Build real habits for life
Why It Works
Why It Works
TForget crash diets. This program is built around how your body actually works -focusing on muscle preservation, metabolic health, and sustainable change.
Forget crash diets. This program is built around how your body actually works -focusing on muscle preservation, metabolic health, and sustainable change.
he newest physician at the Retina Group of Florida, Dr. Jie Sun, is passionate about helping her patients, perhaps because her journey to becoming an eye doctor and a retinal specialist is personal.
As a young child, Dr. Sun watched as her grandmother suffered from eye disease, which inspired her career path to becoming an eye doctor. Then, while she was in medical school, her father was diagnosed with retinal detachment. She stayed with him through the whole process, witnessing his retinal specialist explaining the surgery to him and taking care of him.
“After that repair, he got his vision back,” said Dr. Sun. “It was incredible to see how his doctor was able to do something to improve his quality of life.”
Because of that experience, she chose to become a retinal specialist. Dr. Sun earned her M.D. in Clinical Medicine from Shandong Medical College and completed a Ph.D. in Ophthalmology at Qingdao University Medical College. She also holds a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. Dr. Sun specializes in medical retina and uveitis, or ocular inflammation.
Her career has included clinical care, academic research and healthcare administration. She has come full circle,
■ Sudden appearance of floaters (tiny spots or cobwebs drifting in your vision)
WEIGHT LOSS & WELLNESS
WEIGHT LOSS & WELLNESS
ADDRESS: 330 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
■ Flashes of light in your field of vision
ADDRESS: 330 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
PHONE: 941-365-0812
PHONE: 941-365-0812
■ A shadow or curtain blocking part of your vision
VISIT: DaneeBarnett.com
VISIT: DaneeBarnett.com
■ Sudden decrease or loss of vision
■ Blurred or distorted central vision
■ Distorted or wavy lines when looking at objects
■ Unexplained vision loss, especially if you have diabetes or high blood pressure
If you notice any symptoms, don’t waitcontact the Retina Group of Florida for expert evaluation and care.
You might look smaller for a while, but if you lose muscle, your body becomes less efficient. That’s why preserving lean mass is so important.”
You might look smaller for a while, but if you lose muscle, your body becomes less efficient. That’s why preserving lean mass is so important.”
Danee Barnett
Danee Barnett
returning to clinical care with the Retina Group, whose staff she describes as friendly and welcoming. “The minute I stepped into the clinic, they treated me like family,” she said.
As a patient, from the moment you walk in the door, their staff will also make you feel comfortable and heard, providing you with the same level of personalized care and attention they would want for themselves.
Rather than strict dieting, clients follow a Mediterranean-style eating plan tailored their unique needs. It strikes a healthy balance of protein, good fats, and carbs, with room for treats as well. For those on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy, Barnett offers added support to protect muscle and meet nutritional needs.
Rather than strict dieting, clients follow a Mediterranean-style eating plan tailored to their unique needs. It strikes a healthy balance of protein, good fats, and carbs, with room for treats as well. For those on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy, Barnett offers added support to protect muscle and meet nutritional needs.
MORE THAN JUST A MEAL PLAN
MORE THAN JUST A MEAL PLAN
The program also addresses the emotional side of weight loss. Stress management, lifestyle coaching, and optional addiction acupuncture help clients stay on track and build sustainable routines.
The program also addresses the emotional side of weight loss. Stress management, lifestyle coaching, and optional addiction acupuncture help clients stay on track and build sustainable routines.
THE TAKEAWAY
THE TAKEAWAY
The Retina Group of Florida’s sympathetic retina specialists can handle everything from retinal tears, certain retinal detachments, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration to vitreoretinal diseases to offer complete comprehensive treatment at one convenient location. In fact, the Retina Group of Florida has four locations on the West Coast of Florida, with a total of 23 locations throughout the state. And if you have an emergency, a Retina Group of Florida physician is available 24 hours a day.
Lasting weight loss is not just about eating less. It is about understanding your body, supporting it in the right way, and creating habits you can actually maintain.
Lasting weight loss is not just about eating less. It is about understanding your body, supporting it in the right way, and creating habits you actually maintain.
Dr. Sun works out of all four local officesLakewood Ranch, Sarasota, Venice and Port Charlotte. She is accepting new patients for medical retina and uveitis.
Physicians in all four locations also treat
The minute I stepped into the clinic, they treated me like family.”
- Dr. Jie Sun
other retinal disorders, perform surgery and are leaders in research and clinical trials. If you have been diagnosed with a retinal disease, ask your ophthalmologist to refer you to the Retina Group of Florida. Visit RetinaGroupFlorida.com for Your Local Retina Specialists with Same Day Emergency Appts & 24/7 Support.
Manatee Memorial Hospital: Expertise in Mitral Valve Repair
At Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH), proven expertise in minimally invasive mitral valve repair is not just about advanced techniques: it’s about helping people regain their health and get back to the activities of daily living. Your heart beats nearly 100,000 times a day, and every beat depends on valves that keep blood moving in the right direction. One of the most important is the mitral valve. Its role is simple but vital: open to let blood in, then close to keep
it from leaking back. When the mitral valve doesn’t close properly (a condition called mitral valve regurgitation) blood slips backward, forcing the heart to work harder. That’s when people begin to notice changes: getting winded walking to the mailbox, tiring quickly while playing with grandkids, or feeling too drained to take the dog for a walk. Left untreated, the condition can progress to heart failure. For many years, open-heart surgery was the standard repair.
If you’re experiencing any of the following, it may be time to talk to your doctor:
Shortness of breath during daily activities ■ Unusual fatigue or weakness ■ Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat ■ Swelling in the legs or feet ■ Difficulty lying flat due to shortness of breath Don’t
While effective, and still an option at times, recovery can take weeks. Now, many patients can benefit from a less invasive approach: transcatheter mitral valve repair. Using a thin catheter, doctors place a small device called a MitraClip™ on the valve to help it close tightly. Recovery is often measured in days rather than weeks, allowing patients to return quickly to their routines, families, and the activities they enjoy.
Here in Florida, Manatee Memorial Hospital is recognized for this procedure. Under the guidance of Dr. Alessandro Golino, Chief of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, MMH performs more MitraClip™ procedures than any other hospital in the state*. Dr. Golino is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise, performing roughly 200 mitral valve repairs each year*
“Early detection is critical,” says Dr. Golino. “The sooner we identify valve problems, the better the outcome. With our team at Manatee Memorial, we’re able to give patients every chance for a healthier, longer life.”
When a mitral valve is repaired
The sooner we identify valve problems, the better the outcome.”
— Dr. Alessandro Golino
and healthy blood flow is restored, patients often describe a renewed sense of energy and relief when the simple pleasures of daily life become possible again.
When it comes to mitral valve repair in Florida, MMH combines advanced, minimally invasive treatment with experienced care. They help patients return to stronger, healthier lives.
DR. ALESSANDRO GOLINO