Your Shoulder Has Hurt for Months and Nothing Has Worked. The Problem Might Be in Your Blood Vessels.

 

Bone and Joint Action Week runs from October 12 to 20 each year – a reminder that musculoskeletal health affects nearly every aspect of daily life. For millions of Americans, chronic shoulder pain is a daily reality that limits sleep, work, and the ability to do ordinary things.

If your shoulder has been hurting for months and you have tried physical therapy, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications, and rest – with limited results – there is a possibility that the conventional approach has been treating the wrong thing.

Emerging research and clinical practice have identified a vascular driver behind certain types of chronic musculoskeletal pain. The mechanism involves abnormal blood vessel growth – and a minimally invasive procedure called TAME is designed to address it directly.

Read Also: Understanding Vascular Conditions | Heart Vascular and Leg Center

 

 

Why Some Shoulder Pain Does Not Respond to Standard Treatment

Most shoulder pain is addressed with a sequence of conservative therapies: rest, ice, physical therapy, NSAIDs, and corticosteroid injections. For acute injuries, this sequence often works.

But for chronic shoulder pain that has persisted beyond three to six months without a clear structural cause – no complete tear, no significant arthritis – the source of pain may not be in the muscle, tendon, or joint tissue itself. It may be in the blood vessels.

The Role of Abnormal Blood Vessels in Chronic Pain

When tissue is stressed or injured, the body responds by growing new blood vessels to deliver oxygen and healing resources to the area. In normal healing, these vessels form and then recede as the tissue recovers.

In some people with chronic pain, this vascular growth does not recede. Instead, abnormal new vessels proliferate in and around the affected tissue – a process called neovascularization. These vessels bring with them new nerve fibers, and those nerve fibers sustain the pain signal even after the original injury has resolved.

This mechanism has been documented in the medical literature for chronic knee pain (where it underpins GAE – genicular artery embolization) and is now being studied and applied to other joints, including the shoulder.

Neovascularization and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain – JVIR Review ↗

What Is TAME? Targeted Arterial Micro-Embolization

TAME stands for Targeted Arterial Micro-Embolization. It is a catheter-based procedure performed by an interventional radiologist that targets the abnormal blood vessels driving chronic pain.

Using real-time X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy), the physician guides a thin catheter through an artery to the vessels supplying the affected tissue. Tiny embolic particles – about the size of a grain of sand – are delivered through the catheter to reduce blood flow to the abnormal vessels.

When the abnormal vessels lose their blood supply, they recede. The nerve fibers that traveled with them lose their sustaining signal. Pain typically diminishes significantly over the following weeks.

Chronic Shoulder Pain Treatment

How TAME Differs from Injections

Cortisone injections reduce inflammation locally and can provide temporary relief. But they do not address the abnormal vascularity driving chronic pain. TAME targets that vascularity directly – which is why it can provide lasting relief where injections have not.

TAME also differs from surgery. There are no incisions, no implants, and no general anesthesia. The procedure is typically performed under local anesthesia with light sedation.

What Types of Shoulder Pain Can TAME Address?

TAME is not a treatment for all shoulder conditions. It is most applicable to patients with:

• Chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy: Ongoing pain in the rotator cuff tendons that has not responded to conservative care, without a complete tear requiring surgery.
• Chronic shoulder impingement: Persistent pain with overhead movement that has not resolved despite physical therapy and injections.
• Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) with chronic pain component: Some patients with frozen shoulder have a vascular component to their ongoing pain.
• Post-surgical shoulder pain: Patients who have had shoulder surgery but continue to experience chronic pain may have developed neovascularization in the area.

Candidates for TAME are typically patients who have tried conservative treatment for at least three months without adequate relief and do not have a structural problem that requires surgical repair.

Read Also: Genicular Artery Embolization for Knee Pain | Heart Vascular and Leg Center

The Evidence Behind TAME for Shoulder Pain

The evidence base for embolization in musculoskeletal pain has grown significantly over the past decade, led initially by the use of GAE for knee osteoarthritis. Researchers have applied similar techniques to the shoulder with promising results.

Published studies and clinical trials have demonstrated:

• Significant reduction in shoulder pain scores at 3, 6, and 12 months post-procedure
• Improved shoulder function and range of motion in treated patients
• Durability of results with sustained improvement at one year in multiple studies
• Safety profile consistent with other established embolization procedures

TAME/MSK Embolization – Systematic Review, Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology ↗

Shoulder Embolization – Clinical Study Evidence, SIR Foundation ↗

The procedure is performed by interventional radiologists with specific training in musculoskeletal embolization. At Heart Vascular and Leg Center, the team has experience applying this technique to appropriate candidates.

What the TAME Procedure Involves

The procedure typically takes one to two hours and is done on an outpatient basis. Here is what to expect:

• Pre-procedure evaluation: Imaging (MRI or ultrasound) is reviewed to confirm the diagnosis and identify the target vessels. A consultation determines whether you are a candidate.
• Day of procedure: You arrive at the center, and local anesthesia with light sedation is administered. A small catheter is inserted through the wrist or groin under sterile conditions.
• Catheter navigation: Using real-time fluoroscopic imaging, the physician navigates the catheter to the vessels supplying the affected shoulder tissue.
• Embolization: Tiny embolic microspheres are delivered to the abnormal vessels. The catheter is then removed.
• Recovery: You rest briefly in the center and are discharged the same day. Most patients return to light activity the next day.

What to Expect After TAME

Results from TAME are not immediate – the body needs time to respond to the reduced vascularity. Most patients notice improvement beginning two to four weeks after the procedure. Significant pain reduction is typically seen by six to eight weeks.

Common post-procedure experience:

• Mild shoulder soreness for the first few days, manageable with over-the-counter pain relief
• Normal activity the next day; heavy lifting or intense physical activity restricted for one to two weeks
• Follow-up appointments at two weeks, six weeks, and three months
• Physical therapy often recommended to restore strength and range of motion as pain recedes

Many patients who have been managing chronic shoulder pain for years find that TAME provides relief they had not been able to achieve through other means.

Interested in TAME for chronic shoulder pain?  Schedule a Consultation

Bone and Joint Action Week 2026: Taking Action on Chronic Pain

Bone and Joint Action Week, observed October 12 to 20, focuses attention on musculoskeletal health conditions that affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Chronic shoulder pain is one of the leading causes of disability in working-age adults.

This week is a good moment to reassess whether your approach to shoulder pain is actually working – and whether there are options you have not yet explored.

Bone and Joint Action Week – USBJI ↗

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is TAME for shoulder pain covered by insurance?

A: Coverage for TAME varies by payer and is evolving as the evidence base grows. The team at Heart Vascular and Leg Center can review your specific insurance situation during consultation. Some patients pay out-of-pocket while coverage expands.

Q: How is TAME different from platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections?

A: PRP delivers growth factors to promote tissue healing. TAME targets the abnormal blood vessels that sustain chronic pain signaling. They work through different mechanisms – some patients who have not responded to PRP have seen benefit from TAME.

Q: Do I need to stop my shoulder physical therapy before TAME?

A: Not necessarily. The team will review your current treatment plan during evaluation. Physical therapy is often continued during recovery and can actually be more effective once pain is reduced.

Q: What if my shoulder pain comes from a rotator cuff tear?

A: Complete tears that require surgical repair are not candidates for TAME. TAME is most appropriate for tendinopathy and impingement without a structural tear. Imaging review helps determine the right approach for each patient.

Q: How long do TAME results last?

A: Published data shows maintained pain reduction at 12 months in most treated patients. Longer-term data is still being collected, but the mechanism – reducing abnormal vessel growth – suggests durable results in appropriate candidates.

Is TAME Right for You?

If your shoulder has been painful for more than three months, and conservative treatments have not given you adequate relief, a vascular evaluation may provide answers that other workups have missed.

The team at Heart Vascular and Leg Center in Bakersfield will review your history, imaging, and prior treatments to determine whether TAME is appropriate for your situation. The consultation is the starting point.

 Schedule your consultation for chronic shoulder pain.  Schedule a Consultation