I knew I had a serious shoulder problem because the pain was excruciating. No position was comfortable and nothing touched the pain – not even cortisone shots. Based on Dr. Noerdlinger’s exam and the x-rays, which revealed that the shoulder was loaded with arthritis, we went for a shoulder replacement. During surgery, he discovered that I also had a rotator cuff tear – which had been compounding the pain. Dr. Noerdlinger is a wizard. I came out of surgery to instantaneous pain relief. I went from suffering 24/7 pain to no pain at all. I don’t know how he did it, because recovery from shoulder surgery is supposed to be quite painful. The shoulder required extended physical therapy, and I’ve got 80% range of motion eight months after surgery. Apparently it takes about a year for full recovery. I’m back doing all the things I enjoy – driving my motorcycle, fishing and boating. I’m no stranger to pain – or to orthopedic surgery. I’ve broken my back and had both knees replaced, and this shoulder was the worst pain I’ve ever had. 25 years ago, I had a torn rotator cuff repaired, and that was not a positive experience. So I’ve experienced a lot of surgeons and appreciate Dr. Noerdlinger for his quiet manner and professionalism – and especially for the exceptional job he did on my shoulder.