Description

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint, keeping the head of the upper arm bone firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder. A rotator cuff injury can cause a dull pain in the back which gets worse at night.

Rotator cuff injuries are common and increase with age. These injuries can occur in younger people who have jobs that require repeated overhead motions, such as painters and carpenters.

Physical therapy exercises can improve flexibility and strength of the muscles that surround the shoulder joint. For many people with problems with the rotor, these exercises are all that's needed to manage your symptoms.

Sometimes, rotator cuff tears can occur from a single injury. In such circumstances, people should seek medical care quickly, since it could require surgery.

Symptoms

The pain associated with a rotator cuff injury can:

  • Be described as a dull ache deep in the shoulder
  • To disturb the sleep.
  • Make it difficult to comb your hair or reach behind your back
  • Be accompanied by weakness in the arms

Some of the injuries of the rotator cuff causes no pain.

When to see a doctor

Your family doctor can evaluate short-term shoulder pain. See your doctor right away if you have immediate weakness in your arm after an injury.

Causes

Rotator cuff injuries are most often caused by progressive wear of the tissue of the tendon over time. Repetitive overhead activity or prolonged episodes of lifting heavy objects, can irritate or damage the tendon. The rotator cuff can also be injured in an incident that occurred during falls or other accidents.

Risk factors

The following factors may increase your risk of having a rotator cuff injury:

  • Age. The risk of a rotator cuff injury increases with age. Rotator cuff tears are more common in people older than 60 years.
  • Some of the occupations. Jobs that require repetitive overhead arm movements, such as carpentry or house painting, can damage the rotator cuff at the time.
  • In certain sports. Some types of rotator cuff injuries are more common in people who participate in sports such as baseball, tennis, and weightlifting.
  • The history of the family. There may be a genetic component involved with rotator cuff injuries as seems to occur more often in certain families.

Complications

Without treatment, rotator cuff problems can lead to permanent loss of movement or weakness of the shoulder joint.

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, the health care providers of the press in different parts of the affected shoulder and move your arm into different positions. I'm also going to test the strength of the muscles around his shoulders and arms.

Imaging tests may include:

  • The x-rays. Although a rotator cuff tear will not show on an x-ray, this test can visualize bone spurs or other potential causes for your pain — such as arthritis.
  • Ultrasound. This type of test uses sound waves to produce images of structures within your body, especially in the soft tissues, such as muscles and tendons. It allows a provider to evaluate the structures of your shoulder during movement. It also allows a quick comparison between the affected shoulder and the shoulder healthy.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This technology uses radio waves and a strong magnet. The images obtained show all the structures of the shoulder in great detail.

Treatment

Conservative treatments — such as rest, ice and physical therapy — sometimes are all that's needed to recover from a rotator cuff injury. If your injury is severe, you may need surgery.

Therapy

Physical therapy is often one of the first treatments suggested. Exercises tailored to the specific location of your rotator cuff injury can help to restore the flexibility and strength of your shoulder. Physical therapy is also an important part of the process of recovery after rotator cuff surgery.

Injections

A steroid injection in the shoulder joint can be helpful, especially if the pain interferes with sleep, daily activities, or physical therapy. While such vaccines often provide temporary relief, it can also weaken the tendon and reduce the success of the future of the shoulder surgery.

Surgery

Many different types of surgeries are available for rotator cuff injuries, including:

  • Arthroscopic repair of the tendon. In this procedure, surgeons insert a small camera (arthroscope) and tools through small incisions to reattach the torn tendon to the bone.
  • Open tendon repair. In some situations, an open repair of the tendon may be a better option. In these types of surgeries, the surgeon works through a larger incision to return to the damaged tendon to the bone.
  • The tendon transfer. If the torn tendon is too damaged to be reattached to the bone of the arm, surgeons may decide to use near a tendon as a replacement.
  • Shoulder arthroplasty. Massive rotator cuff injuries may require the intervention of shoulder arthroplasty. To improve the artificial joint stability, an innovative procedure (reverse shoulder arthroplasty) install the ball of the artificial joint in the shoulder blade and the socket in the bone of the arm.

Lifestyle and home remedies

The pain of a minor rotator cuff injury often decreases on its own, with proper care. Stop doing what caused the pain and try to avoid painful movements. Limit of lifting heavy objects or overload of the activity until the pain in the shoulder that falls apart. Ice in the shoulder can help you feel better. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can also be useful.

Preparing for your appointment

You'll probably have to start by seeing your family doctor or medical specialist in sports medicine. If your injury is severe, you may be referred to an orthopedic surgeon. If you've been treated for a similar problem in the past, you may need to bring previous records and imaging studies with you to your appointment.

What you can do

Before the appointment, you might want to write a list that answers the following questions:

  • When did you first start experiencing pain in the shoulder?
  • What's movements and activities that worsen the pain of shoulder?
  • Have you ever injured your shoulder?
  • Have you experienced any symptoms in addition to pain in the shoulder?
  • Does the pain travel in the arm, under your elbow?
  • Is shoulder pain associated with any neck pain?
  • Do your job or hobby aggravate the pain of shoulder?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask you a series of questions. Be ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:

  • Where is the pain located?
  • How severe is your pain?
  • What is that the movements and activities aggravate or relieve the pain of shoulder?
  • Do you have any weakness or numbness in the arm?
Symptoms and treatment of Rotator cuff injury