Info on Torn Rotator Cuff Symptoms
Torn rotator cuff symptoms may differ for each individual, and range from a simple annoying, throbbing pain which may interfere with your day to day activities to a strong, debilitating pain that will require strong painkillers and immediate medical assistance.
The rotator cuff has an important role in pitching movements, like movements used in baseball, football, softball or handball, as well as in extended expansive arm movements, like the ones used in tennis, racquetball or table tennis. It allows for a wide arm range of motion and makes the shoulder movement fast.
There are a lot of cases in which people will go on with their lives without any noticeable torn rotator cuff symptoms, or no symptoms at all, with a partial injured rotator cuff and only realizing they have a health problem once the tear becomes more advanced and pain starts setting in.
Understanding the torn rotator cuff symptoms and stopping all activities that will further develop the injury is very important. Also, it’s important to seek professional medical help as soon as the first torn rotator cuff symptoms are noticed, in order to avoid reaching a point where surgery is the only option.
Most Common Torn Rotator Cuff Symptoms
The most conventional symptoms of an injured rotator cuff include: different degrees of pain in the shoulder; difficulty moving and raising the arm, mostly above shoulder level; popping of the shoulder joint when moving the arm.
Shoulder injuries are usually irritations and damage of the tendons in the shoulder area. These can be tendonitis, which is a tendon inflammation, a Calcium buildup or tears and partial tears of the tendon.
Rotator cuff tears can happen due to a sudden injury(a strong direct hit to the shoulder, which can happen in sports, work or in an accident; heavy overhead lifting), an untreated shoulder problem(or repeated injury, usually while playing sports like football, rugby or tennis), or the thinning of the tendon that will happen with aging(older people are more prone to rotator cuff injuries, as the tendon becomes more eroded). A dislocated shoulder can also lead to a torn rotator cuff. Bone irregularities caused by trauma or diseases can affect the rotator cuff’s normal movement and operation, which may lead to tears or partial tears.
Some torn rotator cuff symptoms can be caused by other issues and, without proper medical examination, it will be very difficult to give the proper diagnosis. Two of the injuries that might have the same symptoms are the pinching of a nerve in the neck area, the other being arthritis.
Torn rotator cuff symptoms that are felt by the patient, like the feeling of constant pain in the shoulder, must be examined together with symptoms that can be produced during the medical examination, such as the patient’s inability to lift and hold his arm up against resistance.
A physical exam will consist of inspecting the painful area for signs of swelling, bruising, atrophy or anything out of the ordinary. Then your doctor will also press several areas around the shoulders to find tender or swollen parts. Your ability to do certain movements will also be examined. This includes moving your arm, lifting it over head and the strength of the joint.
One other test that the physician may run is the injection of a pain relief medicine, like Lidocaine, in the bursa and near the shoulder tendons. If this relieves the pain, it is most likely that your injury is only a rotator cuff inflammation, in which case anti inflammatory medicine, such as corticosteroids, will be injected in the affected area.
Tests that will be administered in case of torn rotator cuff symptoms are:
- holding the arm at your side at a 90 degree angle, you have to slowly lower it. If it drops down, there is the possibility of a torn rotator cuff
- the strength of the arm will be tested while you hold it at your side at a 90 degree angle
- the same strength test with the arm raised straight in front at a 90 degree angle
- with the arm bent form the elbow, at your side, the doctor will push your arm towards your stomach
A tool that can help the physician give a correct diagnosis is the X Ray machine, which is actually not recommended due to the fact that it doesn’t give an accurate picture of the soft tissue, because the shoulder anatomy is so complex. This is where the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine comes in. The MRI will complement the X Ray and give a much more in depth image of the soft tissue. The MRI will also not produce any radiation, unlike the X Ray. It uses a strong magnetic field to produce accurate images of the inside of the human body.
Your daily activities, sports practiced, health status and medical history will also determine what kind of tests your physician will perform.
As you can see, the list for torn rotator cuff symptoms is not that long, but it’s advisable to always seek professional medical help when having even the mildest of those torn rotator cuff symptoms. Only a doctor can place the correct diagnosis, help you get rid of your torn rotator cuff symptoms and go back to performing your favorite activities in the shortest time possible.