{"id":25239,"date":"2023-03-10T07:00:03","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T07:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=25239"},"modified":"2024-01-25T23:50:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T23:50:06","slug":"rotator-cuff-injuries-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/rotator-cuff-injuries-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"How to treat rotator cuff pain and injuries","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether it\u2019s chopping wood in October,\u00a0getting on the roof to string lights in December, firing up the lawn mower in May or throwing a softball at the company picnic in July, rotator cuff injuries are an all-season hazard, says MultiCare orthopedic surgeon Rufus Van Dyke, MD<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere people seem to get into trouble is performing tasks they\u2019re not fully comfortable doing or where they\u2019re not fully in control of their body,\u201d says Dr. Van Dyke. \u201cDoing an activity that is strenuous you haven\u2019t done for a long time, [such as] using a pull-start on a mower for the first time in spring, is a common story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The good news: Treatment for rotator cuff injuries has improved significantly in recent years, so despite their reputation for being difficult to repair, you don\u2019t have to live with pain and reduced mobility.<\/p>\n

Initially, most rotator cuff injuries can be self-managed with rest, ice, gentle stretching and anti-inflammatory medications. Unless you\u2019ve suffered an acute injury to your shoulder, you can safely try at-home care to start.<\/p>\n

But if that doesn\u2019t alleviate your pain within a few weeks, it\u2019s best to see your doctor or other health care provider before the injury becomes more difficult or even impossible to repair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t go six months or a year with pain without seeing my doctor,\u201d Dr. Van Dyke says.<\/p>\n

Your primary care doctor can evaluate your shoulder and often prescribe physical therapy \u2014 typically a course of six to eight weeks would be reasonable, he says.<\/p>\n

If the pain isn\u2019t significantly relieved by then, \u201ca referral to an orthopedic surgeon is appropriate,\u201d Dr. Van Dyke adds.<\/p>\n

Treatment for rotator cuff injuries<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rotator cuff disease includes strains, wear and tear associated with aging, and acute traumatic injury like falls or car accidents. The extent of the injury can vary from microscopic tearing (a strain) to a tear that goes through a significant width or even the entire tendon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat can create a lot of different scenarios that might need different types of treatment,\u201d\u00a0Dr. Van Dyke says.<\/p>\n

For age-related degenerative changes or minor repetitive use injuries, \u201csometimes it can be as straightforward as a trial of rest or activity modification along with some stretches,\u201d he says. \u201cIf it\u2019s an overuse injury or you have a job that requires a lot of repetitive motion that is arm-intensive, changing how you\u2019re doing certain activities or taking a break can be enough to take care of symptoms and resolve the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sometimes corticosteroid injections can help with pain or even help give your surgeon diagnostic clues to the root of your injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always important to consider it for the right reasons and not just jump in,\u201d Dr. Van Dyke advises. \u201c[Injections] don\u2019t help\u00a0with healing a rotator cuff tear or resolving a mechanical issue in the shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Multiple injections over time can also weaken the tissues around the shoulder, so simply repeating them once the effect wears off is not a sustainable solution.<\/p>\n

For a tear, sometimes the gap is just too wide for the tendon to naturally knit itself back together, no matter how long you rest. In those cases, surgery can bring the edges back together with \u201cheavy duty\u201d sutures, or in some cases re-fasten the tendon to its original attachment site on the bone with anchors.<\/p>\n

These days, most surgeries for rotator cuff tears are done arthroscopically, or in a minimally invasive procedure. In\u00a0cases where accessing the tear arthroscopically is difficult, open surgery remains an option.<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t live with the pain for months or years before seeking help, says Dr. Van Dyke.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you wait too long, it can change your prognosis even with surgical intervention,\u201d he says. \u201cIt may change from something I\u2019m able to clean up and smooth out to something that needs to be repaired to something that\u2019s not repairable.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the cuff can\u2019t be repaired, open-surgery shoulder replacements can bypass the rotator cuff. It\u2019s a significantly more invasive procedure than arthroscopy.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it allows someone to raise their arm over their head and live life without rotator cuff pain,\u201d Dr. Van Dyke says.<\/p>\n

Shoulder replacements can usually restore overhead arm function in all but the most severe cases. Even though some patients feel hopeless about their near-functionless shoulder before surgery, \u201cit can still be a great option for those folks,\u201d he says. \u201cThey’re in a challenging situation and the gains you make with shoulder replacement are quite profound.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re suffering from shoulder pain, Dr. Van Dyke says the most important thing to know is that there is almost certainly medical help that can improve your quality of life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a situation where typically someone has to live with the pain forever and just move on with their life,\u201d he says. \u201cThere are a lot of interventions that can really improve people\u2019s shoulder function and reduce their symptoms. Sometimes ignoring those symptoms for months or years can lead to more limited options for the treatments that are available for them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether it\u2019s chopping wood in October,\u00a0getting on the roof to string lights in December, firing up the lawn mower in May or throwing a softball at the company picnic in July, rotator cuff injuries are an all-season hazard, says MultiCare orthopedic surgeon Rufus Van Dyke, MD. \u201cWhere people seem to get into trouble is performing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":315,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-orthopedics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to treat rotator cuff pain and injuries - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rotator cuff injury includes strains, wear and tear, and acute injury. 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