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Have you had a rotator cuff tear or shoulder tendonitis/bursitis?

Oakley
7 years ago

My doctor is pretty certain I tore my rotator cuff and wants me to have an MRI. I'm putting it off until after the new year, or until I have no choice, which I think will be sooner rather than later. After that horrid CT scan, I'm in no mood for an MRI.

I did a lot of reading on the symptoms of a torn cuff, and some of them are the same as bursitis and or/tendonitis, but a bit more complex.

If you've had either, would you tell me about your symptoms and if you had to have an MRI? And how did your symptoms begin?

This would be a "degenerative tear" if I have one.

Comments (43)

  • zippity1
    7 years ago

    my 75 year old sister in law tore her rotator cuff and after many weeks of physical therapy she's almost as good as new she was furious with her doctor for not doing surgery (immediately) but went through the pt anyway and was truly glad she did on the other hand, she's the only person i've known who went this route and i've known more thana half dozen people with torn rotator cuff my bil had surgery and he's actually as bad off now after the surgery as he was before, i understand the surgery commonly fails????

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    I've heard recuperation after surgery is pretty painful for a couple of weeks. If I do have a tear it will depend on how big it is because if it's not surgically repaired, it will get bigger over time, even with pt.

    The last thing I want is surgery. Or pt. lol

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  • Rory (Zone 6b)
    7 years ago

    I had bursitis in my left shoulder. PT did not help so I got a cortisone shot and it worked right away. Now I think I have it in my right shoulder and will get a shot if it's not better after the New Year. My dad had a shoulder replacement and I would hope to never need one but arthritis does run on that side of my family.

    Maybe you could try the shot first to see if that helps. The symptoms of bursitis was pain when lifting my arm or when doing Pilates.

  • amyktexas
    7 years ago

    I'm 43 and had shoulder surgery for a mild tear last winter. During surgery they determined the tear wasn't causing the pain, the bone spurs were. I did 6 months of pt in addition to the month I had done prior to surgery. It was brutal. It feels much better, but it appears to have some bursitis issues as it cools down here. I take meloxicam for the inflammation and do fine.

  • dedtired
    7 years ago

    I've had bursitis and rotator cuff tendinitis, although not torn. I could lift my arm forward with no pain, and also backwards. However lifting it out to the side made me see stars. As I recall, lifting to the side with my elbow bent either hurt more or less, I can't remember which. Getting a shot of cortisone helped both times. I did PT, which I can't say helped much but the exercises they gave me at home using dynabands helped a lot. I had an x-ray but not an mri, as I recall.

  • My3dogs ME zone 5A
    7 years ago

    I had a bad rotator cuff tear operated on in 2012. I had tripped over an extension cord in my garage that I was using to clean it, and went flying, putting my hands out to stop my fall, out of instinct. I had a cortisone shot, which helped for a while, but when it got really bad, I had an MRI which showed the damage.

    I had surgery, and wore the sling for a few weeks, and then had at least a month of physical therapy. It was my right arm, and I'm right handed. I couldn't work for a while, but got a trackball mouse, which helped greatly. I didn't think it was too bad, personally, but I recall shopping one day and a woman came up to me, pointed to the sling, and asked, 'Rotator cuff?' When I said yes, she told me she'd had the surgery, and that she'd rather go through labor pains 24 hours a day rather than go through that again. I was shocked, to say the least.

  • 3katz4me
    7 years ago

    I tore my biceps tendon last year shortly after getting a cortisone injection for biceps tendinitis. It's part of the cuff. Terrible pain when I tore it but it's subsided and I just live with some mild discomfort from time to time.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Amy, good grief, so you had to pay for an unnecessary surgery? I would have been livid.

    Rory, I take a pain pill 2x a day, I can't take ibuprophen. I've noticed that I can move my shoulder pretty good, with limits of course, but then I think I could also damage it further because the med is hiding my pain. For example, just now I raised my arm up and out and it went up much higher than usual. But now this deep pain is settling in my upper arm. lol. The shoulder started popping this week. Just out of the blue. ouch.

    I can sleep on the shoulder, doctor said many do and it doesn't hurt. Until I wake up during the night and I can't move my arm in any direction. What's worse is if I sleep on my good shoulder I can't use the arm to my bad shoulder to cover myself up!

    Ded, I've read that both bursitis and tendonitis are sometimes more painful than a torn cuff.

    I did this years ago, and got used to not lifting my arm up and out. No big deal. Do you all remember the CT topic I did in early August? I forgot to mention the tech took my arm and suddenly lifted it over my head. I screamed in pain. It was downhill after that.

    M3d, nothing is worse than kidney stones. lol. I had natural childbirth twice, thought I'd die the first time. Kidney stones, oh my. I'm betting your shoulder was in better shape than those who have more pain. I'll be the type who'll have more pain. You're lucky you didn't break both wrists.

    I'm just not looking forward to any surgery if that's what has to be done. I get brain fog for a week because of anesthesia. Plus, there are no females around to help me get dressed, etc.

  • neetsiepie
    7 years ago

    I thought I had a tear but doc diagnosed it as tendonitis in that arm. Holy guacamole does it hurt. I've found that putting a pillow under that arm at night (it's my right arm and I sleep on the left side) helps a lot.

    If I sit in my evening chair for too long (more than 20 mins!) it aches, so I have to put my arm up over my head and hang it off the back. But ice and heat alternating helps with the pain some what. Dr gave me some exercises to try-but I might go to PT because I can't figure out how to do them correctly.

    DH had both shoulders repaired-he had actually stretched out the rotator cuff in his left arm-his arm wouldn't stay in the socket! He still has pain however. He never did do the follow up PT tho.

    I can't take ibuprofen either, but if I make sure to eat and then take some about half ano hour later with PLENTY of water, and I take prilosec too, then I can take it and it helps better than the pain pills since it takes the inflammation down. But try the ice/heat and a pillow at night first.


  • bac717
    7 years ago

    I had tendonitis in my right arm about 5 years ago. The pain was not what some have described here, but enough to send me to my doctor. I went for a PT evaluation and at least a month of PT. Following thru at home and doing the prescribed exercises really helped and I've not been bothered by any pain since then.

  • H B
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I had almost a complete tear in early 40s. Landed funny playing ice hockey and ripped the crap out of it. Lived with it for nearly a year and then got it checked. Would have lost the use of the arm without surgery; I was fortunate my primary care doc had suffered similar tear and was able to read the scan and provide second opinion as well as recommend surgeon. My PT was actually able to do some moves with my shoulder and arm and predicted what the scan would find.

    Excellent Doc did surgery arthroscopically with four incisions and the recovery pain was not bad. Everyone is different. However, doc was appropriately very cautious after surgery and I did 12 weeks in the padded sling before starting 9 months of 3x per week PT. Arm was so atophied it was frightening. I told PT the goal was to regain as much use as possible and it's seriously hard work. I recall sessions where PT and I couldn't look at each other as she stretched and pushed and pulled to get (nearly) full range of motion back. Lots of at-home and supervised gym work, there's a window of opportunity to get the work done to recover range of motion.

    A rubber exercise band can stand in for the sling when you shower to support the arm. I have an "ekornes stressless" recliner chair in the bedroom and slept in it for nearly 9 months as I could not lie down without serious pain. Have sleeping options in case of this. There are hairdryer stands if you need to use a hairdryer. Hygiene is challenging with only one arm. Wear a lot of pullover clothing and yes, a bra -- forget that for awhile. Just a horrible gymnastic to deal with. There are still some overhead reach moves -- PT said well you will never do those again.

    Its a lot of work but if the alternative is to lose the use of the arm, do what you gotta do, good luck!

    eta I had bone spurs that caused the tear, they ground those down or whatever they do during surgery, and those were actually some of the more painful spots during recovery. Spurs caused by years of swimming.

  • mary_lu_gw
    7 years ago

    I have had bursitis several times through the years in both shoulders. Very painful. I have learned not to let it get too bad as it takes longer to recover. In fact I am just now recovering from a bout in my right shoulder. Initially I was given a 6 day dose of steriods, but that did not do the trick this time. A week ago today I went back and got a cortisone shot. By Monday I was almost completely pain free with full movement.

  • PRO
    MDLN
    7 years ago

    Did you have an exam by an orthopedic surgeon - who specializes in shoulders? Exam findings are often a good indication but may be limited by a patients pain. Thus, an MRI can be very helpful in making an accurate diagnosis, so effective & appropriate treatment can start ASAP.

    Just cared for a patient with adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) from an untreated shoulder injury. Poor lady has been unable to secure her own bra - for years. Treatment for her is going to be long & challenging.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    I forgot to mention, DH had reconstructive surgery on his shoulder when he was a teen due to a motorcycle accident, and DS2 was 13 when he tore his labrum playing baseball. Neither remember much about it, but I do remember my son was a grump for a week or so afer surgery and he had PT twice a week for three months.

    HB, thank you so much for your story. I think I'm going to run for the hills now. lol. Is the ekornes stressless recliner really worth the money, or would any recliner do? Yes, hygiene is something that worries me, because I'm halfway there already. I like this cold weather because when I do errands no one can tell I'm not wearing a bra because of my coat. :) I wear a sport's bra around the house because it stretches.

    Also, did you have any pain in your underarm when you're not using the arm, and did you ever feel like something is pulling under the arm when you stretch it? That's happening to me now, but not all the time. When I picked up my coffee cup just now, I had pain under the arm, actually the top part of the under arm. The doctor said that's also a symptom of a torn cuff. BTW, her husband currently has two torn cuffs and refuses treatment. Go figure.

    Mdln, an ortho is my next step when I can't take it anymore. It very well could be a frozen shoulder, the symptoms are familiar. After the CT tech lifted my arm back, it hurt for a day or so then got better, back to the usual limited motion of the arm (just up and out, I could still reach behind me) which wasn't severe. A month later I was scrubbing the kitchen and utility room floors on my hand's and knees, (right handed, right shoulder, typical of degeneration), didn't hurt at all and the next morning I seemed fine, but an hour later when I was sitting down an intense pain set in, hurt so much I wanted to cry and call the doc for pain meds. The pain lasted for several hours, several days in a row, then it let up quite a bit and hits a couple of times a week. My shoulder does freeze during the night when I wake up to turn over, but it goes away after a few minutes.

    I use the shoulder all the time and just deal with the pain unless it's severe then I rest it. Last week I took three days off from my housework on purpose to rest my shoulder. I laid around and read most of the time. Afterwards, my shoulder felt so much better, but after doing some simple cleaning like unloading the dishwasher, the pain came back.

    The picture of bursitis look downright painful!

  • Bonnie
    7 years ago

    Like Lisa, I had a frozen shoulder and the pain was excruciating. My primary care doctor sent me to an orthopedic shoulder surgeon for a consult. He suggested cortisone shots and PT. The shots were the answer, worked like a charm . The other, while somewhat helpful in regaining the range of motion was not worth the time. I discontinued it with my surgeons ok and did the exercises at home. I'm sorry you are going through this. It is so painful.

  • H B
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Oakley, I'm sorry to share such a horrible story...never had underarm pain. One of the stories I heard was that you won't be able to sleep through the night, that the tear will cause pain and wake you up...but since I'd put up with mine for a year, that didn't seem to be true. However, just like mdln's photo, my cuff was torn off and pulling back and if left longer, the doc would not have been able to get it reattached. (They sent me home with arthroscopic photos, it was gross!)

    I think any recliner you can get comfortable in to sleep is the key! The stuff they don't tell ya....was so surprised when I first tried to sleep, I would lie down and expect to relax. But then the arm (in the darn sling) would pull and it hurt like the blazes, so the arm on the chair helped keep it in place so I could sleep. Had a three year old at that time too...my good arm got very strong as she wanted to be picked up all the time, LOL! My husband had frozen shoulder -- that should be dealt with ASAP and he had very good results with PT. Good luck, you will want the use of your arm no matter what the cause is.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    HB, I'm glad you shared the story, it helped quite a bit if I end up getting surgery. I'm pretty certain the shoulder isn't frozen. It will freeze during the night but thaws after a few minutes.

    The doctor told me sleeping on the bad shoulder sometimes feels good, and that's how it is for me, until I wake up and it's frozen because of no movement, which isn't every night.

    This has been coming on the past 5 years but was always mild until September.

    Did you have anyone to help you after surgery, or were you able to dress and do other stuff on your own? I do NOT want to ask my husband for help, so far he sometimes has to pull the back side of my pants up a few inches. lol



  • tinam61
    7 years ago

    Oakley, get the MRI. At least then you would know for certain what is going on. I would definitely see a specialist and perhaps even a PT. I had a doctor who thought I might possibly have bursitis in my hip but sent me for a PT evaluation first. It wasn't bursitis but had similar symptoms. PT can be a great thing. It greatly helped me and if/when I have problems, I have a plan of action to get it straightened out. I have a good friend who had rotator cuff surgery last year. He did great. I think one reason was because his surgeon told him (repeatedly) that recovery was a sprint, not a marathon. I would be unhappy if I were not able to do things I was used to doing. I also would not like the idea of daily pain pills at all. My friend slept in a regular recliner for a few weeks. It took him some time to be comfortable lying in the bed. Your husband can help you. For better, for worse, in sickness and health, yadda, yadda! You would do the same for him. Who better? Reminds me of when my MIL had hand surgery and a couple of days later she and my FIL had to go to a funeral. She could not put pantyhose on! My FIL got them on her. I would have loved to have witnessed that! LOL She likes her baths but could not use that hand to help pull herself up and out of the tub, so he would help her with that also.

  • H B
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    It was about 10 years ago...trying to remember. And of course surgery was on my right arm (dominant)...it's probably TMI (sorry) but front clasping bra works easier as you can put it on bad arm first. Large pull on pants and shirts (even if someone helps you get dressed initially, you will still probably need to make pit stops). Larger neck openings are easier to navigate. Can rest the arm on counter while wrestling shirt on, and then get back into sling. Clogs, slip on shoes. The stretch band (it's an exercise thing, the PT can make one, its thin stretchy rubber but about 4" wide, they can tie in a large loop)-goes behind your neck and put your arm in like a makeshift sling for going in shower. Once the arm has atophied from sitting in the sling, it just feels like it is going to fall off when you get in the shower. And if you can stand it, wash hair less often. Some things just need two hands, sigh. You will be clever! If you can time surgery to warmer weather, helps as fewer clothes are necessary. I used to be smaller than hubs and wore some of his sweatshirts, jacket, etc. (funny in ten years we have traded places, sigh).

  • mojomom
    7 years ago

    I had had a similar experience to HG, but mine came from a bad subluxation (partial dislocation) while rolling my kayak (righting a kayak from upside down to rightside up) in the water at age 46. That come from bad form which wasn't usual for me, but I had been doing some practice "trick" rolls -- hand rolls and had even gotten down a one handed roll -- and when I put my paddle back in my hands after practicing the others, my body memory was off, and I rolled wrong. Subluxed my shoulder (felt like I had been shot) and the pain made me drop my paddle, which somehow hit my eye and scratched my cornea (amazingly I did end up upright in my boat holding my shoulder. My shoulder popped back into place on its own and the cornea scratch healed quickly, but the subluxation caused a tear and lead to more subluxations even rolling with good form, and my shoulder hurt constantly. Not fun. Anyway surgery in early July and padded sling for about 8 weeks, followed by several months of PT. During this time I was only comfortable sleeping in a recliner-- it was about 4 months post-surgery before I could sleep in my bed and even then had to arrange pillows to prop my arm.

    That's bad part. The good is, by November I was kayaking and rolling again and over the next few years paddled serious whitewater (up to Class IV) a lot and hit many of rolls in critical situations solidly and with no pain. Ironically, although physical activity didn't hurt, it did take a couple of years before I could sleep comfortably on my shoulder.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Tina, that's a sweet story about your in-laws. I'll think on it. lol I'll get an MRI before I go to a PT if that's what's suggested, because when DS2 tore his shoulder labrum, the first Ortho (an older man close to retirement) had my son go to PT before an MRI was done. DS was in PT for only 15 minutes until he told the therapist he can't do it. My son told me he knows there's something wrong and he wanted to go to another doctor. So we chose one of OU's Ortho's and the first thing he did was order an MRI. Torn Labrum. No PT will fix that, same if the cuff was torn. PT may strengthen muscles but the tear will still get worse over time.

    This is the first time on the pain pills. I don't take them often but Tylenol doesn't do anything while ibuprophen hurts my stomach. Most days I'm pretty good, depending on what I'm doing.

    Yikes, Mojo! Hurting the shoulder is bad enough, but to scratch the cornea at the same time? Ouch! The son who had the shoulder surgery scratched his cornea one time also. They are painful. I'm glad you were able to continue on with kayaking, I'd imagine the shoulders play a big part in the sport.


  • tinam61
    7 years ago

    What I suggested is a PT evaluation, you can see what they diagnosis and what treatment they suggest, then go from there. I do think you should do the MRI though. As you said, PT is not the cure. The important thing is to research what doctor and what PT you use. The PT group I used was a sports medicine group. Yeah, I can't take ibupro either.


  • Faron79
    7 years ago

    Curse you Oakley...for bringing up this "painful thread", lol!!

    My right shoulder WAS my good shoulder, until last Thursday. Was helping a customer load some heavy 8' x 1' garage slat-wall. I knew I probably shouldn't have. Turned slightly the wrong way, & the long pieces rotated down. Felt a "crunch" kinda feeling, & said to myself..."Sh**". It's been hurting moderately off & on since then. Tonight at the grocery, I reached down into the cart, & was bringing a gravy jar up to the scanner....UFFDA. Almost brought tears to my eyes. A blinking little gravy jar?!?! WTH???? Couldn't finish helping. THAT makes a Guy feel embarrassingly helpless I'll tell ya! :-(

    Haven't went to my Knee-repl. Dr. yet. He does shoulders, etc., etc. He doesn't live very far from us either....maybe a 1/4 mile!

    Last yr., he did an ultrasound scan which showed some small tears in Left shoulder. Not really worth operating on yet though. I just watch how I lift my left arm. Gotten used to it over the last few years....

    And now the RIGHT one......((^%)*%^$$)**(#-it!! Lol!

    Faron

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Oh Faron, isn't aging wonderful? Does your shoulder or upper arm hurt when at rest? Unless you're in constant pain I'd give it until after Christmas to see if it gets better, there's nothing that can be done right now. Try not to use it, and most of all don't paint! Take ibuprophen (with food) if your stomach can handle it.

    Keep me updated though, misery loves company. :)

  • Faron79
    7 years ago

    Lol Oak!!

    OK....OK....I won't paint....Siiiiiiggghh. ;-)

    Both shoulders hurt at rest, at varying levels. Most of the time, it's minor. Sometimes tho'.....Grrrrrr. Last night was a tough one for the right side!

    Since my knee replacement 9/2014, the Diclofenac I was prescribed works well as a general anti-inflammatory. Helps everything move better lol! It's pretty cheap Rx-wise, but has to be Dr. approved each month, which my Surgeon does.

    My liver tolerates it fine, so no worries!

    Faron


  • amicus
    7 years ago

    One of my sisters tore her rotator cuff (degenerative, rather than injury) last year and had surgery. She said post surgery mobility in the sling was very restrictive and also painful for two months. But she was happy to eventually recover full mobility of her arm, with no further pain.

    Our other sister with the same diagnosis, discussed options with her doctor. He had been through the surgery himself and said he didn't recommend it as a first option as his own surgery results did not hold up well and he was having problems again less than 2 years later. So this sister decided to just not overuse her arm until the worst pain was past (about 3 weeks) after which she went to PT for about 2 months.

    At that point she had far less pain and decent mobility so she stopped going to PT and just did some exercises at home. Within another month she didn't even do that anymore, and just decided to stop doing whatever she was doing if it caused her pain. Within another 6 months she had full mobility back and no pain from any type of movement. So with no surgery, she did manage to obtain a complete recovery of movement without pain.

    Last May I begrudgingly joined their club, but wanted to avoid surgery if possible. My own doctor said most degenerative tears can heal without surgery, if one is willing to go through a longer period of discomfort, while the injury repairs itself. Surgery is still the best and sometimes only option for injury related tears, which tend to be larger.

    So I copied what my non-surgery sister did, and my own shoulder/arm now has very little pain, and has recovered a lot of lost mobility. The only thing I still can't do painlessly is moving my bad arm up my back to undo my bra. My sister told me that movement was the very last to recover for her, and her complete process from first pain symptoms until full recovery took 9 months. So I'm hoping I'll be similar and hopefully back to normal near the end of February!




  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Picky, thank you for your story. The only pain that's gotten better is what I call "sitting pain." The pain that just hits out of the blue and makes me want to cry. I read that's what degenerative tears do.

    I'm going to live with this for as long as possible. I'm in no mood to pay cash (good insurance once I hit the deductible) for an MRI, or have surgery. Not even physical therapy.

    I'm pretty sure I had a slight tear about 5 years ago and it got a lot better, until August, then September when I knew it tore again. This time much worse.

    Let me know if your's gets better!

  • Faron79
    7 years ago

    Are there some YouTube videos, or online guides of some type, that cover most shoulder PT regimens? I haven't done any research yet.

    Still laying in bed here today (couple days off), and my "newly painful" right shoulder STILL hurts. This is now a WEEK of near-constant pain.

    Uffda....

    Faron

  • amicus
    7 years ago

    Yes Faron, just Google "exercises for rotator cuff injury'' and many sites will pop up. Do the ones that are shown by actual doctors or physiotherapists, to ensure they're being shown properly, so you won't do anything that will injure you worse. But it's best to be seen by a doctor first, to be certain of what you're dealing with, of course!

    Oakley, when my pain first started and I was diagnosed with degenerative rotator cuff injury, my doctor explained degenerative injury to the area can often resolve without surgery, if one can tolerate some level of discomfort for 2 to 10 months while the area repairs itself. (This isn't usually possible for deeper, sudden injury tears) She said to begin exercises once I no longer had pain 'when not moving your arm' and gave me a pamphlet showing the proper exercises. You can watch a physiotherapist on Youtube to ensure you're doing them correctly.

    After about 5 weeks, my pain only occurred if I moved my arm in certain ways, so I began the exercises at home. I did them daily for about 2 months and after regaining much mobility with a lot less pain, I dropped down to 2 or 3 times a week, which I'm still doing. I'm now at about 8.5 out of 10, with 0 being first symptoms with bad pain and 10 being complete recovery of mobility with no discomfort, so I'm pretty happy!



  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Faron, with your's due to an injury it's best to see the doctor. It could be all sorts of things. Like I said above, my son tore his labrum, but of course all thoughts immediately go to rotator cuff.

    Picky, when did the pain stop, the pain you got when resting the shoulder? Mine is constant, sometimes worse, sometimes light. Night pain is horrendous.

    We're pretty sure it began as a degenerative tear, but the sudden movement a CT scan tech did to my arm/shoulder made it worse, only slightly, and a month later it was unbearable, the day after I mopped floors by hand. I think the cuff was in the healing process and it tore again, but worse. I'm two months into this and not much change. Last week I had a bad sitting pain and that was when the doctor gave me pain pills. It just hits out of the blue when I'm not using the arm.

    Uffda! ;)

  • CindyMac
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I've had tendonitis and bursitis. Both were successfully treated with cortisone injections. I also did PT for one of them.

    Did your doctor try a cortisone shot?

    http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/corticosteroid-injections-for-rotator-cuff-disorders

  • amicus
    7 years ago

    Oakley, it took at least 5, maybe 6 weeks from when painful symptoms first began, until I only got pain if I was actually moving my arm at the time. During those weeks I did no arm/shoulder exercises, but strictly tried to avoid any movements causing significant pain.

    So I slid both bra straps down and undid the clasp at waist level, rather than trying to force my arm up my back to undo it. Unfortunately I'm right handed and that's the injured arm/shoulder, so I stopped using my right hand exclusively to damp mop or vacuum and held the wand in both hands. It made cleaning a lot slower, but didn't cause pain if I let my left arm use more strength and used my right hand as more of a guide.

    I was careful to swivel at the waist to reach for anything behind me, rather than just stretching my arm back, which of course was painful. If I was sitting and couldn't do that, I'd get up and turn around to get the object. Again, more tedious, but I avoided stressing the injury in any way.

    So in summary, short of wearing my arm in a sling (which you're not supposed to do, as restricting total mobility can lead to 'frozen shoulder') I interpreted 'resting' my arm, as just avoiding movements that brought pain and elevating it on a pillow when possible.

    Nights were a nightmare, lol, because I'm a side sleeper. I couldn't sleep on my right side without pain, even using a small pillow for support. So I was resigned to sleeping on my left side, or on my back. But to switch to my left side, simply grabbing the pillow with my right arm and trying to roll over to the left, of course brought searing pain. Who'd have thunk lifting a pillow could be so painful, lol?

    One has to be awake enough when switching sleep positions, to sit up and move the support pillow to where it's needed. But a 'twilight' sleep all night obviously isn't very restful!

    My diagnosis was in late May and I'm now at least 85% recovered. So it does seem possible to do so without surgery, if one can tolerate fairly sleepless nights for possibly a half year! I'm retired now, but if I still had to be up and out at 7:00 a.m. for work, I may have opted for surgery to get a quicker recovery. As suggested, I've heard cortisone shots can help a great deal and often make recovery without any surgery, much easier and speedier. I personally just can't take cortisone.

    Oakley, I know that most others go through a similar experience regarding the pain and immobility that occurs with rotator cuff problems, so my whining was for all of us, lol! But I wish you a good recovery, with whichever treatment you feel is best for you!



  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    So much like my story! I'm right handed and it's the right shoulder of course. I've been fastening my bra around my waist also.

    I'm also a side sleeper and I sleep on the bad shoulder, but in a position where it doesn't hurt, and on an extremely soft pillow. I tried sleeping on my left side with my arm propped just a bit. but it's just too painful. Plus, if I sleep on my good side, pulling up the covers with my bad shoulder is almost impossible!

    It doesn't matter what side I sleep on, when I wake up the arm won't move because it seems to freeze. It takes a few minutes for it to move again.

    If I got a dollar for everytime I say "Ouch!" during the day I'd be rich! lol.

    For now I'm going to take it day by day and wait until after the new year to make a decision.

    Thank you for explaining what you went through. Just remember, if you ever need a medical test done, let the tech know in advance about your shoulder. :)


  • amicus
    7 years ago

    You're welcome Oakley! I too couldn't stifle an "Ouch!" if I suddenly moved my arm the wrong way. It happened in a store once and people looked over, surely expecting that something had fallen on me, lol!

    My arm/shoulder is so much better now, that most movements any technician might do, would be fine. The only thing I can think of that would definitely still cause extreme pain, would be to be arrested! When you sometimes hear someone (on the news) let out a yelp while being handcuffed, I always assumed that the officer just put the cuffs on really tight. But now I'm thinking it might not be that at all, but that they have a rotator cuff injury. Guess I'll just have to keep out of trouble! ;)

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    LOL picky, I've thought the same thing about handcuffs! I'm serious about not letting a tech or anyone move your arm. My original tear, if that's what it was, seemed almost healed too. Never even thought about it anymore, only when I lifted it up and out, and it went pretty high by then.

    I was laying on my back and the tech lifted my arm and it went completely back over my head. I thought I was going to die. Scared the poor man. lol

    I'm thinking that if it was mostly healed, it stayed a weak spot prone to tearing again.

    Last night was my worst night ever. All I did was wrap presents yesterday. I slept on both shoulders, and I woke up to a frozen shoulder each time. The pain woke me up the first time.

    I hope there's never an emergency during the night. They'd have to leave me behind. ;)

  • amicus
    7 years ago

    Okay, thanks, I do have an appointment with my doctor in February, so before she starts 'checking' me, I'll remind her about my shoulder!

  • H B
    7 years ago

    If you are at all able to afford it, consider a couple of massage sessions once you start PT. You have to check the masseuse is able to consider the injury and leave yoUr shoulder and arm alone, but it's amazing how sore and screwed up the rest of your body gets while trying to make do and compensate for the useless arm.

  • tinam61
    7 years ago

    Many PT groups have a massage therapist (mine did) and H B that is a great suggestion.


  • HU-844263212
    4 months ago

    i tore mine a year ago from lifting a very heavy device. I never had a MRI bc no matter what, i will not have surgery. The mri shows more detail where the tear is. Mine got better after a few monthe , however started using it again and the pain came back with vegence. I think they only do surgery if you are young and athletic. How do you manage your tear.? I am looking into some PT

  • HU-844263212
    4 months ago

    one addendum, my symptoms come and go. Usually reaching bending putting clothes on push or pull will aggravate it. Sleeping on my back also hurts. I met some people who said they couldn't use their arm at all. Could not hold anything in hand.. I am not there yet.. Bc of my age i know it has to be torn ... My doctor thought it was a sprain.. But i think it is a tear. Only mri will confirm this....

  • dedtired
    4 months ago

    Hoping this is a legit update. Inhad rotator cuff surgery ladt June. It wasnt a walk in the park but it wasnt as bad as i feared. Five months later, its nearly pain free and great range of motion.

  • HU-844263212
    4 months ago

    A friend of mine had surgery after a car accident that tore her RC. She said she feels amazing and pain free.