We put a lot of stress on our shoulders every single day, so it should come as no surprise that the area is a common location for pain and discomfort to set in. Whether your shoulder is jolted in one direction during a fall or suffers chronic strain over the years because of your job, you may notice symptoms that suggest you’re dealing with an issue with your rotator cuff.
Your rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and tendons around your shoulder joint that stabilize the joint and hold your upper arm bone (humerus) in the shoulder socket. Problems with the rotator cuff make movement quite uncomfortable, and patients oftentimes seek care rather quickly as a result of the dysfunction. However, the rotator cuff tends to be injured in two ways – either it is uncomfortable because tissues are inflamed as a result of tendonitis, or a tendon is partially or fully torn. Rotator cuff tendonitis and tears are managed differently, so it’s imperative to know which condition you’re dealing with. In today’s blog, we try to help you narrow down which rotator cuff injury you’re dealing with.
Rotator Cuff Tear or Tendonitis?
Rotator cuff tears and tendonitis both present with problems to the supportive shoulder tendons, but that’s where the similarities start to diverge. While every case is unique, let’s take a closer look at what symptoms tend to be more common based on the type of rotator cuff injury a person is dealing with:
- Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms – Rotator cuff tears tend to be a bit more uncomfortable than rotator cuff tendonitis. Pain is usually more severe, movement is more challenging and overarm movements may be impossible or not without significant pain. Swelling and tenderness will also be more pronounced comparatively. It’s going to be obvious that there is a problem with your shoulder if you’re dealing with a rotator cuff tear, even if you don’t know that a tendon has been torn at the moment.
- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis Symptoms – Tendonitis symptoms are oftentimes less severe, but don’t get us wrong, the condition is still quite uncomfortable. You may experience a chronic, dull ache in the shoulder that worsens a little with specific movements. Your shoulder may feel stiff or swollen. Discomfort tends to ebb and flow with shoulder tendonitis, leading people to assume their condition isn’t all that serious, which can prevent them from getting the help they need sooner in the process.
Symptoms aren’t the only way a patient can work to pinpoint a rotator cuff diagnosis. Rotator cuff tears tend to have a quicker onset. Landing on an outstretched arm, getting your arm twisted during athletics, falling while skiing or lifting heavy objects can all lead to an acute tear. Rotator cuff tendonitis, on the other hand, usually develops more slowly. Discomfort may stick with you after sleeping in an awkward position, after a day of elevated physical activity or simply seem to creep up out of nowhere.
Of course, if you really want to figure out what type of shoulder issue you’re dealing with, you can head into a specialist’s office for an assessment. They’ll be able to get a better look at your shoulder function with an in-person exam, and they’ll likely have a good idea of what’s going on after this short examination. Most doctors will wish to confirm their suspicions with the help of an imaging test like an MRI or CT scan to assess the health of the soft tissues in the region. This will allow them to pinpoint the precise area that is damaged so that they can devise the right type of care plan. Imaging isn’t always needed though, especially if the doctor believes tendonitis is to blame.
From there, your doctor will walk you through your treatment options. For cases of tendonitis or mild, incomplete tears, a heavy dose of physical therapy and other conservative techniques will likely be the first line of treatment. Many patients can make a full recovery with weeks of non-operative care, so surgery will be avoided if at all possible. For full tears, a minimally invasive surgical procedure can reattach the torn tendon and provide the right environment for healing to take place. Months of physical therapy will follow to ensure you are strengthening the area and helping it get back to a pre-injury level of fitness.
Contact a Rotator Cuff Surgeon
For more information about rotator cuff tendonitis or tears, connect with an expert in the field. Dr. Holloway and his team can assess your shoulder health and come up with the right care plan for your needs. For more information, or to set up an appointment, connect with his office today at (865) 410-7887.
