Rotator Cuff Tear
 

Hello Neurotalk.,

I tore my rotator cuff about 5 years ago. I went to a orthopedic surgeon who speacilizes in shoulders. He ordered a MRI. Like several other scans I have had in the past on other parts of my body, the MRI was negative of a tear. The doctor decided to do a ultrasound. The tear showed in the ultrasound. It was small tear. The doctor felt it wasn't big enough to do surgery on. Had said it can heal on its own. I thought it was crazy, but I said ok. I went to PT for 6 weeks. Shoulder got a little better.

5 yers later my shoulder feels like it has gotten worse. I can't put much weight on it without pain. I'm starting to have pain and numbness radiating down my arm into my hand. I'm also a athlete. With Covid I have not played.

I'm waiting on my insurance to approve the referral to see the surgeon to take another look at my shoulder again. I'm worried he may not do surgery still. But, I know I can't play sports either if I don't have it repaired.

Has anyone had rotator cuff surgery?
How long did you wait before having surgery?
What questions did you ask the surgeon before surgery?
How well did you do after surgery and what to expect?
Did surgery fix the problem?
How well did you do after surgery? Did surgery fix the problem?

Best eishes,

Diamond Tiger<3

Don't assume it is still or only a rotator issue causing the symptoms. Get an evaluation from an expert PT .
What sports do you do and have you had any neck, shoulder or arm injuries in the past?
The numbness and pain could be a nerve entrapment, impingement cause.

Hello Jomar,

I have been having problems using my arm moving or rotating it. I also can't lay on my right side because it hurts in the area where the tear is. I do think I have a nerve that is pinched in that area too. I went through physical therapy right after I tore it. It got better after therapy and I managed for a few years. Now it has gotten worse. I knew I tore it the minute it happened. I shoot billiards pool and bowl. I haven't been able to bowl since I tore it. I tried and couldn't throw the ball as well. I also have weakness. I know I won't be able to bowl again until I do have surgery on it. I will not be able to shoot pool behind my back either.

My doctor said it will heal on its own when I first saw him and he confirmed the tear in my shoulder. However, it will not fix the problem and avoid lifting or carrying anything heavy. I think I may have yore it more. My husband fell on the floor and couldn't move. He is 6'5 and weighs 280. I'm 5'3 and weigh 108 pounds. I had to lift him off the ground by myself and walk him to the couch for him to lay down. He wouldn't let me call the paramedics, nor would he go to the hospital if I could get him to the car. He thought it was just a bad strain and wait a few days and then if it didn't improve he would go to the hospital. Almost a week went by and he still couldn't move. I called the ambulance to come get him. Learned he fractured his back and had to have emergency back surgery. After a month in the hospital he came home and could walk, just not far. I had to order a wheelchair for him and pushed him around in it for 4 months. Between lifting the wheelchair in and out of the car and pushing him around everywhere it got much worse.

Best wishes,

Diamond Tiger<3

Over 10 yrs ago I dealt with shoulder issues and know it's from doing pulleys at the gym. Some how I found a Sports Medicine Doctor and he does Prolotherapy. I had no dx, but have issues and he did 8 injections of Prolotherapy in the shoulder and I got 3 yrs of great relief. Prolo has taken off and the advances are PRP and are more costly. If people can get to Prolotherapy or PRP, this work can keep one from surgery which has no guarantees, and once done, can't be reversed.

Caroline,

Thanks for the info. I have had a couple of injections into my shoulder along with physical therapy. Nothing ever is a guarantee. I went the less invasuve route and my shoulder is still torn and can't be fixed unless I do have surgery. I accepted that fact years back when I first tore it. The only thing the therapy did was buy me more time to prepare for surgery. People have this rotator cuff repair surgery and turn out fine. I do know a few people who have had this surgery and did well through it. My daddy and husband just to name a couple of people. I nursed my hubby through his surgery. In fact, he waited to have surgery like I have been doing. Had several visits to therapy and it made his shoulder much worse. The only orthopedic surgeons I will ever allow to do surgery on me are the ones who are sports medicine specialists. No amount of injections and therapy could have healed my husband's shoulder without surgery period. Our surgeon has done surgery on pro athletes. Like I said I will not just allow anyone to cut me, nor my husband. I definitely will not allow a surgeon who is knife happy cut me either. Neither my hubby or I jump to have surgery to fix a issue either. We go through the physical rehab first. Our surgeon put us both through therapy. In my husband's case it tore his shoulder up even more. The surgeon said my husband had the worst rotator cuff tear he has ever seen and performed surgery on ever in his career. The fact he is in sports medicine speaks for itself. My husband tore the tissue completely off the bone when he was operated on.
In my case, I went through the ohysical rehab and things got better. I was able to return to bowling and shooting pool. This time around I can't throw a bowling ball. My shoulder will not allow me to rotate my shoulder in all directions. I have lost strength and mobolity. As well as, I can't sleep on my side without the pain being in my shoulder. Those are clear symptoms the rotayor is torn. I already knew it is torn before this point. My surgeon confirmed the tear when he did a ultrasound. Only now, I know I tore it more. I just don't know at this moment how much bigger the tear is. I soon will find that out. I will return to playing sports in the distant future. Surgery must hapoen first. If I could still bowl and shoot pool we wouldn't be having this conversation. As much as I'm going to hate being cut open, I also know it must be done.


Best wishes,

Diamond Tiger<3