Rotator cuffpain is felt at the front and side of your shoulder and upper arm.
Pain in this area often indicates injured, inflamed, or worn-down tendons in the rotator cuff.
Tendons hold these muscles to the bone and allow you to lift and rotate your arm.
Verywell / Alexandra Gordon
This article discusses rotator cuff pain.
It details the symptoms of the three main causes of rotator cuff painatear,tendinitis, ortendinosis.
It also explains the diagnosis and treatment of different rotator cuff injuries and when to see a specialist.
Common symptoms may include:
In some cases, people with rotator cuff tears do not have any pain.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Not all shoulder pain is due to a rotator cuff injury.
You should call your healthcare provider if you have the following:
What Causes Rotator Cuff Pain?
It comes up whenever a normal, healthy rotator cuff tendon becomes injured or inflamed.
Sports and activities that require a lot of throwing or overhead arm motion often cause tendinitis.
Tennis, swimming, baseball, volleyball, and weightlifting are some examples.
Certain chronic diseases are also associated with rotator cuff tendinitis.
For example, diabetes and obesity may be risk factors.
These tears are found mainly in middle-aged and older adults.
Chronic overuse of the rotator cuff muscles can also contribute.
Obesity and smoking may also increase a person’s chance of tearing their rotator cuff.
These tendons are then more likely to tear or become inflamed.
Other causes include aging and weakening of the tendons and injuries to the shoulder.
Symptoms can include weakness in the arm and throbbing pain while sleeping.
In some cases, however, people with rotator cuff injuries have no symptoms.
Aseries of function testsand imaging studies are used to evaluate rotator cuff pain.
This is a simple test to perform.
The motion is the same as if you were dumping out a can of soda.
For this one, you will need someone’s help.
Lift-Off Test
The lift-off test is a shoulder test to determine if you have a tear in thesubscapularis.
This muscle is located on the underside of your shoulder blade.
It is responsible for rotating your shoulder inward.
Pain-Relief Test
This test is commonly used byorthopedic surgeonsand sports medicine specialists.
It can help distinguish between pain brought on by a rotator cuff tear and pain brought on by tendinitis.
Your doctor injectslidocaine, an anesthetic that numbs the area, into your shoulder joint.
Distinguishing between these two conditions is important because they require different treatments.
The MRI is helpful because it can show both complete rotator cuff tears andpartial rotator cuff tears.
The MRI can also show evidence of rotator cuff tendinosis,shoulder bursitis, andother common shoulder problems.
If a large tear is found, your primary care healthcare provider will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon.
Sometimes large tears need surgery to repair them.
Doctors use a variety of tests to diagnose rotator cuff problems.
Differential Diagnoses
Not all rotator cuff pain actually means you have an injury to that area.
This is called adifferential diagnosis.
An X-ray can show signs of osteoarthritis.
An MRI can be used to diagnose a labral tear.
Besides musculoskeletal issues, several other health conditions can also cause shoulder pain within the rotator cuff region.
These include a heart attack or heart disease,gallbladder disease, or nerve compression in the neck.
Aheart attackis a medical emergency.
They will also do anelectrocardiogram(ECG or EKG).
This measures your heart’s electrical activity.
Gallbladder disease can usually be ruled out with a normal abdominal exam and an ultrasound.
An MRI of the neck can help sort out whether acompressed nerve rootis causing shoulder pain.
it’s possible for you to relieve the pain by:
Avoid using an arm sling.
Slings can increase the risk of a frozen shoulder.
This is a condition in which pain and stiffness make the shoulder hard to move.
It can take months to years to heal.
After about two to three months of the above strategies, most people report an improvement in their pain.
However, if pain persists, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.
You may need an MRI to look for a rotator cuff tear.
Small rotator cuff tears are treated the same way as rotator cuff tendinitis.
However, sometimessurgeryis necessary.
Young athletes with rotator cuff injuries often need surgery.
Rotator cuff repair surgery can be done as anopen procedureor a minimally invasivearthroscopicone.
Your surgeon will recommend the approach that is best for you.
This will depend on the exact location of your rotator cuff damage and how severe it is.
If you have surgery for a rotator cuff tear, you will needphysical therapy for several monthsafterward.
This ensures that you heal properly and regain your shoulder function.
The main causes are tendinitis, tendinosis, and tears in the tendons around the rotator cuff.
Some people with these conditions have no symptoms at all.
However, some people with tears in the rotator cuff may need surgery.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Shoulder impingement/rotator cuff tendinitis.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Rotator cuff tears.
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Omid R, Lee B.Tendon transfers for irreparable rotator cuff tears.J Am Acad Orthop Surg.
