Torn rotator cuff?

[CaptainCabinets]

Hello all.

Wondering if anyone has any experience of surgical repair of rotator cuff?

I’ve had ongoing pain in my shoulder since February, been seen by my GP a couple of times since then but no investigations/diagnosis and a fair bit of fobbing off!

Anyway, it’s reached a point where I can no longer really function with that arm so off I went to see a different, more thorough GP today and she’s fairly certain I’ve torn my rotator cuff. As it’s an ongoing issue that hasn’t improved with pain relief or physio and I rely on having two functioning shoulders for my job, it’s likely I will require surgery to fix it (waiting for an MRI to confirm diagnosis).

Anyone who’s had surgery to repair their rotator cuff, what am I in for here?! I’m assuming I’ll have no choice but to be off for several weeks (HCA/student nurse) and won’t be allowed to drive?

Thanks!

No surgery here but mine eventually healed after about a year. It’s quite a miserable thing, like I suspect any chronic pain or physical limitation is I guess. It made me appreciate and look after my body more.

It’s driving me nuts! It’s my dominant arm as well so all the things I take for granted just hurt! Picking up a kettle with my left hand feels alien

But even things like putting my hair up are becoming more and more difficult/painful

The pain wakes me at night, which is a new thing.

Aw that’s shit. I remember well the pain when I’d go to open a door. No way I could get near my hair if that’s any comfort to you (ie. I healed and have no weakness there now). I couldn’t lift the arm more than 45 degrees without pain, impossible to lift beyond 90 degrees.

Mine no longer goes further than 90 degrees I have to cock my head sideways to achieve a ponytail or I ask DP to do it although I’ve yet to teach him to plait

Are you sure it's actually torn? I've had an inflamed rotator cuff for about a year and similar levels of pain, but it's not actually torn, 'just' (ha) inflamed (so subsequent tendinitis, bursitis and impingement). Wait for the scan before worrying about the surgery! It might be a case that intensive physio and steroid injection might help, along with time.

If it is actually torn though, the surgery does have a longish recovery time, you'll prob have a sling for c6 weeks. Sorry.

I had shoulder surgery and it was a terrible idea. I have since had 3 more surgeries to try and correct things that went wrong directly as a result of the surgery itself. I would never recommend surgery for shoulders unless there is no other option. Each time I had my arm in a sling 6-8 weeks then physio for 2-3 months and then slowly reintroduced sports and exercise etc.

I tore my rotator cuff about a year ago which did really restrict my movement for a few months but with time and physio it is much better now. I used voltarol and both ibuprofen and paracetamol for pain at night as well as a heat pad.

Hmmm. Shoulders are tricky things. As a pp said, are you fairly sure it's a torn rotator cuff? It sounds quite similar to a frozen shoulder to me, especially the increasingly restricted movement and pain when sleeping.

I had 6 months of shoulder pain bad stiffness, got m.r.i. done and diagnosed with impingment syndrome, had a decompression with keyhole surgery. The pain went almost overnight but physio is slow and you must stick with it. I had 6 weeks off post op, went back on phased return, had to have occy health clearance, was hcp too. 15 years later I still feel a twinge sometimes. Wait till you get a diagnosis.

RC injury here a couple of times

Physio told me to expect it to take about 18 months to heal following the exercises and he was pretty accurate

It's awful isn't it - working out how to get clothes on, reaching for doors is impossible, cooking etc a challenge, changing gears,

I'd find myself waking having put my arm above my head in my sleep and walking round with it still there taking ages working out how to get it back down again!! The pain

I initially went to the docs in April thinking it was frozen shoulder, my Mum had it years ago. GP said it wasn’t but couldn’t tell me what it was.

My g.p. kept saying it was over use, I pushed for an ortho review who diagnosed it straight away, ask for this and tell them how keen you are to return to work so can they get your scan done asap, keep in touch with occy health and uni.

I have hypermobility syndrome so my shoulders regularly sublux, perhaps it went too far and tore?

That's interesting, Captain, had the GP ordered any diagnostic tests to be done and had results back when they said definitively it wasn't a frozen shoulder?!

It just strikes me as a bit odd that they could say what it wasn't while not being able to say what it was.

When I tore mine I went for physio. They gave me exercises and acupuncture which unfortunately didn't help. They then gave me a cortisone injection which sorted it completely. Haven't had any problems since and had been told I would need surgery.

Nope, it was a 10 minute consultation, I explained my symptoms and she said it didn’t sound like a frozen shoulder, gave me a prescription for amitriptyline and a physio referral. Physio did acupuncture which didn’t help one bit.

It makes horrible snapping noises when I move it and it’s a dull, dragging ache (similar to tennis elbow when I had that) even at rest, and then it increases tenfold when I attempt to move it more than a few inches. The GP I initially saw is the same one who diagnosed me with scabies when I actually had contact dermatitis, mind you.

Right, yes, then you do need that MRI so you know what's really happening in there! Even an ultrasound would have given an initial idea - I had that, which told them I didn't have any tears.

Don't like the sound of those 'dull snapping noises'. Sympathies, Captain, I hope you get your appointment through soon. I found a TENS machine was helpful, btw.

Thanks @Pilcrow! Will borrow my dad’s TENS machine if it’ll help!

I have a very similar tale... started in March with no obvious cause although I do a lot of moving and handling at work (with disabled children)
Went to the GP in April..given pills and exercises. Wnt back in May..more of the same, told rotator cuff.
Saw my osteopath who is also a sports physio who said it was either rotator cuff or a slap tear and wanted an MRI done before she treated me. GP instead sent me to an NHS physio who said frozen shoulder and has booked me for a steroid injection as next line of treatment.
Her examination was much less thorough that the osteopaths.

Either way I have very limited movement and it hurts like hell. If the steroids fix it..great..if not I want an MRI as no one knows for sure what the cause is!

Still just as with Captain, you need to know what’s actually going on in there. Shoulder joints are complicated and healing from any problem there is a long and painful business. It does make me mad that some medical professionals don’t immediately sort out scans so you KNOW what you’re dealing with. I’d push for a scan because quick treatment does make a difference.

MRI results are in and it doesn’t look good, sadly.

Multiple tears to the rotator cuff, impingement syndrome and bursitis. Happy New Year!

I had a damaged rotator cuff, which was dislocating repeatedly at the slightest thing, so surgical repair was the only answer for me.

I was in hospital overnight, but home by the following afternoon.

I only had two small incisions, with a couple of sutures each, to heal, and had also had a re-contouring of the joint as the Consultant said that would reduce the possibility of arthritis later.

I had about seven weeks of physio, and worked at the exercises every day, gradually reducing the use of the sling during that time. I lived alone, so it was all a bit difficult, lots of ready meals and salads, baggy clothes that could just be pulled on etc.

Since then, it's recovered very well, no on going pain or stiffness to speak of, though I am careful with it still.

One thing I found helpful before and after the operation was to use a V shaped pillow so that I slept more securely and didn't roll around.

Lots of luck Captain!

Sorry to hear your news, Captain

But at least you now have a good idea of what you're dealing with and can proceed. Very good luck.