Picture a golf ball sitting on a golf tee, and you'll have a good idea of what the ball-and-socket joint in the shoulder looks like. Because this joint can be unstable, it's held together with a group of muscles and tendons known as the rotator cuff. If you tear the rotator cuff, you'll experience intense pain, lack of mobility, and instability of your shoulder. Crescent City Orthopedics in Metairie, Louisiana, provides both nonsurgical and surgical treatments to give you back the pain-free use of your arm and shoulder after a rotator cuff tear injury.
Rotator cuff tears can happen after an injury or just because of normal wear and tear on the joint.
If you have a rotator cuff tear, you'll feel pain on the front of the shoulder that shoots down the side of the arm. This pain gets worse with activities that require putting your arm above your head.
You may also feel pain when you need to sleep on the injured arm. Your arm may feel weak, making everyday tasks difficult. If the tear occurs with an injury, you'll experience a sharp, snapping pain followed by immediate weakness.
If you suspect you've injured your rotator cuff, it's important to see a doctor without delay. If left untreated, the rotator cuff tear can grow.
If you have chronic shoulder and arm pain or have injured your shoulder, you should schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon at Crescent City Orthopedics. They can determine the extent of the injury and the best course of treatment before it worsens.
At Crescent City Orthopedics, your surgeon recommends the most conservative treatment for your rotator cuff as possible. Sometimes, the RICE regimen, using rest, ice, compression, and elevation, is all that is necessary to allow the joint to heal.
Using medication, modifying activity, and prescribing physical therapy can also help heal rotator cuff injuries. If the rotator cuff tear is severe, conservative measures won't work, and you'll need surgery.
Today, rotator cuff surgery is performed arthroscopically. This procedure uses a tiny camera to allow the surgeon to see inside the body.
After finding the tear, the surgeon can repair it using tiny tools inserted through a pencil-sized incision. While you'll still need to give your body time to recover, this less-invasive surgical procedure reduces pain, discomfort, and the risk of complications for patients who need rotator cuff surgery.
If you've injured your rotator cuff, don't wait to get treatment. Call Crescent City Orthopedics for a thorough evaluation. With minimally invasive treatment options available and a caring team of highly qualified surgeons, Crescent City Orthopedics can help you recover full use of your injured arm and shoulder again.
