{"id":19837,"date":"2020-02-04T06:19:28","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T06:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=19837"},"modified":"2021-10-15T01:52:26","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T01:52:26","slug":"14-signs-of-rotator-cuff-tear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/14-signs-of-rotator-cuff-tear\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Signs of Rotator Cuff Tear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The rotator cuff consists of four tendons and the muscles that are located near the joint of the shoulder. These tendons and muscles help to keep the upper arm bone stable in the socket of the shoulder. Many people do not even realize how important their rotator cuff is until they injure the area. Injuries to the rotator cuff are more common in people that often perform repetitive motions such as those who work manual labor jobs or are athletes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to note that the odds of injuring the rotator cuff increase as you start to get older. When the rotator cuff is injured, everyday tasks such as shoveling snow, raking leaves, or even throwing a ball, can become very difficult. Most people recover from the injury through physical therapy. Here are 14 signs of a rotator cuff tear. If you notice any of these, call your doctor right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Pain When You Reach Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you notice pain <\/a>when you reach your arm above your head, there is a chance that you have injured your rotator cuff and possibly have a rotator cuff tear. There are many activities that you may perform that will cause pain if you have torn your rotator cuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reaching up for items on a higher shelf is one of the motions that can be difficult if you have torn your rotator cuff. Even changing a lightbulb may be difficult as you have to reach above your head in order to remove the old lightbulb and put in a new one. No matter what type of action that you are performing when you notice that there is pain, it is important to take note of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you start to notice that there is a pattern of pain every time that you are reaching above your head, you may have torn your rotator cuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Pain from Moving the Arm Backwards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The rotator cuff is not a single muscle, but rather four muscles<\/a>. These muscles are responsible for externally rotating the arm. This means these muscles are what allow you to turn the arm away from the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This could be in the form of swinging your fist outwards, or simply rotating the arm at the humerus into a supinated position. The rotator cuff is a very important muscle of the arm and shoulder. It is what helps you to be able to throw a ball and perform all sorts of movements of the arm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice that you are experiencing pain when you move your arm backward, the chances are very high that you have damaged your rotator cuff in some way. This is because the rotator cuff is the only muscle that helps with this type of rotation in the arm. Take note of the pain and speak to your doctor right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Pain When You Push Forward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Three out of the four muscles of the rotator cuff are involved when pulling the arm back and rotating the arm laterally and externally, the other muscle in the rotator cuff is used to rotate the arm forward. The muscle that is used for medial\/forwarding rotation is the subscapularis muscle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This muscle works with the deltoids and pectoralis muscles to help the arm move forward. This means that it is not likely that you would experience an injury in this area without also injuring the pectoral or deltoid muscles as well, but it is possible. Irradiation, means that when you are contracting the muscle and those around it, in particular the antagonist\u2019s muscles, are also going to contract. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that you may also feel pain when you are pushing the arm forward. If you are feeling pain when you push your arm forward and also experience pain when you move your arm <\/a>back or in any direction, there is a good chance that you have damaged your rotator cuff in some fashion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Sudden Pain While Exercising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aside from the pain that you are currently experiencing, try to think back to the intense pain that you may have felt when you first injured your rotator cuff. It is possible to have tendonitis <\/a>that affects the shoulder joint or even other types of low-level pain, typically if you tear your rotator cuff you are going to feel it happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you tear your rotator cuff there are many muscle fibers that are torn. The damage will impair your movement and could cause a physical indentation in the area of the muscle. If you are exercising and suddenly have an intense amount of pain in your shoulder, there is a chance that you may have caused a tear in the rotator cuff. You may even go into shock when this happens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your body temperature may change, you may start to sweat, and possibly start trembling. Most often this occurs when doing a type of exercise that involves a lot of movement from the shoulders, such as throwing a ball or doing reverse pec flies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Prolonged Pain  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are many types of injuries and other health issues that can cause a person to experience chronic pain<\/a>. However, if you notice prolonged pain in the area of your shoulder, there is a good chance that your rotator cuff could be torn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you find that the pain you are experiencing is prolonged, but only occurs when you put pressure on your shoulder, it is likely from a rotator cuff tear and you should talk about your pain with your medical professional. Many people ignore the pain that they are experiencing and simply think they are just tired or that it will heal on its own. Most of the time, the pain will continue to get worse with time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this reason, if you are experiencing any type of chronic pain it is important to discuss it with your doctor so that it can be diagnosed as soon as possible and make the treatment more effective in the long run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Insomnia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another symptom that a person who has a rotator cuff tear may experience is insomnia<\/a>. The main reason for this is quite simple, the pain makes it difficult to fall asleep and then stay asleep once you do actually fall asleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this being said, sometimes a minor rotator cuff tear will not cause a significant amount of pain that would cause insomnia. This is because the discomfort is very minor and does not make it harder to fall asleep on a subconscious level. There have been a few studies that suggest that a torn rotator cuff could decrease the production of melatonin, which is what helps you sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your body does not produce enough melatonin, it can be more difficult to fall asleep at night. These studies have seemed to verify that inflammation can lead to a lower melatonin production and that it is possible that inflammation can interfere with the production of other important hormones as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Drop Arm Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the ways a doctor may test to see if you have torn your rotator cuff<\/a> is to perform what is referred to as a drop arm test. Your doctor will ask you to stand or sit on the exam table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The examiner will then stand on the side of the arm that is being tested and move the arm to a 90-degree angle. When the examiner lets go of the arm, you will then slowly lower your shoulder to the side of the body at a controlled pace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the arm simply falls to the side quickly and you are unable to control the pace of lowering the arm back to your side, there is a good chance that you have suffered from an injury to the rotator cuff. This test works because the main job of the rotator cuff is to keep the humerus stable in the socket of the shoulder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Strength Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A specific strength examination targeting the area of the shoulder may also be conducted by your doctor. Each of the four muscles located in the rotator cuff are designed to stabilize your shoulder and to generate force. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The muscles of the rotator cuff are the subscapularis, supraspinatus, teres minor, and infraspinatus. A swimmer will often have internal rotators that are stronger than the external rotators. This can lead to an imbalance of force in the rotator cuff. When conducting a strength test, all components of the rotator cuff will be checked to see if any are significantly weak or damaged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To conduct this test you will be seated and then raise the arm to the side at a 90-degree angle. You will then bend the elbow <\/a>until your hand points to the ceiling. Your doctor will evaluate the rotation of your arm to see if there are any signs of damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Swelling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Swelling is one of the most common signs or symptoms of a muscle tear. The damage in the area will cause blood to rush to the muscle that has been affected. The blood will start to pool in the area as a way to help prevent infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also starts to rebuild the tissue using amino acids as well as other nutrients. If your shoulder or arm starts to swell, this is a sign of the natural healing process, so it should not be considered as a negative. However, the swelling can cause some discomfort, especially if it starts to put pressure and strain on the tissue surrounding the area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The swelling <\/a>may also make it difficult to move the spine and joints in a normal fashion. If you notice swelling, treat with an ice pack alternating 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. This should help to reduce some of the swelling and alleviate some of the pain that is associated with the muscle tear.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Kyphosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kyphosis is when there is a curvature at the top of the spine near the cervical and thoracic areas. The condition may be exacerbated by a damaged rotator cuff and it could also make it more likely for damage to the rotator cuff to occur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kyphosis <\/a>is caused when there is a tightness and shortness that affects the anterior deltoids and pectoralis muscles. In addition, it can be caused by a general lack of muscle tone and weakness in the rotator cuffs and the other pulling muscles located in the back. Working a desk job is a common cause as this causes the arms to be pulled forward while typing. Weight training that involves working on the pecs and other \u201cmirror muscles\u201d can exacerbate this condition as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to strengthen the muscles slowly and know when to rest. If you have been diagnosed with kyphosis in the past and experience shoulder pain, talk to your doctor as you could have torn your rotator cuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. X-Ray<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are experiencing pain in the area of your shoulder and you visit your doctor, they are likely going to recommend that you get an x-ray. It is important to note that your rotator cuff will not show up on an x-ray <\/a>result. However, the doctor will be able to rule out other issues that may be causing you to experience pain in your shoulder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some other issues that may be causing you to experience pain in your shoulder include arthritis or a fracture of the bone in the area. If you have something as vague as pain in your shoulder, it will often be a process of elimination to help determine the underlying cause of your pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it is determined that a fracture or arthritis is the cause of your pain, your doctor may also want to see if there is another cause for it as well as it is possible to have arthritis and a rotator cuff tear at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Ultrasound<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your doctor orders an x-ray and the results are inconclusive, they may order other tests to help determine the cause of the pain that you are experiencing. One test that is often conducted on individuals who are having pain in their shoulder is an ultrasound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ultrasound <\/a>will allow the doctor to view a clearer image of the internal structure of the area. This test uses sound waves to provide a very clear image of your body. Ultrasounds make it easier to see the soft tissues such as muscles and tendons. You may be asked to move your arm in certain ways during the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will allow the doctor to watch the muscles during movement to help pinpoint the issue that is causing your pain. Typically, the ultrasound will be done on both of your shoulders so that your doctor can compare the two images. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. MRI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging<\/a>) is a procedure that uses a strong magnet along with radio waves in order to provide a clear picture of the structures of the body. The quality of an MRI scan is based on the equipment that is used. Older equipment may provide images that are a bit sloppier than one that is performed with newer equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are suffering from shoulder pain, an MRI is one of the best ways to find out exactly what is causing the issues that you are experiencing. The images provided by an MRI are very exact and easy for a doctor to read. If your doctor has ordered an MRI, it is a good idea to go to a lab that uses the latest equipment. This will help to ensure that you get a quality image that will help your doctor diagnose your issue more quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several risk factors that increase your chances of suffering from an injury <\/a>to your rotator cuff. If you are an athlete, you are more likely to experience pain in the area of your rotator cuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, those who work desk jobs are often more likely to experience damage to their rotator cuff simply because of the nature of the work. Age is another factor that can increase the risk of a rotator cuff tear. If you are at a higher risk for developing a rotator cuff tear it is important to make sure that you know the signs of something being wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder that is simply not going away, even if it is not severe enough to you to think much about it, make sure that you discuss it with your doctor as it could be a sign of a tear in the muscle and also may be a sign that something else is wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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