Rotator Cuff Injuries
Effectively Treating Rotator Cuff Injuries in Lanham, MD
What Are Rotator Cuff Injuries, and What Causes Them?
Your rotator cuff is made up of the group of muscles and tendons surrounding your shoulder joint. An injury to the rotator cuff could be the result of a single traumatic injury or the result of an injury caused by overuse or repetitive motion. Rotator cuff injuries are generally characterized by a dull ache in the shoulders that may worsen when you attempt to sleep on your side at night. Effective Chiropractic PG County has been treating rotator cuff injuries in Lanham, MD for many years. Call us today to inquire about the various chiropractic treatment options that we offer.
Who Usually Suffers from a Rotator Cuff Injury?
Rotator cuff injuries are commonly found in athletes (especially tennis or baseball players, swimmers, rowers, and wrestlers), painters, carpenters, and other professions requiring repetitive overhead motions or heavy lifting. Your risk for sustaining a rotator cuff injury increases as you age, although some individuals may be genetically predispositioned to develop rotator cuff disease earlier on, resulting in a progressive degeneration over time. Adults over the age of 40 are the most commonly afflicted age group for rotator cuff injuries. However, all it takes is one blow to the shoulder or a single fall, forcing your shoulder into an awkward position to tear your rotator cuff. To prevent rotator cuff injuries, it’s recommended that you incorporate daily shoulder stretches and strengthening exercises.
Common Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injuries
Most patients with a rotator cuff injury will experience the following symptoms, though they may range in severity or frequency depending on the specific nature of your injury:
- Dull aches in the shoulder region
- Arm or shoulder weakness (could be sudden or gradual)
- Tenderness or pain when attempting to reach overhead
- Worsening pain when trying to sleep on your side at night
- Loss of range of motion in your shoulder and arm
- Clicking or popping noises when you move your shoulder or arm
- Difficulty lifting objects as normal
- Problems completing actions requiring you to reach behind you
- Formation of bone spurs around the rotator cuff
A rotator cuff tear could be partial (damaging just one of the muscles in your rotator cuff) or complete (going all the way through your tendons). Rotator cuff injuries usually cause intense, immediate pain, though it’s important to note that this isn’t always the case. Untreated rotator cuff injuries may turn into arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, or a condition called frozen shoulder requiring additional treatment.
How Do Doctors Diagnose & Treat Rotator Cuff Injuries?
If you suspect that you may have a rotator cuff injury, you should seek a diagnosis from your doctor immediately to prevent permanent damage or loss of motion. To diagnose a rotator cuff injury, your doctor will likely conduct a physical exam of your shoulder, as well as order x-rays, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or an ultrasound to examine the tendons and muscles around your shoulder in more detail. Treatment for a rotator cuff injury may include a combination of physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs to ease the pain and swelling. Your doctor may suggest applying a hot or cold pack, cortisone injections, or exercises to restore your range of motion. More extensive rotator cuff injuries may require surgery to repair or replace the affected joints or tendons. Recovery is dependent on the degree of damage and how long your rotator cuff was injured or torn before you sought attention.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Rotator Cuff Injuries
Many patients desiring a non-invasive treatment for their rotator cuff injury rely on chiropractic care to address both their shoulder and spine issues contributing to the injury. Treatment for your rotator cuff injury from Lanham’s Effective Chiropractic PG County will likely include a combination of various techniques, such as physical therapy and rehabilitation, massage therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, and chiropractic adjustments. We approach your injury with a holistic approach that attempts to treat the underlying issues and not just the root symptoms of your injury. This generally results in an improved quality of life for our patients with restored mobility and long-lasting pain relief. The number of treatments necessary for a rotator cuff injury will vary according to the extent of your injury, though many patients can resume regular activity within about six to eight weeks.
Have Questions for Effective Chiropractic PG County?
To learn more about how chiropractic care effectively treats rotator cuff injuries at Lanham’s Effective Chiropractic PG County, we encourage you to reach out via phone or email. Our skilled chiropractors would love to promote your body’s natural healing process by ensuring your various body systems are working together in harmony. Please let us know how we can help you recover!