Rotator Cuff not torn after all! Hooray!

[Gertie2u]

So this was me a few days ago: I have made an appointment with a respected orthopedic sports medicine guy, but I am a little nervous about the wait.

How this all came about was this. About 6 years ago, I had a fall. Right after the fall, I would move my arm in certain ways, mostly involving lifting/twisting, and it would hurt so bad my vision would start to turn black. I went to the emergency, who said I had torn something. They gave me pills for pain and swelling and told me to make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor, which I did. The earliest available was 2 months out.

I was in a lot of discomfort and a friend is a massage therapist who works in the therapy clinic at the hospital. She offered she could do some massage therapy work on me and help me have at least less discomfort. She saw me for three weeks straight, then at 2 weeks after that. The improvement was amazing. By the time I saw the ortho, I had around 95% full range of motion back and no pain. He did check me out, and did think I had 'damaged' my rotator cuff muscle, but said what I had been thinking pretty much. That he could not see a point in doing surgery when I had healed so well as it was unlikely he could improve the result I had already.

Things stayed at that level all this time. We went on a long car journey. When I awoke from sleeping strapped into the front seat for about 5 hours straight with the seat fully leaned back I found I had a lot of shoulder pain. I could not lift my arm, nor turn my head. I returned home and made an ortho appointment. The best they could do was about a month out, which is next Tuesday.

In the meantime, I returned to my massage therapist friend. Although she has been able to loosen things up so that moving my head is no problem now, there has been no improvement in my shoulder. When I lift my arm straight to my side, I start feeling pain in the upper outside arm at 45 degrees. By about 80 degrees lifted, I am in extreme pain and cannot lift my arm any further. I simply cannot lift my arm straight out to my side. If I lift it toward the front, I can get it to about 65 degrees but cannot fully extend upward.

Many actions cause me severe pain in my upper outside arm that seems to cut into my arm bone. If done slowly most of them do not bother, but it is the little, unthinking things you do like the motion to throw something taken from the washer into the dryer, or grabbing clothing from the dryer into a basket that get me. Also any turning arm as you reach. When I stand in front of a mirror, you can see my left shoulder is lower than my right and my arm hangs a bit limp against my side. I seem to have lost the ability to lift my shoulder and hold my arm free-swinging. My upper outer arm muscle also seems to bulge more than the other side, which is odd since this is not my dominant arm.

I find it all a bit odd in that I did not fall or otherwise have any incident that I think hurt my arm. When I am just standing and haven't done any of the motions that bring the severe pain in a while, it rather feels like my shoulder is coming undone and my arm may just fall off. I have a little pain right under the shoulder blade. I guess mostly I'm hoping someone here can tell me...can my arm fall off? Does this happen?


And the outcome thus far is posted down at the bottom.

[summermay]

Fall off I hope not. I had what is called frozen shoulder. I was having trouble moving in certain ways. Reaching around back for my bra hooks was almost impossible. My brother is a chiropractor and he worked on my shoulder/arm a least 3 times a week and also gave me stretching exercises to do at home. It took me a few months but it is fine now. Hope you find some relief soon.

[3timesoccermom]

Good grief! I didn't realize it was so bad. Poor thing.

The first time it happened maybe it wasn't so much the actual massage as the passage of time that helped. You can do a lot of recovering in 6 weeks.

Whatever it is, good luck. I don't envy you at all.

[CouponQueen83]

Well. I would probably worry the same thing, but lol no, i don't believe your arm can literally fall off, since it's connected with skin and bones. However, the muscles can tear, etc. And that would need to be repaired.

I too, do not envy you one bit. Hang in there!!! Big hugs and a speedy recovery wish your way!

[TeePee]

My DH had tore rotator cuff repair surgery 90 days ago. The doc never bleived it was torn until a MRI confirmed it and then he had to work (he is HVAC so lots of phyiscal activity) for another 4 weeks before his surgery. He is still looking at 3-5 months of recovery.

Go to ortho doc and see if you need an MRI.

[Gertie2u]

So I went to the doctor, who sent me to an orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon sent me for an MRI "to determine the extent of the rotator cuff tear and thus the extent of the surgery needed". I just got back today from getting the results of the MRI. The surgeon said I don't have a rotator tear after all. He says I have scar tissue and the shoulder is "in the process of trying to become a frozen shoulder". I have a physical therapy appointment this afternoon and I will also be seeing a massage therapist a few times to "break up that scar tissue" and "get that arm loosened up". I'm happy the surgeon has told me as long as I respond to this therapy, surgery won't be necessary. On the other hand, apparently the physical therapy is expected to be quite painful. They've ordered me to physical therapy today after I pick up a pain pill to use 20 minutes before starting. Still, can't be worse than sharp blades and pointy needles, so I am happy for that at least.

[3timesoccermom]

Good to hear it's not as bad as you thought!!

[Gertie2u]

I suppose my guess wasn't that far off as the orthopedic surgeon came up with the same idea without me mentioning a rotator cuff tear was my guess. I can't decide if I am happier to have avoided the surgery itself or if I most appreciate not having to go through the whole healing process after the surgery. Maybe both.

Much to my surprise, the physical therapist got me right in this afternoon. The doctor gave me a few pain pills to take before my first few physical therapy appointments, and I think I was glad I did so. A lot of time was spent checking out the extent of my inability to use my arm, which was a bit painful. After that, she did some other things designed to improve my shoulder. They really helped a great deal, so I think this is going to work out well. It didn't seem like the exercises she had me do were a big deal, but I find I am pretty worn out now that I am back home.

[summermay]

Glad to read it was not torn after all. Yes getting it back to working right does hurt. My brother did some adjustments that almost made me cry. In the end it worked, I can move my arm freely. Keep doing your exercises and stretches and you should be fine.

[momof2inohio]

Glad to hear! My DH has a torn rotator cuff but he has opted to not have surgery so he just suffers Thought my son had a torn cuff a while back but it was just overuse from football and lacrosse.