Rotator cuff insertion

BRICKS

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Steroid injections (cortisone) are pretty much a band aid for your symptoms and can actually lead to further injury. Ortho surgeons are going to limit that to 3 injections for this reason, and then it's on to cold steel. I'm assuming you know this already since I know you research things pretty well. An ultrasound can give you some idea if there is a tear, or fluid build up. If you are adamant about not getting things surgically corrected an MRI isn't necessarily warranted, but if surgical repair is necessary I personally would want one rather than do the "we'll scope it and find out then" approach. And also personally if I would follow a steroid injection with shoulder rehab and not go back to business as usual for a while.

Good luck, hope it's nothing that requires surgical repair.
 

John Ziegler

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the crossover symmetry worked well on an mri diagnosed partial tear on the front delt

seems weird that it would work especially for a weightlifter but ...
 
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Beserker

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Having blown out my left shoulder multiple times and a minor tear in my right recently, I can relate. I never saw a doctor for any of them... didn’t have insurance when I was younger, and just recently last December when my right shoulder tore I have good insurance but decided to heal myself.

Last thing you want to hear, but do as little as possible with it.. may even have to stop training upper body for a bit. Keep pressure off it at all costs. It needs time to regenerate. I slept in the recliner from December-earlier this month with pillows propping my arm up. I’m a side sleeper so this was hell, but even laying on the shoulder for an hour was unbearable.

I would try this before going through a surgery.. sounds like it’s still minor enough to rehab yourself rather than spend a lot of money and have to be immobile anyhow.
 

snake

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Dr. Visit

Went to the Ortho yesterday and it went as expected. After a 40 min wait for an appointment I was 10 min early for, the assistant took me back. She asked the basic questions and said, "We will X-ray that" Said I would like to talk to the Dr. first before we do that. 5 min. later, this little squirrel comes in, introduces himself and with his arms crossed says, 'What's the problem with doing an X-ray?" Told him this is on my dime so I want to keep the cost down and there's a chance that I may compete in Aug, so surgery is out at the moment. (I'm not competing so get that out of your head)

We go round and round about this and he said if I don't okay the X-ray, there's nothing he can do for me. I was close to red line here and asked why we need to move to an X-ray when you haven't even asked me anything about my injury or even touched me. Yeah... the gloves were off.

So to shut me up and prove he was the smartest guy in the room, he had me take my sweater off and move my arm this way and that way. I did notice his eyes got big when I took off my 9MM and placed it on my sweater; that was funny. After moving it around and finally asking some questions he said he was 99% sure this was arthritis given my age and years of heavy weight training and an X-ray would confirm that. I felt that would be good to know so I went for it. Got the X-ray done and 5 min later he comes back into the room and says, "Well good news, its not arthritis. As a matter of fact, there's practically no signs of arthritis".

So no answers unless I give in to an MRI which I'm not ready to do just yet. He suggests therapy, a bigger money maker then going under the knife. With no intentions of doing it I said okay. I then asked if he would give me a cortisone shot? Oh boy, another fight! He didn't want to do it. Said since he's not sure what the problem is, it may not help. Since a cortisone is both diagnostic and therapeutic I pushed for it. Remember, this is the guy that 10 min early told me he was 99% sure this was arthritis. He caves in and gives me the shot.

Fast forward to this morning; I wake with zero morning pain. Shoulder feels better than it has in months so I'm hopefully optimistic it was inflammation and with my training modifications this can be put behind me.

Sorry for the long story and thanks for checking in on me.
 

PillarofBalance

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Well glad you are getting somewhere and good for you for sticking up for yourself.

I find that simply asking why - essentially asking for evidence or cause is usually enough to get a doc to make a better effort.

This guy sounds like a dink.
 

DF

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Even if he found arthritis. I'm pretty sure the options would be PT and or cortisone shot. Also congrats on the no arthritis! further proof that you are immortal.
 

motown1002

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Good for you snake. Glad you stood up for yourself. Crazy that we have to fight for relief. Seems a lot of these docs just simply want you to keep coming back and taking money.
 

snake

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Well glad you are getting somewhere and good for you for sticking up for yourself.

I find that simply asking why - essentially asking for evidence or cause is usually enough to get a doc to make a better effort.

This guy sounds like a dink.

I brought in my BOWTIE to ask his thoughts an that. Told him it gives me some relief for about 30 min after I take it off. His reply was, "I never seen something like that and it's only temporary relief.

Since the BOWTIE resets the shoulder, wouldn't you think that temporary relief would speed recovery by taking the continuous stress on the muscle and joints? Oh did he poo-poo my BOWTIE.
 

snake

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Update:

The good: went for a second opinion and this Dr. was good. Straight forward and I think he liked how I bashed the other Dr. This Dr. took the time to look at my X-ray and MRI, did some evaluations and told me there's no way I have a complete tear.

The bad: He was honest and doesn't think that to continue to lead my lifestyle, therapy is going to get me where I want to be. That at best, it may take some pain away. His concern was the labrum tear. Doc said some of the issues may resolve by the body healing itself but not the labrum.

Going forward I'm giving the PT guy 4 weeks 2x/wk at his place and doing the stretching and exercises he gave me to do 3x/day on my own. I made an apt with the second opinion guy for then and if I'm not where I should be, I'll go for the surgery.
 

Beserker

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Eh, sorry to hear... been there. I tore my labrum in 10th grade... I opted not to do surgery and healed it on my own. I never fully recovered... my shoulder will easily dislocate if put in the right position ever since. It’s a matter of just avoiding moves/angles that stress it. All the best, hope the pt helps!
 

BRICKS

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Hopefully you won't need to have surgery.
 

Grizzly911

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I have been having this nagging problem in my shoulder and damn sure it's in the infraspinatus at the point of insertion. It's been a good 3 months now and is starting to effect my workouts. The wife can dig her elbow into it and it feels perfect for a few hr but then starts back up. Before, it was give me that post workout throb but it seems to be getting worse. Started a round of Naproxen this week and dropped a shoulder exercise that seems to bother it. Been keeping the reps high and not testing any heavy weights.

Anyone deal with this before and what did you do?

infraspinatrus-muscle.png

Check into some Neuromuscular Therapy Treatment. That usually corrects the problem.
 

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