By Nick Browning

Rotator cuff tear symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the original injury, but generally show up as pain in the shoulder and general weakness in the arm. symptoms will vary from one individual to another with some people experiencing little or no discomfort and no loss of movement, whilst others can find the pain debilitating, making even the most basic movement impossible.

Most people will have some level of pain and restricted movement although much depends on what you are asking of your shoulder joint. It has been found for example that a large number of older individuals have rotator cuff tears that don’t trouble them at all, being able to lead absolutely normal, pain free lives even with a torn rotator cuff. These cases are described as asymptomatic – showing no symptoms.

The level of pain really depends on different factors. The severity of the injury, how old the patient is, how much shoulder movement is used in day to day activity.

For example. Someone who is a plasterer by trade would require their shoulder to be not only mobile but able to cope with the stresses of their work. Compare this to an elderly person who takes little or no physical exercise and you quickly see that any symptoms would be very different in each case.

The pain of a torn rotator cuff is usually felt at the back and top of the shoulder joint with the pain travelling along the arm, sometimes as far as the fingers.

It will be much worse whenever you move your arm. Reaching behind you, out to the side or overhead will make the pain worse. Reaching for objects, getting dressed and even driving can all become extremely painful.

The onset of pain can either be chronic or acute depending on how the injury was arrived at.

If the rotator cuff tear comes about through wear and tear on the joint it will have a gradual start to the pain. This could be typical of anyone whose work results in a great deal of overhead working where the constant lifting of the arm results in gradual wear and tear to tendons of the rotator cuff. This is called a chronic rotator cuff tear. Any resulting pain would start gradually, worsening in time as you carry on using the injured arm, subjecting the rotator cuff tendons to more wear and tear.

A rotator cuff tear described as acute could happen as the result of a fall, perhaps onto the shoulder or an out-stretched arm. This could result in a sudden snapping injury to the tendon.

Torn Rotator Cuff Treatment Options

A torn rotator cuff is usually treated without surgery or conservatively. At first, treatment will revolve around the R.I.C.E regime of Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is important that you rest your arm to let the swelling to go down. This will help to manage any pain. A Course of NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) will also help at this stage.

Physiotherapy exercises to stabilize and strengthen the rotator cuff muscles will be next, beginning with low weight / resistance exercises and then gradually increasing in intensity as the muscles grow stronger. None of the exercises should cause any pain as this would suggest that further damage is being caused to the joint.

If physical therapy proves to be unsuccessful, corrective surgery can be considered to fix the rotator cuff tear but this tends to only be used when physiotherapy has failed to improve things.

In young people who have suffered a severe tear or if someone uses their shoulder a great deal in work or sports, surgery may be offered early on although the vast majority of patients report reduced pain and better mobility through a course of physiotherapy for rotator cuffs.

If you found this article helpful and would like to find out more about torn rotator cuff symptoms and treatment options visit my site at http://www.shoulder-pain-guide.com