BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff

Subject: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: Den
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 10:33 AM

Has anyone suffered from this and been cured? If so what did you do? I have had this since the summer of this year. I've been seeing a chiropractor for the last three months, twice a week. I've seen only slight improvement in terms of range of motion but the pain has increased which makes sleeping at night challenging. I have gone through one course of anti-inflammatories (had to stop because they were so hard on my stomach) and apply ice to the area several times a day. Its so frustrating because I have gone from being really active (running three and a half miles a day three times a week) to not feeling like doing anything because of the pain. Help.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 10:45 AM

Forget the chiropractor, go see an orthopedic surgeon. You probably have a rotator cuff tear and WILL need surgery. Trust me; I've been there.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 10:52 AM

An osteopath who does soft-tissue manipulation would help. I've been going to one for tendinitis in my forearms and fingers, plus thumbs (she also works on the rest of me to keep it aligned) and it has helped a lot, along with very gentle therapy-guided exercise. I've also been going to a hand therapy person who uses ultrasound for treatments.

Am now waiting for them to all be in the office after the holidays to treat very painful tennis elbow, from throwing a ball for the dog.:-) I hear you on the pain; it makes doing anything difficult and feels so defeating. This has been going on since last Feb. for me. There are more good days than bad, finally. Hang in there. Soft tissue damage always hurts worse than a break and can take longer to heal.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: GUEST,Bluesman
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 11:19 AM

Den, as you may have seen in another thread, I had the operation in October, still in a lot of pain, still sleeping in a chair, arm movement forward and back is okay, still can't get arm out from my body more than ten inches. Seeing the guy who did the operation on Wednesday, he said we are looking at a ten month recovery.

I was bad before operation, still no real improvement. Read that operation has about a 50 - 50 chance of cure. I have a stomach ulcer, so he put me on Dicloflex, they are fine to take, no stomach problems so far.

Good luck with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: MAG
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 11:46 AM

i suffered with this for years; tried everything; finally an excellent physical therapist nailed it -- find one who knows what s/he is doing

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 12:01 PM

there are natural antiinflammatories that could help. Have you seen a naturopath? They might help reduce the inflammation and pain. I have a mild shoulder problem and have a great massage person in Seattle.l.New Seattle Massage if you are anywhere nearby..Cheryl..mg

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 12:23 PM

Tendinitis goes on and on and on. My experience of this grueling condition is it takes almost a year, and then seems to abate by itself.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 12:57 PM

My tennis elbow from, hmm, about 1995 has never totally gone away. Swinging an axe which I do a fair bit for firewood in the winter is not good for it and sometimes if I carry a briefcase that is too heavy I can find that I feel it when playing guitar. There was one doctor in Harley Street who got the steroid injection just right every time but eventually even he said "no more steroid injections in that tendon". I had private insurance in those days.

Nowadays I just try to be nice to it and it's mostly OK - but I'm sure that if I tried to play tennis again my service would just kill it again - heavy topspin slice "indiarubber serve" - and I doubt I could redesign my serve after all these years.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: Den
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 12:59 PM

Thanks for the responses folks. Yikes Bluesman that's pretty discouraging. I, like you have a limited range of motion. I can raise my arm up only enough to apply deodorant after showering. My GP has called for an appointment with an ortho for a steroid shot so I am on a waiting list which other contributors from Canada accustomed to our medical system can probably relate to. I think you have to be near death before you become a priority.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: GUEST,Bluesman
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 01:00 PM

The guided injection can work, but it is short term relief.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: gnu
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 01:58 PM

It's rough learning to sleep with your arms by your sides. I read one article suggesting a safety pin to pin your arm to your side (yes, the clothing, Rap) for 2 to 3 weeks. My reaction to that was, "Practical joke?".

Physiotherapist. Hmmm... I am gonna try somethin. Back shortly.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: gnu
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 02:10 PM

Regarding this...

If you have ANY discomfort AT ALL with 67 and 11 (cans of beans work fine), do NOT do them for a while.

Re 3 and 4, instead of a gym ball, use some balled up socks. Ya wanna be leaning forward just enough to provide some slight pressure and gradually increase it. Start with one session per day for a few days and up that as you feel you can.

Any questions are welcome. Good luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: Den
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 04:08 PM

Hi Gnu, those exercises are good but in my case: the bursa in my shoulder is full of fluid which causes swelling which causes the tendons to pinch under the shoulder bone with certain movement. I have to able to get rid of the fluid before I can really have any success with the anatomy.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: gnu
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 12:36 PM

Oh. I'll remove it.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 01:09 PM

I'd be interested in reading that post, gnu. I too have a shoulder/arm problem. The exercises hint at those a friend of mine was given by her doctor but she only remembers a couple of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Tendonitis of the Rotator Cuff
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 02:23 PM

One caution I do remember, Ebbie, from exercises I did for shoulder and arm problems, was to be sure, if using small free weights, to always keep my hands turned in with the palms facing my body, instead of the usual way of picking up the weight and lifting it so that the palms face outward. I can't remember exactly why but doing the latter was a big no-no if there were any shoulder problems.

Lee Holden has very good, very gentle qi gong and/or tai chi DVDs for specific problems and general overall stretching and strengthening. You can see video excerpts and learn more at Exercise to Heal and at Lee Holden dot com. I highly recommend them, esp. as there is a version to fit almost anyone's needs, including doing it whilst sitting.