Rotator Cuff Injury and How to Treat It

Whether you’re an athlete, a homemaker, or a techie, there are certain muscles all of use all the time for every day tasks. And often, we don’t realize how much stress we put on these muscles, until we injure them. Suddenly even the simplest tasks become a hassle. One such condition is the rotator cuff injury. Let’s take a closer look at what constitutes a rotator cuff injury, and how Stem Cell Therapy in Bangalore can help.

What is the rotator cuff, and how can it be injured?

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in your shoulder that help with mobility and keep the area stable. Every time you move your shoulder, whether you’re bowling a cricket ball or grabbing something off a high shelf, you’re using this group of muscles. Because you use them so frequently, there are many ways you’re rotator cuff can be damaged, including:

● Tendinitis — caused by overuse of the rotator cuff. This is common in people who work in fields that require a lot of overhead arm movement such as painters, carpenters, and even tennis players who use an overhead serve.

● Bursitis — caused by inflammation of the bursa; fluid sacs that sit between the rotator cuff tendons and the underlying bone

● Strains or tears — caused by overuse or a sudden injury to the area that results in the tendons stretching or tearing

These injuries can be either chronic or acute. A chronic injury is one that develops over time, usually through repeated stress placed on the region. An acute injury on the other hand is a sudden occurrence — usually the result of a single stressful action or event. Acute injuries often cause intense and immediate pain, while with chronic injuries the pain may be sporadic and increases over time. Athletes, people with jobs that require repetitive lifting, and people over the age of 40 are most at risk to develop this as a chronic condition.

How do you know if you have a rotator cuff injury?

Despite covering a range of afflictions, most rotator cuff injuries have similar symptoms. However, you may not experience all of these at once, or even at all — especially if your condition is chronic. Some of the symptoms of rotator cuff injuries include:

● Inability to do certain activities because they cause pain

● Difficulty achieving full range of shoulder motion

● Difficulty sleeping on the affected shoulder

● Pain or tenderness when reaching overhead

● Pain in the shoulder, especially at night

● Progressive weakness of the shoulder

● Trouble reaching behind the back

A rotator cuff injury can’t be diagnosed by one symptom alone, instead, by looking at a collection of symptoms. If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, speak to your doctor. They will use your history of physical activity, your mobility, and imaging scans such as X-rays to determine whether it really is a rotator cuff injury or a similar condition such as arthritis or bone spurs.

How are rotator cuff injuries treated?

The treatment for rotator cuff injuries varies depending on its severity. For the mildest cases, you can care for it yourself at home by following RICE — rest, ice, compress, elevate. For more severe cases however, you may need to visit a medical professional and come up with a long or short term treatment plan tailored to your injury. A treatment plan may include:

● Steroid injections to reduce inflammation in the joint

● Surgery to repair strained or torn tendons, or in more severe cases, to replace the shoulder joint altogether

● Physical therapy and/or occupational therapy to increase range of mobility and help with recovery after surgery

● Stem Cell Therapy to repair strained tendons and reduce inflammation

Stem Cell Therapy in particular is gaining more and more traction as a treatment for this type of injury, as it helps tackle two of the main causes of rotator cuff injuries. Stem cells have the ability to change to fill a role — they are young cells with the capacity to become anything from a muscle cell to a neuron depending on where it is in the body. These young cells can not only replace older, damaged cells, but help reduce damage to the surrounding area by releasing certain chemicals and proteins. The procedure for Stem Cell Therapy is less invasive than a full surgery, and when combined with physical and occupational therapy offers a holistic rehabilitation option for patients.

A rotator cuff injury may have been a long time coming, or it may have been the result of a sudden injury. But regardless of how it occurred, you can rest assured knowing that even the most severe cases can be treated. Whether it’s through medication, surgery, or therapy, you can be sure to find the right treatment for your condition. So begin your search today for a diagnostic, rehabilitation, and Stem Cell Therapy treatment in Bangalore — or any city near you and move towards a pain free life!