Are you suffering from chronic shoulder pain? The shoulder is one of the most common joints to experience pain because of everything the shoulder does. Disorders of the rotator cuff and the tissues around it are the most common causes of shoulder pain in people over 40 years old.
One condition that occurs when a shoulder tendon becomes sore and irritated is called rotator cuff tendonitis. This condition, if left untreated, can cause the tendon to break down and result in a chronic, long-term condition called tendinosis. If you participate in activities involving repetitive or overhead arm movements (such as weightlifting, tennis, baseball, painting and carpentry) you’re at risk for developing rotator cuff tendonitis. Spine Correction Center can help diagnose your rotator cuff tendonitis and provide a treatment plan to manage your pain and improve the health and strength of your shoulder.
What is Rotator Cuff Tendonitis?
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Their purpose is to keep your upper arm bone firmly within the shallow shoulder socket. Rotator cuff tendonitis is when these tendons and muscles become inflamed or irritated.
Most cases of rotator cuff tendonitis develop overtime. Athletes suffering from this condition as a result of playing their preferred sport may be more familiar with the terms “swimmer’s shoulder,” “pitcher’s shoulder,” or “tennis shoulder,” all of which describe rotator cuff tendonitis.
Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Any time you experience new pain, you should come to Spine Correction Center to have your symptoms evaluated. Your quick response helps prevent your condition from worsening. Symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis can worsen over time, so make sure you get a head start on the condition before the pain becomes disabling. Initial symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis may disappear with rest, but eventually the symptoms become constant. According to WebMD, common symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis include:
- Shoulder stiffness
- Pain that wakes you up at night
- Pain when raising your arm, lowering your arm or reaching behind your back
- Swelling in front of your shoulder or on your arm
- A clicking sound when you raise your arm
- Loss of mobility and strength in the affected arm
Causes of Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Rotator cuff injuries are the most common cause of shoulder pain, especially in athletes, and rotator cuff tendonitis is the mildest injury you can sustain. Most cases of rotator cuff tendonitis are associated with sports that require repetitive movements, but the following list describes other rotator cuff tendonitis causes you should be aware of, according to MedlinePlus:
- Bone spurs: An extra bone on the shoulder blade that extends over the rotator cuff can irritate and impair the tendon.
- Lifting or pulling: You can damage, strain, or tear your muscles and tendons if you incorrectly lift or pull heavy object, especially if you perform this action over your head.
- Falling: Trauma to your rotator cuff tendon or muscle can occur if you use your arm to break a fall.
- Repetitive stress: As mentioned above, inflammation and tearing can occur from repetitive overhead movements of your arms.
Rotator Cuff Treatment Options
When you meet with your Spine Correction Center doctor, you’ll discuss the best treatment plan for your current condition. Most basic treatments focus on managing your pain and swelling with NSAID medications, rest, and cold therapy three to four times a day. Physical therapy can also help you rehabilitate and heal from the injury. Steroid injections into the inflamed tendon are introduced to the treatment plan if your tendonitis can’t be managed by more conservative treatment. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair the tear.
Rotator Cuff Tendonitis and Stem Cell Therapy Treatment
Some cases of rotator cuff tendonitis resolve with conservative treatment, but not always. At Spine Correction Center, we recommend Stem Cell Therapy as a natural, non-invasive, non-surgical and non-pharmaceutical treatment that can keep you out of surgery and reduce your pain. With recent strides in healthcare and science, Stem Cell Therapy can treat rotator cuff tendonitis with a simple, one-time in-office injection.
Stem Cell Therapy has been successfully applied as an alternative to conventional treatments, such as taking NSAID medications, when pain and debilitation persists despite these treatments. Stem Cell Therapy is also used as an alternative to steroid injections for rotator cuff tendonitis.
Spine Correction Center is one of the few clinics in the country to offer Amniotic stem cells for Stem Cell Therapy. We couple the treatment with rehabilitation (if needed) provided by our integrated team, to correct the reason your injury occurred in the first place. Spine Correction Center is integrated with nurse practitioners, medical doctors and chiropractors — dealing with chronic joint pain is what we do!
The Initial Visit
When you arrive for your first visit, a Spine Correction Center team member will spend time with you collecting your patient history. This information helps your doctor know how significant your rotator cuff injury is and how best to help you. As you get started with a treatment plan for your shoulder pain, we’ll most likely give you some at-home tips to shorten your recovery period.
Rotator cuff tendonitis doesn’t have to be a life sentence. The condition is fixable with the help of Stem Cell Therapy at Spine Correction Center! Thank you for considering us to help with your rotator cuff injury. Feel free to read some of our patients’ success stories to see what others have said about us.
Call for a Free Rotator Cuff Tendonitis Consultation
If you’re suffering from rotator cuff tendonitis, the team at Spine Correction Center is ready to help. We provide specialized treatment plans for rotator cuff tendonitis in Northern Colorado. We can help you understand where your symptoms are coming from and what it will take to improve. Contact us online or call (970) 658-5115 today to schedule your free consultation!
