NYC Rotator Cuff Injury Diagnosis & Pain Managment Doctors
At Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates you’ll receive the rotator cuff injury diagnosis, pain management, and doctor’s care you need to reduce or eliminate your rotator cuff pain. Because when you’re in pain — whether it’s from an accident, sporting injury, age, or ailment — you want rotator cuff pain relief quickly. Appropriate and targeted rotator cuff pain management and treatment starts with a proper diagnosis from your NYC pain management specialist.
Most people have heard of the rotator cuff, a circular band of tendons and muscles that surround your shoulder. The primary role of this group of muscles is to keep the top of your arm firmly in place in the shoulder socket. An injury to your rotator cuff usually results in a dull ache that gets worse when you lie on it.
Workers engaged in jobs where repetitive overhead motion is involved are at the highest risk of developing rotator cuff injuries over time. Baseball pitchers, carpenters and painters are just some of the professions that tend to develop rotator cuff overuse damage. Risk also increases with age.
How Does It Feel to Have a Rotator Cuff Injury?
To get the most accurate diagnosis, it’s wise to bring as much information as possible to your doctor. During your consultation, an experienced pain management specialist will ask you when you think the pain started and what may have caused it. Tell your doctor whether you have:
- Trouble sleeping through the night because you’re awakened by throbbing pain
- A dull, steady ache that feels like it’s deep inside your shoulder
- Weakness in your arm on the side where your shoulder hurts
- Difficulty combing your hair, doing your job or reaching behind your back
Surgical options to treat a rotator cuff tear often are time-sensitive; you’ll get the best results if you’re treated sooner rather than later. Get immediate treatment if:
- You suddenly can’t move your arm at all
- You feel a tear
- Your shoulder pain does not subside, or it gets worse after about two weeks
Severity Varies
Most of the time, you can recover from a rotator cuff injury with rest and physical therapy. Simple inflammation that causes the dull ache can be managed with anti-inflammatory medication. An accident that causes a tear, however, might require surgery and ongoing therapy with a pain management doctor. For the most severe tears, tendons and joints may need to be replaced.
Your NYC pain management specialist can uncover the extent of your injuries usually by just pressing on the rotator cuff and moving your arm into different positions. The level of strength you still possess also gives your doctor a clue as to the severity of your injury. When there is any doubt about the level of damage, you might need to have:
- X-rays: A simple X-ray won’t show the tear in your ligaments or muscles, though arthritis or bone spurs, which often feel like a torn rotator cuff, do show up on an X-ray.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): An MRI can show the details of your shoulder condition and help your doctor determine the exact location and extent of your injury.
- Ultrasound: This is often the best test to get an accurate picture of your rotator cuff and all the intricate connections. As a bonus, an ultrasound can assess the level of damage as you move. It’s also a great way for your doctor to compare your painful shoulder to the other one to gauge the level of damage.
Get the Relief You Need
Your NYC rotator cuff pain management doctor’s goal is to get you back to your normal routine with minimal downtime. After your rotator cuff diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor begins your rotator cuff pain management and treatment plan with the most conservative pain relief treatment. You’ll always receive non-invasive pain relief before your doctor turns to more invasive procedures like surgery.
Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates
51 East 25th St, 4th Floor, Ste B
New York, NY 10010
(212) 533-3954
