Rotator Cuff Tear

A rotator cuff tear does not have to put you on the sidelines during your golden years. Whether you are retired, headed towards retirement, or still enjoying an active life, a rotator cuff tear can throw a wrench in your plans, especially if you enjoy time with your grandkids, playing golf, or competing in tennis tournaments.

A rotator cuff tear can strike without warning. For the most part, this injury occurs over time due to the wear and tear placed on the rotator cuff. It’s not uncommon for this injury to occur suddenly either, especially if you fall and land on the shoulder. There are various types of rotator cuff tear, with the two most common tears being the partial tear and the complete tear.

What is a Tear in Rotator Cuff

A tear in rotator cuff is the tear of any of the four muscles in this part of the body, which is located in the shoulder. The four muscles in the rotator cuff that can suffer a shoulder rotator cuff tear are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor.

There are other muscles that help the shoulder move and to stabilize itself. These muscles include the deltoid, teres major, coracobrachialis, latissimus dorsi, and pectoralis major. A rotator cuff muscle tear is not the only injury that can happen to this group of muscles. Aside from a tear in the rotator cuff, a person can suffer pain, swelling, spasms, fluid buildup, arthritis, and impingement.

Types of Rotator Cuff Tears

There are a handful of different types of rotator cuff tears that a person can suffer. Keep in mind that these tears often come with little to no warning and can happen in those who are physically active and those who are not active. A simple activity such as picking up boxes can lead to this common injury.

Partial Rotator Cuff Tear

A partial rotator cuff tear is more common than a full rotator cuff tear. Over time, either due to repetitive stress or aging, the muscles in the rotator cuff can begin to suffer wear. This happens when the tendon tissue begins to wear thin. A partial rotator cuff tear occurs when the tissue lifts off the bone.

Complete Rotator Cuff Tear

A complete rotator cuff tear occurs when all of the tendon tissue in the rotator cuff moves off the bone in one area.

Bilateral Rotator Cuff Tear

A bilateral rotator cuff tear occurs when there is a tear in both of the rotator cuffs, meaning there is a tear in the right rotator cuff and a tear in the left rotator cuff.

Supraspinatus Rotator Cuff Tear

A supraspinatus rotator cuff tear is the most common type of rotator cuff tear because most of them occur in this tendon. Other parts of the rotator are typically involved in this type of tear.

What Causes of Rotator Cuff Tear?

There is a myriad of causes of rotator cuff tear including rapid twisting of the joint, over-stretching of the joint, development of bone spurs, progressive degeneration and more. All of these are answers to the question of how do you tear your rotator cuff?

Rapid Twisting of the Joint

One of the most common causes of a rotator cuff tear is the rapid twisting of the joint, which is most likely to occur in patients who partake in throwing sports. Patients who perform repetitive exercises can also be exposed to this injury.

Over-Stretching of the Joint

A rotator cuff tear can occur in any person, not just those who partake in sports or activities that involve repetitive motion of the arm. Over-stretching of the joint is another cause of a rotator cuff tear. This can occur when you go to lift an object and either don’t lift it properly or are not prepared for its weight, causing the joint to over-stretch.

Development of Bone Spurs

Bone spurs, which are bone overgrowth, occur as we age. These usually appear on the underside of the acromion bone. When the arm is lifted the spurs rub against the rotator cuff. This is known as shoulder impingement. If the bone spurs are not removed early enough they can cause the muscles to weaken and then tear.

Injury to the Shoulder

Just about any injury to the shoulder itself could lead to a rotator cuff tear. For example, if you were to fall directly on your shoulder while biking, running, climbing the stairs or doing any other activity, it could cause you to tear your rotator cuff.

Progressive Degeneration

Progressive degeneration occurs in patients who have arthritis in their shoulder, which in turn can lead to the tearing of the rotator cuff.

Repeated Motion

Any person who partakes in activities with repeated motion has a higher risk of suffering a rotator cuff tear. This can include sports like baseball, softball, football, tennis, racquetball, swimming and weightlifting.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

Rotator cuff complete tear and partial rotator cuff tear symptoms are painful and can include a myriad of different things. These symptoms include disrupted sleep, weakness in the arm, clicking noises and more.

Rotator Cuff Tear Pain

You most likely will feel rotator cuff tear pain at night when the body is at rest. This pain can be dull and even affect your ability to sleep.

Disrupted Sleep

As mentioned above, you could experience disrupted sleep if you have torn your rotator cuff. It will be difficult to lay on the side of your body where the tear is located because putting pressure on the affected shoulder can be quite painful.

Signs of Shoulder Impingement

Shoulder impingement is common with rotator cuff tears and typically features the symptoms of trouble reaching behind your back, weakness of the muscles in the shoulder and pain when lifting your arm over your head.

Arm Weakness

Arm weakness is one of the most common symptoms of rotator cuff tears. You might have trouble lifting things with the affected arm and even numbness.

Clicking and Popping Noises

Patients who have suffered a rotator cuff tear might experience clicking and popping noises in their shoulder when they try to move their arm or lift it over their head.

Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment

Patients who have suffered rotator cuff tear will want to look at all of the options available to them when seeking treatment. Some treatment options include rotator cuff tear surgery, partial rotator cuff tear treatment, and pain relief for rotator cuff tear.

Rotator Cuff Tear Exercises

If you opt to use rotator cuff tear exercises as treatment, there are a handful that is very effective. These exercises include the door stretch, high-to-low rows, side-lying external rotations, the lawn mower pull and the reverse fly.

Rotator Cuff Tear Physical Therapy

A 2014 study from Finland found that physical therapy is just as effective as surgery when treating a nontraumatic rotator cuff tear. Physical therapy includes work with a therapist who will teach you the exercises mentioned above as well as others to strengthen your muscle.

Rotator Cuff Tear Surgery

An obvious option for rotator cuff treatment is getting rotator cuff tear surgery. Many patients opt for this treatment method right off the bat because they want to heal as quickly as possible.

Rotator Cuff Tear Brace

A rotator cuff tear brace is another treatment option. This brace comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most of them cover the shoulder area, which is where the tear occurred. The brace will help keep your arm in one position as it heals.

How to Heal a Rotator Cuff Tear

A rotator cuff tear is a painful injury that anyone can suffer no matter their level of physical activity. Rotator cuff tear diagnosis is done by taking x-rays of the affected shoulder. Rotator cuff tear therapy can go in different directions based on the needs of the patient. Rotator cuff tear rehab takes time and dedication on the part of the patient. If the patient is willing to follow the doctor’s orders, take prescribed medication and do the exercises taught then the healing process should be timely.

References:

http://www.howardluksmd.com/sports-medicine/partial-rotator-cuff-tears-jonathan-niese-and-you/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/rotator_cuff_injury/article_em.htm

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00064

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/shoulder-pain/rotator-cuff-strain

http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/NewsNow/2014/3/12/RotatorCuffTears/?blogid=10737418615

Refugees in the US, a New Hidden Healthcare Crisis

The talk of refugees in the United States has been a hot topic of late across multiple media outlets. From October 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016, there were more than 34,000 refugees admitted to the country. The leading nation was Burma with more than 8,100 refugees. The next closest country was the Democratic Republic of Congo at 6,350 refugees. The crisis in Syria has raised the debate in the United States about accepting refugees and how many should be accepted. A big concern right now regarding refugees surrounds healthcare.

Refugees are not the typical Blue Cross or Aetna insurance policyholders, which raises some concern in the medical and insurance professions. Any refugee in the United States who has been given refugee status is eligible for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. They are exempt from the five-year waiting period for the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. The refugees are afforded the same securities and protections under the Affordable Care Act as United States citizens.

Even though refugees are given access to health insurance through the exchanges, other barriers come into play that might prevent them from obtaining coverage. These barriers include language. Many refugees do not speak English and do not know how to go about acquiring healthcare through the exchanges available. A Cornell University study from 2002 found that 10.8 percent of Muslims living in the United States work as physicians. This is a significant number, but not one large enough to serve the large population in the country who might not speak English.

Another barrier refugees might encounter is cultural. Many refugees come from countries where men and women are not permitted to interact in specific settings. Upon arrival in the United States, it is possible for a Muslim man to be examined by a female doctor or vice versa. Because of this, many refugees might either decide against seeking care or have trouble with follow-up appointments, receiving test results and more.