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HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP SHOULDER PAIN
Ways to distinguish rotator cuff injury from neck pain include:
Have you been experiencing an achy sensation in your arm? Are you having issues getting to sleep at night or problems lifting things? If these symptoms sound familiar, you might have a rotator cuff injury or neck pain. At Reddy Care Physical, Occupational, & Aquatic Therapy, our physical therapist can help figure out what is causing your symptoms and how to resolve them once and for all! The rotator cuff comprises muscles and tendons that help keep the shoulder in place and moving correctly. People experiencing rotator cuff injuries typically report feeling a painful, dull ache deep in their shoulder or trouble getting a good night’s sleep due to pain. Some people experience difficulty reaching behind their backs or weakness in their arm especially reaching to the side or overhead. All too often, the source of the problem lies in the neck; a condition referred to as cervical radiculopathy. An irritated nerve in the neck can also lead to pain in the shoulder. Symptoms also include pain, weakness, and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms can be similar to those experienced by someone with a torn shoulder/rotator cuff injury. At Reddy Care Physical, Occupational, & Aquatic Therapy, we offer effective, non-invasive methods of therapy that can help relieve your shoulder pain and heal your rotator cuff injury and/or neck pain. If you think you may have a rotator cuff injury or neck issues, contact our clinic and set up an appointment today! HOW TO TELL IF IT IS A ROTATOR CUFF ISSUE OR A PINCHED NERVE Although some symptoms of these conditions are similar, there are ways to differentiate between rotator cuff injury and cervical radiculopathy. Typically, a pinched nerve will cause pain due to neck movements and positions, whereas a rotator cuff injury is associated with shoulder movements and positions.
Quality of Pain: Rotator cuff tends to be dull at rest and can be sharp with specific movements on the shoulder/arm. The neck tends to have sharp pain at rest and movements of the neck and/or positions that stretch the nerve, resulting in more pain. Moving the neck rarely affects the rotator cuff symptoms. Location of pain: People with rotator cuff injuries often experience pain in the shoulder itself, typically on the outer aspect of the shoulder. The location of the neck pain typically starts in the neck or shoulder blade. Most of the time, shoulder blade pain is a sign that your symptoms are coming from the neck. Movements affecting pain: Rotator cuff injuries affect movements performed by the injured muscle. Symptoms coming from the neck are produced or intensified by turning your head or looking up/down. Weakness: The most common movements affected by a rotator cuff injury are reaching to the side or overhead. With cervical radiculopathy, you may find that your shoulder joint feels extremely weak and useless as you attempt to lift something. In some cases, these symptoms extend from your shoulder down through your arm and hand, so it might even be difficult for you to grasp items as you usually would.
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