When Surgery Is Necessary
It is important for people to understand that rotator cuff surgery may be an appropriate option for shoulder pain resulting from a rotator cuff tear. However, it is also important to understand that rotator cuff tears are incredibly common. So common that, as people age, they become expected. Therefore, having a rotator cuff tear is not a reason in and of itself to have surgery. The decision about when surgery is appropriate is complicated and depends on a number of factors that you need to discuss with your doctor.
On the other hand, patients should be reassured, that while some rotator cuff tears do cause pain, the vast majority will never require surgery, and many people can find relief with nonsurgical treatments. Patients who are told they need rotator cuff surgery should understand the reason for surgery. In most cases, non-surgical treatments should be attempted first, the exception being in younger patients who have rotator cuff tears resulting from traumatic injuries. If you are unsure of the necessity of a rotator cuff surgery, a second opinion can be helpful.
I saw a Surgeon about a tear in my rotator cuff.No surprise ,he said surgery was the only answer.A friend of mine is a family practitioner.He wrote me a prescription for physical therapy.I am back to about 90% of what I was before I was hurt.I would try that first before I let someone cut on me who maybe needs a down payment on a new SUV.
My experience,:
first rotator cuff tear, left shoulder, fall while ice skating. Tried what is suggested in these quotes for 6 months, PT 3 X / week that whole time. At 54 years of age the family guy said it's common, I should perhaps go for MRI as his tests showed it might be worse than I thought. I said lets try the PT. Made excellent progress with range of motion, could actually get arm above head without much pain, but and it was a BIG but..................I couldn't lift a gallon of milk from the table to shoulder height. PT gal said I need to get the MRI. OK, found out with that surgery was the only option if I wanted to get any strength back in that shoulder. More about surgery in a bit.
Second, tear, right shoulder. Heard it pop while lifting/throwing 40-60 lb coil of deck line onto a table at work. Had to fight with work/workers comp to even get doctor's visits covered, finally got MRI, same deal as last one, no guarantee of strength coming back to arm without surgery due to the damage seen in the imaging.
Surgeries:
First event was in Juneau AK, folks there told me surgeon was a good one, I talked to him found out I could't fly for at least a week post surgery, wife was in Cali at the time, made no sense for me to not have her around for help. She lived in the Fresno are and I know Fresno State has a good baseball and basketball program. Had to be a shoulder surgeon down there that worked on high caliber athletes, so I did the internet thing and found one that was the team doc for them and asst team doc for the Giants and 49ers. And he'd take my insurance. INjury was worse than expected. 45 minute job turned into 2.5 hrs +. Cleaned out a bunch of arthritic calcifications too, so my arm felt WAY better after recovery from PT and all than it did before.
Second even was in E WA, wife was in Sacramento area. Looked into sports surgeons there, found the chief of Sports Medicine at UC Davis Med School, agreed to take me even with it being a workers' comp case. Long surgery again, this one arthroscopic though, unlike the first.
Outcomes:
Nearly 100% recovery on left shoulder. Pain was not fun. As in I passed out the first day after surgery when they brought a torture device of a chair that you strap your arm into and it moves your arm for you. It got better as time went on.
Probably 80-90% recovery on right arm. Fighting with the job/workers comp delayed surgery to the point where the doc decided it was better to not reattach my biceps tendon as he likely would have had to use cadaver tendon to have good success. Mine had atrophied too much.
Phys therapy:
Follow it and do more when you are cleared to so you avoid ruining the repair. Take the pain meds shortly BEFORE the PT so you can get through it easier. And as important for me, keep up the exercises. I even do them occasionally now, 11 years after the first surgery.
Triggernosis, you're in E NC right? My suggestion, as others here have said, find a good surgeon. If my geography is right, you're near some pretty decent size universities that have BIG sports programs, no? Find one of the surgeons that works on them athletes, those folks need to be repaired correctly in order to have a career later in life. Look into who does the surgeries for the Hurricanes and Panthers and some of the minor leagues.
If your doctors and more importantly maybe, your experience shows you don't have a good chance at gaining strength back to perform the activities you enjoy or need for your career, surgery may be the best option. Pain is a given, but for me, not being able to do the types of work I made money at, not being able to cast a fishing lure, not being able to draw a bow were more important to me than staying away from some pain for awhile.
Good luck with it all.
Geno
