Not all rotator cuff injuries will need rotator cuff surgery.
In fact, a vast majority of rotator cuff injuries only need a rehabilitation period to fully heal.
There are several factors that can indicate if surgery or exercise and rest can heal your rotator cuff injury.
Here are those determining factors: - Degree of the symptoms.
Minimal symptoms that are bearable for the patient may be cured with nonsurgical treatment methods.
Constant, extreme pain may indicate a more prevalent tear and be a cause for surgery for the patient.
- If the patient responds well to anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy, surgery may not be needed.
- Smaller rotator cuff injuries such as partial tears or slight separation of the rotator cuff ligaments can be monitored with non-surgical options, while large tears will have to be given surgical attention.
Because not all rotator cuff injuries are the same, those rare cases that do require rotator cuff surgery will undergo one of various surgical methods.
However, the three most common surgical procedures are as follows: 1.
Open Repair Surgery - With this method all tendons of the rotator cuff are easily seen, which is a good advantage.
But this entails a large incision and a painful recovery that may take several months, if not longer.
2.
Semi-open Repair Surgery - This surgical procedure involves the use of the arthroscope and making a short incision to get access to the tear.
This way the doctor will be able to clean out the bone spurs or any damaged tissue.
The recovery may not be as long as the open repair type.
3.
Arthroscopic Repair Surgery - This most recent method of repairing rotator cuff tears is made by the surgeon looking into a small camera where he can see his repair via a television.
Small incisions will likewise have to made here.
Recovery from these surgeries may vary from patient to patient and on the particular method used.
In fact, a vast majority of rotator cuff injuries only need a rehabilitation period to fully heal.
There are several factors that can indicate if surgery or exercise and rest can heal your rotator cuff injury.
Here are those determining factors: - Degree of the symptoms.
Minimal symptoms that are bearable for the patient may be cured with nonsurgical treatment methods.
Constant, extreme pain may indicate a more prevalent tear and be a cause for surgery for the patient.
- If the patient responds well to anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy, surgery may not be needed.
- Smaller rotator cuff injuries such as partial tears or slight separation of the rotator cuff ligaments can be monitored with non-surgical options, while large tears will have to be given surgical attention.
Because not all rotator cuff injuries are the same, those rare cases that do require rotator cuff surgery will undergo one of various surgical methods.
However, the three most common surgical procedures are as follows: 1.
Open Repair Surgery - With this method all tendons of the rotator cuff are easily seen, which is a good advantage.
But this entails a large incision and a painful recovery that may take several months, if not longer.
2.
Semi-open Repair Surgery - This surgical procedure involves the use of the arthroscope and making a short incision to get access to the tear.
This way the doctor will be able to clean out the bone spurs or any damaged tissue.
The recovery may not be as long as the open repair type.
3.
Arthroscopic Repair Surgery - This most recent method of repairing rotator cuff tears is made by the surgeon looking into a small camera where he can see his repair via a television.
Small incisions will likewise have to made here.
Recovery from these surgeries may vary from patient to patient and on the particular method used.