Inflammation of the rotator cuff
What is rotator cuff inflammation?
Inflammation around the rotator cuff is one of the most common diseases of the shoulder.
The muscle inflammation can be caused by various underlying diseases. The most common causes of inflammation in the rotator cuff area include:
- Impairment of the tendon sheaths
- Bottleneck syndromes (impingement)
- traumatic changes in the bony structures of the shoulder joint
- Tear in one of the rotator cuff muscles
Affected patients usually feel acute or pulling pain that occurs early on, which can radiate from the shoulder joint to the neck and / or the upper arm.
Is your pain radiating into your upper arm or neck? Read our topics:
- Shoulder Neck Pain - What You Should Know About It
- Pain in shoulder and arm
In addition, inflammation of the rotator cuff often causes swelling and redness. The normal range of motion of the shoulder joint is also typically restricted when inflammatory processes are present.
People who suddenly experience pain in the shoulder should immediately protect the joint and consult a specialist as soon as possible.Complications and secondary diseases can only be effectively prevented through extensive diagnostics and the rapid initiation of suitable therapy.
Causes of rotator cuff inflammation
Inflammation in the rotator cuff area can have a variety of causes. In most cases, the inflammatory processes arise as a result of persistent irritation of the muscle and / or tendon tissue.
This tendon is most often inflamed
The rotator cuff tendon that is most often inflamed is the supraspinatus tendon. In healthy people, this tendon is an essential aid in raising the arm to the side and forward. It lies between the shoulder roof bone and the humerus head and is exposed to enormous mechanical loads.
Wear and tear, chronic overload and accidents can cause the tendon to become inflamed and even develop a hole and tear or tear.
Lime shoulder
Inflammation of the rotator cuff is particularly common in people who have what is known as the calcified shoulder (Tendinosis calcarea) Suffer.
The calcified shoulder is a disease that is characterized by calcification of one or more tendons. Such calcifications can in principle affect any tendon in the human body, but it is particularly common in the shoulder area.
The calcareous shoulder occurs most frequently in people between the ages of 40 and 50. It is assumed that degenerative changes in the tendons (i.e. age-related signs of wear and tear) have a negative impact on the blood flow to the tendons and thus limit their functionality.
The storage of calcium crystals is said to be a reaction to the lack of blood circulation. Inflammation of the rotator cuff can not be observed in every patient with a calcified shoulder. The inflammatory processes usually only arise through the recruitment of immune cells.
Read more on this topic at: Lime shoulder
Appointment with a shoulder specialist
I would be happy to advise you!
Who am I?
My name is Carmen Heinz. I am a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery in the specialist team of .
The shoulder joint is one of the most complicated joints in the human body.
The treatment of the shoulder (rotator cuff, impingement syndrome, calcified shoulder (tendinosis calcarea, biceps tendon, etc.) therefore requires a lot of experience.
I treat a wide variety of shoulder diseases in a conservative way.
The aim of any therapy is treatment with full recovery without surgery.
Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.
You can find me in:
- Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
Kaiserstrasse 14
60311 Frankfurt am Main
Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
You can find more information about myself at Carmen Heinz.
Frozen shoulder
In addition, the so-called "frozen shoulder", an inflammatory swelling and shrinkage of the joint capsule, can lead to inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff.
The cause of the development of the frozen shoulder is usually trauma acting directly on the joint. In rare cases, this disease can also occur spontaneously.
Symptoms of an inflamed rotator cuff
When the rotator cuff is inflamed, the five typical signs of inflammation can usually be observed.
Even at the beginning of the disease, the affected patients feel stabbing or pulling pain in the shoulder joint area. Depending on the extent of the disease, this pain can radiate to the neck and / or the upper arm.
Slightly pronounced inflammatory processes of the rotator cuff usually only cause movement-dependent complaints. The affected patients are often pain-free when they are at rest. Only when the inflammation spreads, pain at rest can also be observed.
Furthermore, the local swelling of the soft tissue is one of the typical signs of inflammation.
In the event of an inflammation of the rotator cuff, the surface of the skin of the shoulder region often appears red. In a side comparison, the affected shoulder typically shows significant overheating.
The normal range of motion of the shoulder joint can also be significantly restricted if the rotator cuff is inflamed.
This pain indicates an inflammation of the rotator cuff
An inflammation of the rotator cuff is associated with characteristic symptoms. Severe shoulder pain occurs, the
- occur especially when lifting, spreading and turning the arm inward.
- especially when lying on your side at night.
- can radiate into the arm.
- increase when spreading the arm at an angle of 60 to 120 °.
Diagnosis of rotator cuff inflammation
Diagnosing a suspected rotator cuff inflammation involves several steps.
The most important step is the detailed doctor-patient discussion (anamnesis). During this conversation, the patient concerned should describe the symptoms he has felt to the doctor as precisely as possible.
In this context, the intensity, quality and exact localization of the pain are of crucial importance.
In addition, a possible radiation of pain and accompanying symptoms can provide an initial indication of the underlying disease.
Following the doctor-patient conversation, an orientating examination of both shoulders is usually carried out in a side-by-side comparison. During this examination, the shoulder region is inspected for skin manifestations (such as redness and scars). In addition, the rough temperature of the shoulders is checked in a side-by-side comparison. In this way, overheating typical of rotator cuff inflammation can be detected.
The range of motion of both shoulders is then checked. If the rotator cuff is inflamed, internal and external rotation as well as abduction and adduction on the affected side are particularly limited. In addition, moving the arm in some axes can possibly provoke pain.
If there is a suspicion of inflammation of the rotator cuff, further diagnostics are carried out using various imaging methods. Taking an X-ray in two planes is particularly suitable for excluding bony injuries.
In addition, computed tomography (CT) and performing magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder joint (MRI of the shoulder) help confirm the diagnosis and determine the extent of the disease.
Therapy for inflammation of the rotator cuff
The treatment of inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff depends largely on the underlying disease.
In the absence of possible complications, conservative treatment is indicated.
Pain relievers, which are also anti-inflammatory, work well for rotator cuff inflammation.
It is important that the affected shoulder is immobilized during an acute inflammation.
Cooling compresses and cooling pads can be used to relieve pain and reduce swelling.
Patients who suffer from inflammatory processes in the rotator cuff at regular intervals often have to be treated surgically. This is especially the case with calcification-related inflammation with calcification sites larger than 1 cm.
When do I need cortisone?
The injection of a cortisone preparation may be indicated in cases of pronounced inflammation of the rotator cuff in order to promote the healing process. It is not a routine treatment. However, patients with severe or chronic inflammation of the rotator cuff can often benefit from a cortisone injection.
Cortisone is injected locally into the affected shoulder.
What exercises help with rotator cuff inflammation
During an acute inflammation of the rotator cuff, protecting the affected shoulder is important for healing and the course of the disease.
Once the inflammation has subsided, targeted physiotherapy can be helpful.
Exercises with rope pull, which mobilize the shoulders, are suitable for this.
A simple exercise is to pull your shoulder down against resistance. You can use a Theraband for this and attach it to the top of the door.
Another possible exercise is arm swing with weight. This favors the formation of synovial fluid in the shoulder joint. To do this, I use a light weight, for example a water bottle, let my arm hang down and slowly swing my shoulder back and forth.
To center your shoulders, you can take a weight in each hand and pull your shoulders up.
After the exercises, one should stretch the shoulder. For example, you can support yourself on the wall, pull your shoulder blades back and then relax. Alternately tilt your head to one side and extend your arm on the other side.
Taping the shoulder
To immobilize the affected shoulder and relieve pain, the affected shoulder can be taped. It is important that the tape is applied correctly. For starters, it can be helpful to have the tape put on by an experienced physiotherapist. If the tape is put on correctly, it can
- Relieve tension,
- Relieve pain and
- fix the shoulder.
The tape can stay on the skin for up to seven days.
When can you do sports again?
An inflammation of the rotator cuff requires physical protection and immobilization of the joint. Depending on the cause, the inflammation heals at different rates. So that inflammation, for example bursitis, does not become chronic, it is important to take the disease seriously early on and allow it to heal.
An inflammation of the rotator cuff usually heals within a few weeks. Only when the patient is completely free of symptoms may the person concerned exercise again.
Therapy of a calcareous shoulder
If the inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff is caused by calcification of the tendons (see also: Calcified shoulder), the therapy is usually carried out using the so-called extracorporeal shock wave therapy (for short: ESWT). In this procedure, the calcifications in the tendon are exposed to shock waves, which can shatter the calcifications.
forecast
The prognosis for inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff depends primarily on the underlying disease and the extent of the inflammatory processes.
Affected patients should note in this context that an optimal healing process can only be guaranteed if the shoulder joint immobilized immediately after the onset of pain becomes.
In addition, serious complications can only be avoided if Appropriate therapy at an early stage is initiated. Under ideal conditions, the forecast an inflammation in the rotator cuff area but quite good.
