 |
 |
Marty, Margie, et al.... I had a torn rotator cuff in my left (primary arm/hand) for approx.. nearly six years. I was treated by an arthropod who gave me cortisone injections directly into the shoulder joint about ever 4 months, which DID work for a month or so each time. Unfortunately, after the effects of the cortisone wore off, I'd have to suffer extreme pain and movement abnormalities until the ortho deemed enough time to have passes between injections so that I wouldn't end up with permanent damage from the cortisone itself. FINALLY, when I simply couldn't stand the pain any long and the right shoulder had also appeared to be torn too, I asked the ortho to do a surgical fix on both shoulder so I'd at least know I'd done all the was possible to correct the condition. THEN, after letting me suffer with that AWFUL p;pain for over five years the ortho casually said "Well let's not rush into surgery on this when there's still some exercise you can try. SHEEEEESH! Like maybe the MD could've offered me the exercises five years ago and I wouldn't of had to live in near constant pain? Anyway, I DID go to a physical therapist and DID learn the proper exercises, and son-of-a-gun, within a coupla-three weeks the pain was gone. And, tho I still might get an occasional twinge of pain (lasting mere seconds) in the left shoulder, basically, for over a year I've been pain-free. I might add that the exercises were very simple and there was no additional pain in the shoulders as I went thru the sets. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Dick Swindler <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Friday, November 19, 1999 4:55 PM Subject: Rotator cuff tear >Marty - > >We haven't looked at our PD mail for awhile, so forgive me if your question >re: rotator cuff has been answered. Dick had a rotator cuff tear several >years ago, and was told surgery was the only answer, but that only promised >about a 50% chance of cure. He was also told the tear wouldn't repair >itself. > >The surgical options didn't sound good, so he had a cortisone injection and >tried to live with it. Then it went away! His PD specialist later told him >that many PWP experience rotator cuff tears, for whatever reason - and >without any accident or "event" to precipitate it. > >Having your new shoulder out of position would alter the situation, but I >wanted you to know that *sometimes* the tear does heal itself. Dick is >certainly glad he didn't have surgery for it! > >Margie Swindler cg for Dick, 55/18 > >> I am asking if anyone has had experience with or knows about > SUCCESSFUL non-surgcical, or alternative medical approaches for a torn > rotator cuff. Thx. > > Marty Polonsky > >>