Rotator cuff tear

Hi Barbara! So sorry to hear this is going on with you and I will keep you in my prayers. No tears here for me for I have CIDP but just wanted to wish you well and hope it heals without having surgery! Hugs
Linda H

I had rotor cuff problems before my illness started. It was not a tear, but an impingement with a lot of pain and inability to use my left arm for much of anything. It made the rest of this harder because I could not use a walker to help walking because my right arm was the only part that really worked. I got range of motion back with a lot of physical therapy, but still cannot use the left arm for much, but now I can at least stear the walker with the left arm using the right one as the power arm. Having two arms keeps me from just going round and round in circles!!! For you, with a tear, you probably cannot do much with that arm and may be continuing to cause damage with trying to use it to get up. This might be contributing to a delay in healing. My tiny suggestion to think about is using a cane (perhaps one with the four stabilizing feet) on your strong side to help you get up without having to stress the side with the tear, but still not fall. If you find you can do this, maybe the side with the rotator cuff tear can heal or maybe you would feel better about not being stuck in a bed or chair if you were to have surgery.
WithHope for a cure of these diseases.

I started having shoulder pain last August. It came and went.I’d been dragging huge bags of gardening dirt around plus other heavy lifting I had no business doing. Finally after 2 weeks of non-stop pain went to Ortho surgeon 2 months ago for answers. Got a MRI that was blurry do to all the metal in that area.The ortho said I’d need surgery more to explore than fixing the torn rotator cuff. I decided to try physical therapy and then went on line to download excellent PT exercises. Been doing a few-especially ones for post surgery as they looked gentle. Hope this works. Read a lot that says rotator cuff usually heals itself and surgery not best option for older adults.
My neuro said surgery would make my CIDP worse and recovery would be much longer as mine involved 2 major shoulder nerves. The ortho surgeon had no idea about my disease and I wasn’t thrilled with that.
I’d had extreme but necessary shoulder surgery 15 years ago and remembered how it was. I try to rest and ice my shoulder too. Use cane with left hand.
Good luck.

Hi Barbara.
I have had both of my sholders operated on and both times it was done as outpatient. I had to have spurs removed. I do remember my surgeon saying any tear in the rotator cuff needs repareing. It is a simple operation and you are not put under deepley. I had a triple bi-pass done 2 yrs ago and was under for over 6 hours with no problem with my GBS. One thing I did was let everyone know I had GBS and my neurologist said I would be fine. I know for myself I definatley would get a second opinion. Once the cuff is closed you will notice almost instant relief. It just may get worse leaveing it as it is. you didn’t say how it got ripped. I have you in my prayers (Steve)

I tore mine while in the hospital with gbs. Thought I could just get up and walk when left alone in wheel chair. Didn’t do to well and messed my shoulder up but it is starting after two years to come around where it is not as painful to raise my arm slightly above my shoulder. I did not want the operation so it is healing.

Joseph

I had a sholder injuried while in the hospital with GBS. It occurred when I was being moved from wheelchair to the bed. Being too large for the small Nurse to handle she had to enlist the help of another worker. Obviously this individeual was not properly trained in such tasks and put me down a little hard right on the sholder. It has not healed after a year and half and can be quite painful in certain positions. I’m not sure that the cup was torn or not but believe that the initial disturbance has invited the set-up of arthritis. It has just joined one of my hips as something else to contend with.