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torn rotator cuff?

hi about 5 months ago i got severe pain suddenly in my shoulder. the pain was so bad i couldnt sleep for two weeks and it got mildly better. i have lost all endurance with my left arm, i get a burning feeling in the front of it when i exercise(boxing) and i have lost i would say 75% of the strenght in my shoulder. i went to my doctor 5 months ago she told me it was a pinched nerve and it would jsut get better. i waited for 2 weeks and went back as all the symptoms persisted. it still hurts all the time. do u guys think it is a torn rotator cuff? i am hopeing if it is a torn rotator cuff i wont need surgery as my job is very phsically demanding. would physio be benifical while i still work doing the things that i believed cause this prob?


any input would be great thanks everyone

Brent
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Avatar universal
I had something similar, but it was less of a continuous pain -- more of one that came on when I elevated my arm.  It turns out that I had developed some bad habits when lifting or raising my arm.  Basically, I was using the muscles around my neck (trapezius) to "lift up" instead of using my lower back / shoulder blade muscles to "pull down".  It caused my shoulder joint to rotate improperly and it pinched some tendons in my shoulder as I lifted.  It also was aggrivated at night.  I separated my shoulder many years ago and suspect this bad lifting motion may have been started by this.

The good news is with about 4 weeks of physical therapy where I got "retrained" on how to move and strengthened my lower back muscles, the problem is pretty much gone.
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Avatar universal
My husband had the same problems in his shoulder from years of heavy lifting at work,his back was in a pretty bad way too.
A friend of ours introduced us to a product called Monavie.Not sure still why it worked but his back and shoulder,in his words have not felt this pain free in years.
The friends website is  http://www.mymonavie.com/knight06
Good luck if you give it a try.
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Avatar universal
You need to see an orthopedist.  A general doctor cannot diagnose a rotator cuff tear (well, maybe if they do sports medicine) effectively.  You will need an xray done of the shoulder.  If the ortho suspects a tear, he/she will probably order an MRI.  You need the ortho to "read" the xray.  Radiologists that normally "read" an xray look for different things than an ortho does. If you have already taken xrays, take them with you.  The ortho may order new ones to compare if the ones you took are older than a week. If you don't want to do this and still want to pursue the nerve theory, you can go to a chriopracter.  They can evaluate the shoulder for a pinched nerve and give you a manipulation to relieve that.  If this doesn't "do the trick" then go see an ortho.  good luck
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Arlington, VA
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