OrthoGeorgia Sports Medicine Surgeon Dr. Zaneb Yaseen, MD Discusses Rotator Cuff Injuries – Video

What is a rotator cuff injury? In this video and the transcription below, Dr. Zaneb Yaseen discusses the causes and symptoms of rotator cuff injuries, how they are diagnosed, and how they are treated using both surgical and non-surgical techniques.

What are the Symptoms of a Rotator Cuff Injury?

I am Dr. Zaneb Yaseen. I’m a sports medicine physician at OrthoGeorgia and I’d like to talk about rotator cuff injuries. Rotator cuff injuries are very common. They can happen at all ages, but are more common when you’re above 30. What happens is either you had an overuse injury or you had a fall. Even sometimes reaching back for something and pulling can cause a lot of pain on the outside of the shoulder. A lot of the time, it feels like it’s kind of on the outside, sometimes in the front, and sometimes it feels like you can’t use the shoulder. It’s very painful and intense. Sometimes it’s hard to sleep on it. Reaching for things and even putting on your clothes can be challenging. 

How are Rotator Cuff Injuries Treated Conservatively and Surgically?

A lot of the time, we start with getting X-rays, because no one wants to miss out on sleep. We also start with X-rays to make sure nothing else is going on. We then recommend anti-inflammatories. Sometimes topical agents, icing or heating it, and therapy help for most of these issues. Depending on how bad the symptoms are or if you had a major injury, we can sometimes obtain an MRI as well to make sure nothing more serious is going on. Sometimes an injection can help as well as conservative treatment. 

When it’s not getting much better, we occasionally have to operate. Most people get better with conservative treatment methods such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatories. If you’re having any shoulder pain, you can’t sleep on it, you can’t use your shoulder, or you can’t be as active as you want, please call us at OrthoGeorgia so we can take care of your shoulder.

Personalized Orthopedic Shoulder Care at OrthoGeorgia

At our offices in Macon (Building A and our Macon Spine Center), Warner Robins, Kathleen, Milledgeville, and Locust Grove, our total joint specialists are proud to deliver personalized shoulder care to patients of all ages. Whether you are an athlete struggling to perform on the field or a grandparent hoping to be more active with your family, the members of our team are here for you. Our treatment plans for shoulder injuries and conditions are personalized to each patient, keeping their needs and recovery goals in mind every step of the way. To get started, contact your nearest OrthoGeorgia clinic location today!