Shoulder Self-Diagnosis: Common Shoulder Injuries & Symptoms
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My shoulder hurts, particularly when doing overhead activities and it wakes me up from sleep when I roll over on that side. I think I remember falling on it, but I’m not sure.
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| Very commonly, this is an injury to the rotator cuff muscles and tendons that elevate, rotate, and stabilize the arm. The diagnosis can be made from careful physical examination and x-rays and confirmed by a MRI. The treatment is exercise and rehabilitation if the rotator cuff is not torn. If the cuff is torn all the way through, then in general repair of the rotator cuff is indicated and when successful can lead to a return of full function. To learn more, click here. |
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I fell on my shoulder and now I have bump.
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Often, this is an injury to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. There are various treatment options depending on how much instability there is and the size of the bump. If there is just a small bump and a small amount of instability, taping the shoulder can lead to better healing and significant pain relief. |
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I dislocated my shoulder. Now what?
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An anterior dislocation of the shoulder is often a tear of the anterior inferior glenohumeral ligament, which is a key stabilizer for the shoulder. In athletic patients, we will often repair this ligament in an outpatient arthroscopic procedure. For patients who dislocate their dominant arm and they are playing sports where they are at risk for dislocation, repair of the ligament is especially important. |
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My shoulder hurts, and I do not recall an injury. It hurts with overhead activities. It does not wake me from sleep. What could it be?
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Most commonly, this is impingement syndrome or bursitis in which the bursa over the rotator cuff is inflamed and irritated. This can often be treated with an anti-inflammatory and exercise program. However, at times these symptoms are a result of arthritis at the acromioclavicular joint. This can usually be confirmed with a physical examination and x-ray. Treatment is often similar to the impingement treatment discussed above.
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I lifted a heavy object, felt a pop, and all of a sudden, the muscle in my arm looks like a “Popeye” muscle.
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| This is usually a rupture of the biceps tendon. Fortunately, this can often by either repaired or tacked back to the bone in order to restore the strength of the biceps. A thorough physical examination usually confirms this diagnosis. |
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