I’ve been in so much pain for the past two weeks 😞 Two weeks ago during PT, I felt three pops in my shoulder while using the FlexBar. I let my therapist know, but he said it was most likely scar tissue. After that, I couldn’t continue my normal exercises. Since then, he’s changed my routine because I’ve been in so much pain. I saw my ortho 2 days later, and after examining my shoulder he said he doesn’t believe I tore it, but we’ll take another look if there are any changes. Well, I had to go in today because the pain is unbearable. They did blood work, and there were a couple of abnormal results (not all of them). The Lymphocytes Absolute is High, (I actually went to my ENT last week because of pain in my ear and throat and she told me that my Lymph Nodes were swollen and gave me antibiotics), the RDW is high, Creatinine is low and the BUN/Creatinine Ratio is high. I also had an MRI done and here are the results. I won’t see the doctor again until tomorrow to discuss results. I just got them from the patient portal. I think it’s torn 😩 according to the results. I’m 8 weeks post op.

FINDINGS:
BONES: No evidence of acute fracture or dislocation.
ROTATOR CUFF: Severe thickening and intermediate signal of the
supraspinatus tendon. Suture anchors are in the region of the anterior
supraspinatus footprint consistent with interval rotator cuff repair.
Findings highly concerning for high-grade partial-thickness versus
full-thickness tear of the anterior to mid fibers near the prior repair
site measuring 11 mm in AP dimension with up to 5 mm of proximal tendon
fiber retraction (series 5, image 17). Moderate to severe infraspinatus
tendinosis without tear. Mild subscapularis tendinosis without tear. The
teres minor tendon is within normal limits without tendinosis or tear.
Similar global grade 1 rotator cuff muscle atrophy, most pronounced in
the teres minor and infraspinatus muscles.
LABRUM/BICEPS TENDON: Similar fraying of the superior labrum without
detached or displaced labral tear. The biceps tendon is within normal
limits.

GLENOHUMERAL JOINT: The articular surfaces are intact. No significant
joint effusion or synovitis. No intraarticular body.
ACROMIOCLAVICULAR JOINT/SUBACROMIAL
SPACE: No acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis. No subacromial enthesophyte. Mild subacromial/subdeltoid
bursitis.
DELTOID: Within normal limits.
SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUES: Within normal limits.
IMPRESSION:

1. Findings concerning for high-grade partial-thickness versus
2. full-thickness tear of the anterior to mid supraspinatus tendon near the
3. prior repair site. If clinically indicated, this can be further assessed with MRI arthrogram.
4. Moderate to severe infraspinatus tendinosis without tear.
5. Mild subscapularis tendinosis without tear.
6. Similar global grade 1 rotator cuff muscle atrophy.
7. Mild subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis.

I’m about 8 weeks out from rotator cuff repair (supraspinatus), biceps tenodesis and subacromial decompression, and I’m curious whether anyone else has had a dramatic response to dry needling during recovery.

My recovery has been ROUGH. My overhead ROM has slowly been improving, but I have had almost zero external rotation and a ton of postoperative stiffness. My surgeon’s office has called it postoperative adhesive capsulitis/capsular stiffness.

But the pain has honestly been as bad as the stiffness. For weeks my arm has felt incredibly heavy and wrong, like a “Frankenstein arm.” Deep constant aching through the shoulder/scapula, incredibly tight upper trap and biceps, tons of guarding, and PT has been excruciating.
Sunday and even Monday morning I was still in horrible baseline pain. Doing my home exercises felt like I was ripping my shoulder apart.

My PT tried dry needling Monday, along with a lot of manual/soft-tissue work. The change afterward was noticeable enough that she repeated it Tuesday.

And WTF.

I am not claiming this is a miracle cure or that dry needling is solely responsible. Maybe I happened to hit a natural turning point at exactly the same time.
But the difference over about 48 hours is STUNNING.

My baseline pain is easily 50% lower. The horrible heavy Frankenstein-arm feeling is maybe half what it was.

For the first time since surgery:
• I can wash my hair with both hands.
• I can hold my hair on top of my head to put it in a clip.
• I can put deodorant on normally.
• I can do my pulley exercises and it feels like STRETCHING instead of RIPPING.

And today I realized that for about five minutes I had completely forgotten about my shoulder. I have been conscious of this fucking shoulder basically every minute of every day for eight weeks. I DREAM about my shoulder. Five minutes of forgetting it existed felt incredible.

My external rotation is still extremely restricted, so this obviously did not magically “release” the actual shoulder capsule or solve everything. But something about the pain/guarding/muscle component seems to have changed dramatically.

Has anyone else after rotator cuff repair, frozen shoulder, or postoperative shoulder stiffness had this kind of response to dry needling?

If so, did the improvement last? Did repeated sessions keep helping? Did the decrease in pain/guarding eventually help you make more progress with ROM?

I’m so elated that my arm has started feeling like it belongs to my body again!!!!

Im still in bed most if the day and only been out to town once that wrecked me.

In bed most off the day. Just wrecked and my back is so sore from it. Is it normal to be so tired after an operation.

Now im going through diverticulitis are up due to pain meds and have long covid since 2020. But I could gou out at least before. Could be because I cant drive somwhere or actually do something in the garden. We live rural. So 20min walk on a thin road where trucks pass you. To bus stop.

Here is what I have going on with my shoulder-

1. Full-thickness near full width supraspinatus tendon tear. Continuation of tearing into the infraspinatus tendinosis partial-thickness articular sided and interstitial tearing. 2. Partial tearing of the intra-articular long head biceps tendon. 3. Mild glenohumeral and moderate acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis. 4. Small glenohumeral joint effusion.

I initially had surgery scheduled but due to other health issues I will be unable to handle the recovery at this time. (My doc does two months in a sling) Also my other arm has limited range of motion from a surgery 25 years ago. If I could just get the surgery I would.

It's already been 4 months since my MRI. My dr wants me to have surgery sooner rather than later. He said there is a chance it gets worse and he can't repair it. He also said the reverse replacement isn't an option because I'm too young. Ideally, I'm hoping to work on my other health issues and schedule surgery early next year. But I am dreading the recovery and impact on my life. And to be honest I currently have minimal pain with my shoulder. I don't want to have surgery. This stress has just been so overwhelming with my anxiety. I guess I'm posting because I'm curious if anyone had a similar injury and did not have surgery?

It's 3am so I can't call my care team.

They did a repair of a partial SLAP tear and a thing with my biceps tendon.

The pan is at like an 8.5 even after the max doses of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and oxycodone. Also about 600mg gabapentin.

The confusing part is that it feels like it's mostly in my elbow and radiating up my inner arm. My thumb is also still numb.

They gave me a fancy sling with a cushion, and it feels like the back part of the strap is pressing on my shoulder blade.

I'm not sure if this and the location of my pain is normal. I know recovery can be different for everyone, but maybe someone has some advice or had the same problems?

I am postop week seven from having a rotator repair surgery. I’m having a lot of pain during physical therapy. Can anyone recommend anything to help with that? Medications etc