Diagnosis
Pain is the most common symptom associated with a rotator cuff injury. Pain is usually a dull ache deep in the shoulder. It is positional and disturbs sleep. Motion is not lost initially however pain makes it difficult to move. Pain makes it difficult to comb your hair or reach behind your back. Pain may be accompanied by arm weakness and loss of active motion. Many tests are performed to clinically diagnose rotator cuff disease.
Your doctor may recommend imaging tests, such as X-rays, Ultrasound and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose the disease accurately and associated other problems. X-rays are the basic tests to know about bone, arthritis and spur. USG is a low-cost investigation that can diagnose rotator cuff tears accurately. MRI is the most commonly used modality to diagnose and plan the treatment of rotator cuff injuries.
Identification of rotator cuff tear is important as without treatment, rotator cuff problems may lead to permanent loss of motion or weakness, and may result in progressive degeneration of the shoulder joint.