Brief introduction to shoulder labrum tear

The labrum refers to a ring of firm tissue around your shoulder socket that ensures your shoulder remains more stable. In short, the labrum is responsible for keeping your arm bone in the shoulder socket.

An injury to this part of the shoulder (shoulder labrum tear) is generally referred to as SLAP tear which stands for "superior labrum, anterior to posterior". 

But what causes this kind of a tear? There are a number of factors that can prove to be the cause.

• ·         A fall on your outstretched arm.
• ·         A fall on your shoulder.
• ·         Brace yourself with your outstretched arm in a car accident.
• ·         Lift heavy objects repeatedly or too suddenly.
• ·         Excessive overhead activities, such as throwing a ball etc.

Common symptoms seen in SLAP tears are:               

• ·         Popping, clicking or catching in the shoulder.
• ·         Severe pain when the arm is moved over the head or other similar actions.
• ·         A feeling of weakness or instability in the shoulder.
• ·         Aching pain. People often have a hard time describing or pointing to exactly where the pain is.

Identification of a SLAP tear can be tough owing to the fact that they are not so common and there are numerous factors causing shoulder pain. To ensure a right diagnosis of a SLAP tear, the following methods may be utilised by your physician:

• ·         Conduct tests by moving the joint to check which movement cause pain
• ·         Use MRI arthrogram method where a is injected into your shoulder before you have an MRI scan to pinpoint the affected area
• ·         The best way to confirm a SLAP tear would be a shoulder arthroscopic surgery. This method is a better choice as the shoulder surgeon can effectively repair the tear during the very same surgery.

The initial course of treatment in such cases would involve pain medicine and rehabilitation (rehab) which would include exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. Following which, NSAIDs, which are anti-inflammatory medicines, may be prescribed in the treatment for shoulder pain. Patients can also be suggested to try using heat or ice on the affected shoulder for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. A sling would be generally advised if the shoulder pain becomes severe during this period.

Common factors preceding rotator cuff tear treatment

There are a number of reasons as to how a rotator cuff tear can occur. But what exactly is a rotator cuff is? A rotator cuff tear refers to a tear of one or more of the tendons of the four rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. Known to be one of the most common conditions affecting the shoulder, injury to the rotator cuff can include any type of irritation or overuse of those muscles or tendons.

So now that we’ve shed some light on the condition, let’s delve deeper into circumstances where the option of rotator cuff tear treatment is one to consider.

- If you experience shoulder pain when at rest and it doesn’t show signs of improvement even after exercise over a period of six months or more.

- You have an active lifestyle which involves a lot of movement of the shoulder.

- You are experiencing weakness in the shoulder and it restricts your daily activities.

In most cases, a partial tear wouldn’t require surgery. Rather, the ideal course of action in such cases would a good amount of rest and relaxation to aid the healing process of the shoulder. This process works best for individuals who don’t apply excessive strain on their shoulder on a regular basis.

But there are times when this approach just doesn’t aid the treatment of shoulder pain. Mentioned below are some of the common scenarios where rotator cuff surgery is the only course of action left:

- The rotator cuff tear is a large or completely torn.

- A recent injury was the case of the tear.

- The tendons of the rotator cuff were not already torn from chronic rotator cuff problems.

So, when a diagnosis of rotator cuff tear is made, discuss these factors with your shoulder surgeon/physician in details to gain better insight into the treatment process.