Does a Torn Rotator Cuff Hurt All the Time?
A lot of patients are surprised when they find out that they have a torn rotator cuff because they don’t really recall an injury or any kind of traumatic event that led up to the onset of their shoulder pain.
One of the things that’s really common with rotator cuff tears is that they don’t hurt all the time. It’s a very intermittent process. I would describe it as a roller coaster ride where people have a lot of pain followed by periods of relatively few symptoms. It’s not usually consistent. It’s something that’s inconsistent depending on your activity level and what you’re doing. It can be very frustrating for patients because it can be unpredictable at times.
Oftentimes, that’s what will eventually lead them to seek out further treatment by somebody such as myself, who’s experienced in treating rotator cuff injuries because it could be really limiting from their day-to-day activities.