So Aunt Qin took great pains to exercise, but after a few days, instead of getting better, the pain worsened and it was difficult to lift her hands. His wife suggested that she go to the hospital for a checkup. The orthopedic surgeon found that her head and body were tilted to the right, and sometimes she dragged her right arm with her left hand, unlike scapulohumeral periarthritis. X-ray examination showed that the humeral head moved up, the gap between humeral head and acromion decreased, and the tubercle and acromion hardened.
These conditions are consistent with the symptoms of rotator cuff tear. The doctor asked her if she had hurt her shoulder recently. She thought for a moment and said, "The other day, I went upstairs with a bag of rice and slipped. I didn't fall, but my shoulder hit the wall. Is it related to this? " The doctor replied that it did. The right shoulder was injured, but fortunately it was still slightly injured. No exercise for the time being. You can use drugs to relieve pain and diminish inflammation, pay attention to rest, do housework and exercise after the injury recovers.
Shoulder pain is a common symptom of middle-aged and elderly people, which can be caused by many reasons. The key is to make a clear diagnosis and choose the corresponding treatment according to different causes of pain. So when we have shoulder pain, we must accurately distinguish whether it is caused by scapulohumeral periarthritis or rotator cuff injury.
Difference 1: The pain symptoms are different.
Most patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis usually have shoulder pain at night, and patients only need to pay attention to maintaining proper exercise to relieve the pain symptoms. If it is rotator cuff injury, there will be a clear and obvious pain point in the shoulder, and patients with rotator cuff injury cannot relieve the pain through exercise. People with shoulder pain often relieve the pain through moderate exercise and arm movement. If you find that the pain is not relieved after exercise, then you should think about whether there is the possibility of rotator cuff injury and go to the hospital for formal treatment in time.
Difference 2: The degree of shoulder obstacle is different.
At the same time, arm movement will be restricted when scapulohumeral periarthritis and rotator cuff pain occur, and the degree of arm restriction is different. Generally speaking, patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis have very limited arms, often unable to lift their hands and put on clothes, and it is difficult for patients to move their shoulders themselves. You often need the help of others to complete some big arm movements. As for rotator cuff injury, patients can complete arm movements through strong will, and patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis will not feel powerless.
Difference 3: The causes of pain are different.
The main cause of scapulohumeral periarthritis is physical fatigue or abnormal hormones in the body. But the main factor leading to rotator cuff injury is external cause. Impact or abrasion leads to shoulder joint injury, and the toughness of rotator cuff decreases, causing shoulder joint pain.
Difference 4: Different age groups are affected.
Periarthritis of shoulder is common in middle-aged and elderly people aged 50 ~ 60. With the accelerated pace of modern life, the incidence of scapulohumeral periarthritis is getting younger and younger. In contrast, the high incidence of rotator cuff injury is the retired people over 60 years old, and the main reason of rotator cuff injury in the elderly is engaged in a number of physical labor or long-term exercise of shoulder joint.
Therefore, it depends on age to distinguish whether shoulder pain is scapulohumeral periarthritis or rotator cuff injury. The onset age of scapulohumeral periarthritis is younger than rotator cuff injury.
The above are four differences between scapulohumeral periarthritis and rotator cuff injury. On the one hand, middle-aged and elderly friends should pay attention to preventing shoulder injuries, on the other hand, they should identify in time when the shoulders are not good, actively treat them, keep healthy and suffer less.
Tips: The graphic information of health care shared on this platform, especially those related to dietotherapy, drugs, formulas and acupuncture techniques, is for your reference only, not as the basis for medical diagnosis and treatment. Please use it under the guidance of a doctor if necessary. Non-professionals should not use it at will! If there is any invasion, please contact us to delete it. Thank you!