Rotator cuff tendinitis, also called impingement syndrome, is when the muscles of your shoulder (subscapularis, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and teres minor) and their tendons become irritated or inflamed. Symptoms include pain and swelling of your shoulder and deltoid, pain when raising or reaching your arm behind your back, clicking sound when raising your arm, stiffness of arm and shoulder, and loss of mobility. This injury is mostly common in athletes and middle-aged people. Repetitive arm movements that involve overhead movements (painting, throwing, lifting, etc.), sleeping on your shoulder frequently, or degeneration with age can cause this condition. Athletic activities that require raising your arm over your shoulder such as with swimming, pitching, and playing tennis are also an origin of this injury. …show more content…
Initial treatment may include icing your shoulder a few times a day, taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen, and decreasing activities that require use of shoulder or raising arm. NSAIDs can also be taken to reduce pain and swelling but can produce kidney problems and stomach bleeding if not taken as directed. Massage can also be used to help relax tight muscles of the shoulder and break down any adhesions in the tissues. Physical therapy could be recommended by a doctor to help restore range of motion and ease pain. If the condition doesn’t get better or in a more severe case, other treatments may be required. Steroid injections may need to be injected into the site of the tendon to reduce the swelling or pain. Surgery may also be necessary in more severe circumstances or if nonsurgical treatments aren’t successful. Surgery can include removing inflamed tissues and bone spurs around the