Help After Rotator Cuff Surgery

If you know that you have a torn rotator cuff then you have been to the doctor already. The

rotator cuff is the muscles that surround the shoulder and help your arm move from the shoulder

every way the it moves. If you have a torn rotator cuff you either have less ability to move your

arm and or no strength if nothing else in at least one direction. Your question is do I have to

have surgery or not. Well in a perfect world the answer is almost always yes. The problem is that

we don't live in a perfect world. Maybe you can't take off the time just because. Maybe you don't

have any insurance. We will discuss this and let you see if maybe you do have some options.

First let's look at the fact that you can't take that much time from work. Well if you don't have

a job that requires you to lift things and are making it now then it is possible that with

limitations you can make it. You probably will have problems later like arthritis but sometimes

things are what they are. I still encourage you to exhaust all possibilities if you can to get

the problem fixed. If you have a job however that does require lifting and you can't manage now

you probably won't be able to manage later. The muscles that are torn will not grow back. Not if

they were completely torn. If they were partially torn then it is possible this problem gets

better. Talk to your doctor about the possibilities. You maybe able to do some exercises for the

other muscles to counter the torn one or ones but will need a little personal instruction to find

which muscles to work. This might or might not work but if you are desperate you don't have a lot

of choice. It won't be the same even in a best case scenario but you have got to do something.

Finally let's talk a little about just not being able to afford it. You may not know this but the

doctor might be able to charge less for private pay. Yes you can negotiate your healthcare.

Preferably before the fact. You can probably even make payments if necessary. Don't just try one

doctor either. With anything you negotiate no offer is exactly the same. Don't however think that

the doctor is the only bill in surgery. You have to talk to the surgery center or hospital,

whatever applies. Yes you have options on that too. You also have to talk to the anesthiologist.

Just to be covered, find out from the doctor's office everyone that can be involved in the

billing and talk to them. You may be able to put yourself in a situation that you can afford

this. Necessity is the mother of invention.

The points to take home here are these. If you have a complete tear then you do need surgery to

get normal but at least get some exercises to compensate. If it is a partial tear it may get

better. Talk to your doctor and don't let cost kill this if you need it.

About the Author

Windham Mattingly has been in the healthcare field for over 15 years. He writes articles to help you help yourself and your doctor.