What is an inflammation of the rotator cuff?
Inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff is one of the most common diseases of the shoulder. The inflammation of the muscles can be caused by various underlying diseases. The most common causes of inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff are Affected patients usually experience early, sharp or pulling pain, which can radiate from the shoulder joint to the neck and/or upper arm.
Does your pain radiate into the upper arm or neck? People who experience sudden pain in the shoulder should immediately take care of the joint and consult a specialist as soon as possible. Only comprehensive diagnostics and the rapid initiation of a suitable therapy can effectively prevent the development of complications and secondary diseases.
People who suddenly feel pain in the shoulder should take care of the joint immediately and consult a specialist as soon as possible. Only comprehensive diagnostics and the rapid initiation of a suitable therapy can effectively prevent the development of complications and secondary diseases.
- Impairment of the tendon sheaths
- Bottleneck Syndromes (Impingement)
- Traumatic changes in the bony structures of the shoulder joint
- Tear in one of the muscles of the rotator cuff
Causes of inflammation of the rotator cuff
Inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff can have a variety of causes. In most cases, the inflammatory processes occur in the course of sustained irritation of the muscle and/or tendon tissue. The rotator cuff tendon that is most frequently inflamed is the supraspinatus tendon.
This tendon is an essential support for lifting the arm to the side and forward in healthy individuals. It is located between the acromion and the humeral head and is subject to enormous mechanical stress. Signs of wear and tear, chronic overloading and accidents can cause the tendon to become inflamed and even develop a hole and tear or tear.
Inflammation of the rotator cuff can be observed particularly frequently in people suffering from the so-called calcified shoulder (tendinosis calcarea). Calcified shoulder is a disease characterized by calcification of one or more tendons. In principle, such calcifications can affect any tendon in the human body, but they are particularly common in the shoulder region.
Calcified shoulder occurs most frequently in people between the ages of 40 and 50. It is assumed that degenerative changes in the tendons (i.e. age-related wear and tear) have a negative influence on the blood circulation in the tendons and thus limit their functionality. The storage of calcium crystals is said to be a reaction to the lack of blood circulation.
Inflammation of the rotator cuff cannot be observed in every patient suffering from a calcified shoulder. The inflammatory processes are mostly caused by the recruitment of immune cells. In addition, the so-called “frozen shoulder”, an inflammatory swelling and shrinking of the joint capsule, can lead to inflammation in the area of the rotator cuff. Frozen shoulder is usually caused by trauma directly affecting the joint. In rare cases, this disease can also occur spontaneously.
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