Can you feel a tendon tear more?
I've been experiencing shoulder pain since October, which I initially ignored. By January, after feeling a pop and a burning sensation, I saw a nurse practitioner (NP) who administered a steroid shot that only provided temporary relief. I underwent physical therapy for about two months, but the pain worsened. An MRI with contrast revealed what the NP described as a 50% tear, and I was referred to a surgeon.
During my appointment with the surgeon, he dismissed the NP's findings and described my tear as small, stating he would have opted for a steroid shot and physical therapy. But since the first round didn't work, He votes surgery. Despite his attitude, I agreed to surgery because I want to resolve this issue. When I inquired about recovery time, he made a flippant comment about my work as a teen services librarian, suggesting I could return to work immediately since my job involves sitting and reading. While I do have downtime, my role also includes decorating, organizing programs, and other physically demanding tasks, especially with Summer Reading approaching.
After the appointment, I reviewed the surgeon’s notes on MyChart to discover he contradicted himself, claiming I have a complete tear, which I find confusing. I decided to seek a second opinion from a new doctor next week.
Now onto my actual point. I’m worried that I may have further torn my shoulder or developed a new injury. The pain radiates through multiple spots. After I outstretched my shoulder recently, I was resting it when a sharp stinging pain radiated through the shoulder, I wasn't moving when this occurred. I was actually on my lunch break, sitting down (reading). I had my husband touch my shoulder to tell where I'm sore at. I am sore to the touch in the back and on the outer edge by the bicep. I am wondering if the doctor may have missed another tear or I made it worse.