The shoulder muscles and tendons make up the rotator cuff. Since the ability to use the shoulders is required for many everyday activities like getting dressed been combing hair, an injury to the rotator cuff can be frustrating as well as painful.

Have you ever wonder what does a torn rotator cuff feel like? A torn rotator cuff is a painful condition. Many people experience the most pain if they have to do activities involving raising her arms above shoulder level. Lying on the injured shoulder also can be quite painful.

Shoulder weakness is another common symptom of a torn rotator cuff. People with each one rotator cuff may be unable to lift or carry things that they used to be a carry. Weakness from a torn rotator cuff can make it difficult to reach things overhead.

The shoulder weakness can be severe enough to make it difficult to do an activity that does not involve lifting but require arm movement. People with torn rotator cuffs often have difficulty lifting their arms overhead. A torn rotator cuff can cause someone to feel limited and frustrated by their lack of ability to do their everyday tasks without pain.

Other symptoms of torn rotator cuff include pain while lowering the arm from a raised position and a thinning of the shoulder muscles. A torn rotator cuff can cause a grating or grinding sensation when moving the shoulder.

A decrease in the range of motion is one of the common symptoms of torn rotator cuff. After resting the shoulder, the person can do rotator cuff exercises to regain the range of motion. The person may experience a snapping or popping noise or feeling when moving the injured shoulder. At the time of the injury, the person may have heard a snapping or popping noise.

The pain caused by a torn rotator cuff may be limited to the shoulder or travel down the outside the arm to the elbow. Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be used to help alleviate the pain. For the first couple days after the injury, the person should rest the shoulder and apply ice packs periodically.

About two days after the injury, the person should begin to exercise the shoulder. If the shoulder is immobilized too long, a condition called frozen shoulder may develop. Frozen shoulder limits the person's ability to move the shoulder due to joint stiffness and pain.

In most cases, the rotator cuff tear will heal with rest and exercises for rotator cuff injuries to gradually increase the strength of the shoulder. Rotator cuff stretches can improve the range of motion of the shoulder. Anyone who has injured their shoulder should be examined by a physician if they lose the use of their arm or the pain worsens or is severe.

A corticosteroid injection sometimes is given to reduce pain and inflammation. If the rotator cuff tear is severe, the physician may recommend surgery to repair the tear. After someone has healed from surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, the person will need to do rotator cuff exercises to reduce stiffness and increase shoulder strength and muscle control.

The physician may recommend physical therapy. Physical therapy will not heal the torn rotator cuff, but will strengthen the muscles around the injury with may decrease pain and improve the functioning of the shoulder.