Community Corner
My Shoulder Hurts and It's Getting Worse, But I Didn't Injure It. Should I See a Doctor?
Today's 'Ask the Expert' question is being answered by Dr. Pietro Tonino, director of sports medicine for the Loyola University Health System and an orthopedic surgeon.
Reader question: I started having pain in my shoulder one day, but I didn't injure it or anything. Now I can only lift my arm so far and am having trouble picking up heavy objects. Is this serious? Should I see a doctor?
Dr. Pietro Tonino: You probably strained your rotator cuff. It's not uncommon for this to happen without any injury. You should see your family doctor who can prescribe physical therapy. You won't need a specialist unless there's no improvement with physcial therapy. If PT doesn't work, a visit to the orthopedic doctor may be needed. We use injections similar to cortisone, and it's safe if not used indiscriminately.
Got a question for one of our experts? Email sabrina@patch.com or click here to post it to the site.
Find out what's happening in Burr Ridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
(Don't want to miss out on free advice given in our Ask the Expert column? Sign up for our newsletter and like us on Facebook.)
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
