When shoulder pain turns out to be something more serious, there may be a variety of options available to the individual. While surgery often comes to mind when thinking of rotator cuff tear treatment, this is not always needed and is not the preferred option. In fact, one of the first lines of treatments for this condition may simply be resting the shoulder and applying ice. Other common techniques include immobilizing the arm and seeking physical therapy. Steroid injections that may be given do not help in healing tears but may be used in combination with other modalities to alleviate the pain. Surgical intervention is often one of the last recommendations for this injury, depending on the severity of the tear and at times may be combined with the above-mentioned therapies or may become necessary if the other options are ineffective.
