Level 1 · Shoulder · Musculoskeletal
Rotator cuff: sleeping on the side that hurts
The shoulder that will not let you sleep is why almost everyone comes. In partial tears and tendinopathy we can try to bring the pain down and gain mobility. A complete, retracted tear is repaired by operating.
- 2–4
- days in Mexico
- 1–2
- applications in the base protocol
- $4,000–10,000
- USD, base protocol range
What rotator cuff tear does to your day
Sleeping on that side
You cannot sleep on the side of the shoulder that hurts.
The top shelf
Reaching the top shelf or the seat belt costs you.
Pain at night
It hurts more at night than during the day.
Lifting your arm
Raising your arm out to the side catches at a certain point.
What it can do and what it does not
Both lists carry the same weight because both matter equally to your decision.
What it can do. In documented cases
- It may reduce pain in partial tears and tendinopathy.
- It may improve shoulder mobility in documented cases.
What it does not do. And we will not imply otherwise
- It does not repair a complete retracted tear, which requires surgical repair.
- It does not replace shoulder rehabilitation.
- It does not correct impingement caused by the shape of the acromion.
The protocol, step by step
| Item | rotator cuff tear · base protocol |
|---|---|
| Days in Mexico | 2–4 days |
| Price range | $4,000–10,000 USD |
| Applications | 1–2 |
| Route of administration | Ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection |
| Session length | 90 minutes |
| Follow-up | 30 · 90 · 180 days |
| Signed protocol | Current protocol · 2026 |
The treating physician sets the final protocol for each case
Questions about rotator cuff tear
Written by the treating physician. The first one prevents the most wasted trips.
If your MRI shows a complete tear with tendon retraction, what solves it is surgery. We also rule out frozen shoulder in the acute phase and advanced cuff arthropathy.
From the MRI, not from the pain: both hurt in much the same way, and both hurt at night. That is exactly why we ask for the scan before accepting you.
It is what we are asked most, and we cannot guarantee it. In patients who respond, night pain is usually the first thing to ease, but some people do not improve.
Yes. Without strength work and scapular control the shoulder does not regain function even if the pain settles. We give you the plan and you do it in your own city.
Not in the first weeks. The physician will tell you when, and it depends on how you progress, not on a fixed date.
Two to four days, counting the assessment, the application and a check-up before you go home.
Send us your MRI and we will tell you if you are a candidate
The assessment is with the specialist who performs this protocol. If your case is outside what it can help, we tell you on the first call.
What we need from you
- An MRI or X-ray less than 12 months old
- A list of the medication you take today
- What you have already tried: physiotherapy, injections, surgery