 [ Symptoms ] rotator cuff injury i have a full thickness tear of my rotator cuff seen on an mri i also have adhesive capsulitis with possible pinched nerve in my neck the surgeon gave me a shot of cortisone and anti inflammatory medicine into the shoulder joint i am still having severe pain in the joint whenever i try to lift my arm over my head or behind me will this continue to improve or will i eventually need surgery to repair the tear [ Disease ] i have to see your mri to really make that call personally i have to two rotator cuff repairs both failed and may be facing a third surgery in the future each person is injury is really unique so it would really be impossible to blindly know if you need surgery or not unless i was intimately involved in your case i do not even know your age or how this incident occurred i can tell you that orthopedists are surgeons and surgeons do like to perform surgery your cortisone injection was most likely for inflammation and pain so i hope that helps but it will not fix a complete tear