I was recently diagnosed with a SLAP tear, along with some other stuff. I'm having surgery on a SLAP tear in a couple of weeks and have spent the last 8 weeks following PT, anti-inflamatories, seeing other orthopedic docs, and just generally trying to avoid surgery.
Everything I've heard/learned/discussed is you've got 3 options, stop doing anything that hurts that area (overhead work, benching of any type, dual arm movements, etc), have the surgery, or keep training until you are forced to have surgery. Sucks because I have a pretty active job, and doing something as simple as an upright row hurts like hell. Not being able to train with the same intensity is kicking my butt psychologically.
Not enough blood reaches the area to promote natural healing, so they'll go in, scrape around the area to stimulate blood, then immobilize it and allow it to heal. Takes about 6 months to truly be good again-- Pretty rediculous rehab time from simple (sounding) procedure. Depending on whether or not you tore your biceps tendon can determine length of recovery too. GH alone won't heal it, but will help surrounding areas. Surgery combined with GH will help shorten recovery time as well as help to heal up stronger. I'm not an expert, just consulted with 4 different ortho guys and 2 contrast MRI's.
So you've had an MRI/MRA to be diagnosed with the tear, you've pretty much gotta get cut on or just leave those exercises that hurt alone. Surgery is almost always sucessful if rehab is followed to schedule.
Hope this helps, it does suck brother.
