OT: Shoulder Pain

[RichCTBB]

I've been experiencing pain in my shoulder for almost a year now....can't quite remember what caused it, but I remember my shoulder being sore after trying to start a weed wacker that needed servicing. The repetitive pulling motion combined with frustration caused some soreness, but again, I'm not sure that was the initial cause.

Since then, I've experienced different forms of discomfort from numbness, general soreness, week grip and now I can't get through a night without waking up sore an unable to find a sleeping position that alleviates the pain.

My initial thought is that I have at least a partially torn rotator cuff. I know we have a lot of knowledgeable folks on the board and likely others who can share in the experience. I'll be attending a seminar at a PT office this evening to hopefully get more insight, but I would love any insight that the boneyard could provide.

 

[8893]

Sounds like Reacharoundbanditis. I'd go see a doctor.

 

[formerlurker]

I've had a total of 5 shoulder surgeries with the most recent being about 20 months ago when I had a full cuff repair, repair for two torn labrums and also had 3 bicep tendons reattached. It wasn't a pleasant recovery, I'll tell you that. I'm just now really getting full range of motion back.

I'm not saying your damage is the same but your symptoms sound familiar. The constant ache, soreness and numbness are what brought me back to my surgeon and is when they discovered the extent of my damage. You only have one source of blood to your shoulder so if you sleep with your arm tucked up under your head then it could quite possibly be shutting off the blood supply while you sleep. Try keeping that arm tucked next to your body if possible. That should temporarily relieve some symptoms.

Other than that, I'd get to your doctor and have an MRI done. Most preferably the one where they shoot the ink into your shoulder. And PT may work for you but it was a waste of time for me before surgery. My insurance company told my surgeon they wanted 6 months of PT before he operated. He literally called Anthem himself to complain and ask how PT was going to cure a complete cuff tear. They eventually caved in and admitted surgery is necessary.

Good luck, Rich.

 

[Marbles90]

I've been experiencing pain in my shoulder for almost a year now....can't quite remember what caused it, but I remember my shoulder being sore after trying to start a weed wacker that needed servicing. The repetitive pulling motion combined with frustration caused some soreness, but again, I'm not sure that was the initial cause.

Since then, I've experienced different forms of discomfort from numbness, general soreness, week grip and now I can't get through a night without waking up sore an unable to find a sleeping position that alleviates the pain.

My initial thought is that I have at least a partially torn rotator cuff. I know we have a lot of knowledgeable folks on the board and likely others who can share in the experience. I'll be attending a seminar at a PT office this evening to hopefully get more insight, but I would love any insight that the boneyard could provide.

Is it constant pain? Or does it come and go? I had something similar about a year and a half ago. It lasted about 6 months but it would come and go. Many of the same symptoms like keeping me up at night, etc. It got really bad twice where once I had to cancel a gig because I couldn't lift my arm up enough to play my bass and another time when I could not put on or take off a shirt without help. It was weird because there was no trauma and it was my left shoulder. I am right handed and would have thought years of long softball throws from the outfield would have caused pain in my right shoulder. After the last bad episode, I finally went to the doctor and had an x-ray and it turned out to be just tendinitis. I am not sure why it got so bad but it did eventually go away on its own and I have not experienced the pain for about a year or so since. Your best bet is to go to the Dr and get an X-Ray and/or MRI and find out what is causing it.

 

[Drumguy]

I'd definitely go see an Orthopedic Surgeon. I went to a "sports practice" and after 2 years of worthless PT, I changed Docs. The new one did an MRI and basically told me I have 5 things wrong in the shoulder - scar tissue, torn rotator, a cyst, arthritis and something else. He told me he'd be happy to operate and clean it up but there was the likelihood that surgery wouldn't fix anything in the long run and require extensive PT - so no operation for me!

He did do a synvisk shot which helped for about 3 months. Just have to live with it, but at least I had my options laid out knowing what it was.

Good luck and get a shoulder specialist.

 

[temery]

Google AC joint, then see a doctor.

 

[lrnltd]

I've been experiencing pain in my shoulder for almost a year now....can't quite remember what caused it, but I remember my shoulder being sore after trying to start a weed wacker that needed servicing. The repetitive pulling motion combined with frustration caused some soreness, but again, I'm not sure that was the initial cause.

Since then, I've experienced different forms of discomfort from numbness, general soreness, week grip and now I can't get through a night without waking up sore an unable to find a sleeping position that alleviates the pain.

My initial thought is that I have at least a partially torn rotator cuff. I know we have a lot of knowledgeable folks on the board and likely others who can share in the experience. I'll be attending a seminar at a PT office this evening to hopefully get more insight, but I would love any insight that the boneyard could provide.

Sounds like a tear, probably impinging on a nerve (numbness, weakness). I think that requires an MRI to determine for sure. You can have an x-ray to reveal whether it's shoulder joint arthritis, meaning that the cartilage is worn out and you're pain is coming from being bone on bone. In that case, it hurts when you raise your arm above shoulder height, but not so much when it's below shoulder height. The solution is a shoulder joint replacement. I have had both shoulders done - great results with Dr. David Dines at Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Generally if you have numbness in the arm, or pain extending down the arm below the elbow, especially in to the hand, there may be some cervical disc disease in your neck with "pinched nerves." There really isn't anything in the shoulder itself that can reliably produce pain below the elbow and numbness. That said, I see a lot of patients who have both shoulder and neck issues, and it is sometimes challenging to sort that out. I also see a lot of patients who've seen other doctors for their shoulder pain and the other MD didn't recognize the contribution of the cervical spine to the symptoms. In those situations, treating the shoulder only can often fail. Pain is often worse at night with cervical spine radicular symptoms, and also AC joint and shoulder arthritis. Rotator cuff tear pain is usually worse with use of the arm.

It does sound like you might have a rotator cuff tear, but if you were in my office I'd look at every potential source of pain and make sure that the cuff is the main issue. The last thing you want is an operation that doesn't solve the pain, and can potentially make it worse.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Well it’s a good start going to a PT seminar, but they may not tell you many specifics, and may just say to get to your doctor and get imaging of not just your shoulder, preferably of your cervical spine too. They can’t be sure just looking at you and listening to you describe your symptoms. The imaging will reveal the nature and severity of the underlying cause of the pain, and management proceeds from there.

 

[uconnever]

I have this in both shoulders and it hurts like hell at night and keeps me awake at night. Also hurts to throw a ball at full speed and can barely reach my back over my shoulder...... no range of motion. Doctor sending me for MRI. He says arthritis but I think torn rotator cuff....we shall see.

 

[GoDAWGS]

You know what i heard helps shoulder pain?

 

[The Funster]

Standing with your back against the wall, extend your arm until it is parallel to the ground. Then slowly raise your arm as high as you can. When you begin to experience severe pain, stop and don't do it again.

 

[sledog]

I've had sore R arm for over a year. Last summer, I found I couldn't throw a rock at a ground hog nibbling plant is back yard. Ache contiues in 'random' fashion, and some reduction in RoM. Haven't seen an orthopod yet. Perhaps a trip to Vail?

ps - find that I get that spoon over a washboard feeling / sound comping in shoulder at gym when lifting shoulder weights - military press / bench press. Not sure if it's muscle fibers reacting to being dormant for 4 months (I'm back in gym after a 4 month 'vaca' due to hip surgery), or ligaments slipping over end of a shoulder bone, or something else. After warm-ups, the effect subsides a bit. Anyone else have this??

 

[don356]

Always try rehab as first option if it's recommended. The older you get, the less relief you generally get from should surgery unless it's some catastrophic injury like a break or something. Often, it's inflammation and strains which if you do not do rehab to strengthen will continue to show recurring symptoms. The bottom line, the older you get, the more aches and pains require recovery time and less strenuous activity.

 

[UConnJim]

Both of my shoulders had issues driven by small tears in both rotator cuffs caused by sports. The small tears caused pain which caused me to move my shoulders less (I thought rest and ibuprofen was the way to go) and I developed frozen shoulders due to lack of movement. Orthopedist looked at the situation and pushed me into PT. The frozen shoulders got resolved through PT and I live with the slight tears.

As a side note, I went to 2 different PTs to work on each shoulder (happened about 1 year apart). The first PT was geared towards athletes and they pushed me aggressively. PT really hurt initially, but I recovered quickly. The second PT was geared towards the average person and seniors and they did not push me at all. I soon did PT on my own based on what the first PT did.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

This place is turning into a bunch of wimps. Take 4 Advil and suck it up.
Seriously go see ortho doc.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Seriously go see ortho doc.

And don’t do something just because someone saw it on instagram:

Standing with your back against the wall, extend your arm until it is parallel to the ground. Then slowly raise your arm as high as you can. When you begin to experience severe pain, stop and don't do it again.

I want you, with no character limit, to detail the rationale, use, and interpretation of this screen.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Google AC joint, then see a doctor.

I think it was officially renamed AG joint

 

[RichZ]

From personal experience, I can tell you that bucking up and soldiering on is not the best plan. I injured my right shoulder when I was 16. After an initial period of intense pain, I was semi-OK for years, as long as I didn't get bumped when my arm was extended up and the shoulder was out of socket. Pain, but nothing I couldn't deal with. I was young and foolish. As I got older and developed other ailments, I learned to ignore the shoulder. It's to the point now, where if my wife's been driving the car and I get in and have to adjust the mirror, I have to prop my right arm up with my left hand to reach the mirror. Can't count how often I have to use my left hand to help put my right shoulder back in the socket, just in the normal course of life.
Doctor suggests getting it fixed. He also says at my age (73) to expect 18 to 30 months of recovery time! At my age, 1.5 to 2.5 years is way too big a chunk of my life expectancy to waste it to get a likely short period without the constant hassle and frequent pain. So my advice is to bite the bullet and take care of it now.

 

[nomar]

I'd probably consult a doctor

 

[LBird33]

If you have a limited health plan. Try 12 beers and 4 Advil. The Advil is for the hangover but the beer will help ease the pain !

 

[Jaker]

I have had shoulder pain on and off for 25 years, after a while you get used to it.

 

[uconndoit]

I had a partial rotator cuff tear and your symptoms sound the same. I think it was from lifting weights with bad form.

They first did an Xray to see if there was no bone damage, then an MRI to see the tear. They sent me to PT which I didn't continue. They also gave me a set of movements to do with elastic bands which I did once.

That was about a year ago. At some point between then and now it stopped hurting on its own.

 

[Adios]

Avoid cortisone injections, if offered. They help the cartilage deteriorate faster.

PT and proper exercise can work wonders. As long as your body supports such activities.

If ibuprofen helps with the pain, it is likely arthritis. Arthritis can just kick in while being active.

 

[Giddyup5]

Avoid cortisone injections, if offered. They help the cartilage deteriorate faster.

If properly given this just isn’t true