View Full Version : Question about shoulder pain (m)
So, my right shoulder has hurt since, um, August or September. And, what's more annoying than the pain is the fact that it's so weak. I can't lift things with that arm. And, since it's my right arm, that makes life pretty much a PITA.
How do I go about figuring out a) what's wrong and b) how to make it better?
Is there any way a doctor can actually diagnose what is wrong? Or is it one of those things where they go, "Hmmm. Shoulder pain and weakness. Could be x, y, or z. No way to tell, really. Ice & rest it and see if it gets better." Or is there some device-y type thing that can actually look inside a shoulder (ultrasound? MRI? Xray?) and see what may be injured? I'm not being facetious - I honestly have never had to deal with anything like this before & have no idea where to start.
Ugh. Ow.
On the top, on the side?
This happened to me a couple years agao. The first 2 weeks the pain was horribel. If labor was an 8 this was a 10! The doctor first thought pinched nerve because of the weakness. But they did an MRI and they didn't find a pinched nerve (that is how I found out I have degenerative disk disorder.)
They couldn't find anything. But they figured it was Tendonitis in my shoulder (edited actually Bicep Tendonitis) . It took a LONG LONG time before it completely healed.
Bonny
02-11-2008, 06:20 PM
if it were me, I would see my chiro first. I can't recc him enough. But you probably wouldn't want to drive to Roseville
Other than that, I'd recc starting with your primary care doc.
ouch.
On the top, on the side?
It's sort of inside the moving parts area that hurts. :P For example, I can bring my hand up to my shoulder - no pain. I can lift my elbow to the side, chicken wing style - no pain. BUT, if I have my arm straight (i.e. not bent at the elbow), I cannot raise it up at all without some pain, and the pain increases the higher I raise it.
I have this mental image that if I could just stick a long, sharp tool into the joint it could prick whatever is causing the pain and make it stop. That's the kind of pain it is, LOL.
Vicky
02-11-2008, 07:27 PM
It may be bursitis, which is very painful. You should definitely have it looked into!
riversprite
02-12-2008, 09:40 AM
This was my thought too...I had bursitis in my shoulder over 10yrs ago and it was very painful!
Vicky
02-12-2008, 09:55 AM
This was my thought too...I had bursitis in my shoulder over 10yrs ago and it was very painful!
It was VERY hard because it hurt so much to pick her up!
deeka
02-12-2008, 10:11 AM
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rotator-cuff-injury/DS00192/DSECTION=1
My dad fell and tore his rotator cuff several years ago and put off treatment for a long time. Eventually the pain and weakness became so bad (he had trouble sleeping because of the pain) that even intensive physical therapy failed, and he had to have surgery. That improved things substantially, but he still can't hold his arm straight up (such as when he puts on deodorant, he has to put his palm against the wall and hold it up).
The weakness would concern me--you probably have significant muscle atrophy at this point. I would go to an orthopedist, who will probably do some diagnostic tests and then refer you for physical therapy.
La la la....I can't hear you. LOL
I read that article & it definitely sounds similar to what I am experiencing.
Now for my question: How does one go about setting up an appointment for something like this? I have not made a doctor's appointment for....hmmm....three years? And before that.....well, let's just say it's been a very long time since I've dealt with doctor-y stuff. :bag
I do have a PCP - do I just call and say "My shoulder hurts & I'd like to see a doctor?" Ugh - this is bringing back all of the anxiety that came with the ordeal of getting my Mirena put in 5 years ago. Ugh ugh ugh. I hate the gate-keeper people.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rotator-cuff-injury/DS00192/DSECTION=1
My dad fell and tore his rotator cuff several years ago and put off treatment for a long time. Eventually the pain and weakness became so bad (he had trouble sleeping because of the pain) that even intensive physical therapy failed, and he had to have surgery. That improved things substantially, but he still can't hold his arm straight up (such as when he puts on deodorant, he has to put his palm against the wall and hold it up).
The weakness would concern me--you probably have significant muscle atrophy at this point. I would go to an orthopedist, who will probably do some diagnostic tests and then refer you for physical therapy.
deeka
02-13-2008, 09:56 AM
He/she may refer you to an orthopedist, or may send you directly to PT. I think PT is the first step here (since time hasn't helped) even if you see an orthopedist, so you might just insist on a full evaluation and treatment by a physical therapist. Then if that doesn't work, it's time to see an orthopedist and consider your other options (steroids, surgery, etc).
The PT will be helpful even if it doesn't fix the shoulder issue, because likely you've lost a lot of muscle strength in the entire arm.
Bonny
02-13-2008, 04:54 PM
B went in for a shoulder issue a few weeks ago. I did just call the clinic and ask who she could get in with that afternoon to look @ a possible shoulder injury. He poked around, had her move it different ways and said that it was, in all likelihood a rotator cuff thing, and that, iho, would be just fine after some PT. I believe he is right. She hasn't started pt yet, unfortunately, because doing so before next week would, I think she said, "ruin her life." Or something like that.
Anyways ... it was so very NOT a big deal. Which is probably why I didn't even remember it until just now.
kathy caribe
02-13-2008, 09:29 PM
La la la....I can't hear you. LOL
I read that article & it definitely sounds similar to what I am experiencing.
Now for my question: How does one go about setting up an appointment for something like this? I have not made a doctor's appointment for....hmmm....three years? And before that.....well, let's just say it's been a very long time since I've dealt with doctor-y stuff. :bag
I do have a PCP - do I just call and say "My shoulder hurts & I'd like to see a doctor?" Ugh - this is bringing back all of the anxiety that came with the ordeal of getting my Mirena put in 5 years ago. Ugh ugh ugh. I hate the gate-keeper people.
i have had this! The weakness, the pain; but it was so long ago I don't remember a lot about it. I also broke something in the shoulder/clavicle area when I was hit by a car (on my bike) that has never healed and had injury from swimming so it is all kind of mish mashed in there. I remember doing PT for it with surgical tubing. I remember the pain enormously and I remember the weakness. I was swimming competitvely at the time and it was a BIG deal; I might have had to stop swimming for many months due to it. Oh, I'm remembering now, I used to swim one-armed it hurt so much and I did stop swimming and did PT for many many months (like over 1/2 a year). Yikes. I'm going to be in a world of hurt when I get really old....
I'd go to a doc and/or an orthopedic doc.
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