Posted: 4/13/2004 5:39:09 PM EDT
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I have had sore shoulder for about 2 years now. (Ball of left shoulder) I know that sounds like a long time, but I try to avoid doctors as much as possible. Most of the pain comes at night or during odd movements such as reaching for a seatbelt, swinging a golf club (I’m not a golfer but I swung a club and it felt like a knife going through my shoulder) Sitting still or normal arm movement isn’t a huge problem, yet the sharp pain is still noticeable but not overwhelming like the ones mentioned above. I’m right handed so it’s not like the shoulder is under a lot of stress like a baseball player’s shoulder, carpenter, etc. That’s usually the first question I get asked. After a quick doctors visit it was determined to be a strained rotator cuff and he recommended some physical therapy. (Light weightlifting, etc) If was the first time I’ve visited this doctor and it sounds like a good start but just wanted to see if anyone suffered with a similar problem or could give some advice before I “Google™” the hell out of the internet on the subject. Thanks! |
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Quoted: Did he take an Xray? An MRI? If it has hurt for 2 years then PT will not solve the problem. Get an Xray at least. Probably torn carthlidge. SGtar15 That was my first thought also! I was expecting at least an x-ray when I went in and was surprised after his short examination that he didn’t even mention one. It was the wife’s family doctor and has been excellent in the past on all their evaluations. Seriously, it was like the 1st time I’ve been to a doctor since my discharge exam in 1992. Wasn’t a totally wasted visit, I at least got a tetanus shot. If I don’t see some type of improvement with some PT soon, I will set up an x-ray visit. Thanks Sgtar15. |
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Quoted: Was there a particular event you can isolate that may have caused it? Are you a powerlifter? Some of my lifting buddies have mentioned similar problems. edited to add: <---- yeehaw! post .223! Not at all with any power lifting. I do graphic design for 10-12 hours a day so I can see maybe that this shoulder may rest at an awkward angle for longer than normal periods. It gets moderate exercise like yard work, shooting hoops etc. I don’t play any formal sports so it’s not from any type of sport related injury. |
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Quoted: When I strained my rotator cuff, I could not lift my arm above the height of my ribs with out being in extreme pain. One week of PT and I was back on the field. Sound like you could have cartilage damage. I know how you feel. First thing in the morning when I go to adjust the shower head I usally use my right hand to push my left elbow up to reach it because the shoulder is so stiff and painful. The first stretch of the day is killer. |
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Well, as one of the team docs for the local NBA team this one is right up my alley. Shoulder pain can come from multitude of sources: 1)Nerve impingment in the neck (past neck injury?) 2)arthritis in the actual joint (elderly) 3)arthritis in the acromio-clavicular joint (end of collar bone, from a previous shoulder separation) 4)impingement/bursitis/rotator cuff pathology 5)instability/labral tear That being said, most shoulder pain is commonly from #4. Etiology - impingement occurs anytime the rotator cuff itself is irritated. Irritation can come from a muscle strain (over-usage/exertion), or from a bone spur. Bone spurs start from the teenage years. Everyone has one, regardless of dominant or non-dominant arm. It is the result of the biomechanics of the joint which I will avoid going thru now. Symptoms - pain with raising the arm, pain with reaching out to the side, inability to reach behind and scratch the back, difficulty sleeping at nite. Pain is usually described as an ache in the middle of the outside of the arm. Diagnosis - a physical exam will duplicate the symptoms. An xray itself is nearly useless. An MRI is very informative. Treatment - key is to first reduce inflammation. Once the inflammation is reduced (usually after a week of medication) then the key is to strengthen the rotator cuff with exercises. Unless the inflammation is first reduced exercises will only result in more inflammation and pain. If the MRI suggests a large bone spur, or torn rotator cuff then surgical correction is the realistic option. |
| blueshockey, doctors are going to look for "obvious" problems, I would have a doc check it out just to make sure. I'm going to bet 95% sure there is no physical damage. You probably have some trigger points causing pain. Self therapy on those trigger points should relieve the pain. Docs love to throw around "bursitus! arthritus! acute sinusitus!" ok I kid... but seriously, most of the time pain is caused by trigger points that are easily treated. Instead people sometimes go through lenghty PT treatments, injections, even surgery when all of those are unnecessary. You can do a search on trigger point therapy on the web, look up some books on Amazon or IM me for more info. I have cured my own shoulder problems and those of several others through trigger point therapy. Stuart McRobert ("Beyond Brawn", [url]www.hardgainer.com[/url]) is a big proponent of trigger point therapy for pain relief from weight lifting injury. The fact is you are just as likely to develop trigger points from sitting at a computer all day. Anyway I hope you take this seriously. TPT plus some light weightlifting to strenghen the shoulder should help out. |
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I've had two shoulder surgeries...both on the same one. The first was arthroscopic and only day surgery. In that one, the doc cut three small holes in my shoulder; front, side and rear and inserted scopes and tools to do his work. He used a Dremel-like tool to grind down the underside of the acromium bone. This really helped for about six years. He told me that it might get worse with time and that if it did...then the next surgery would be much harder...which it was. Number two involved a cut all across the top, right over the joint and about 12 centimeters in length. The sawbones then basically reconstructs your shoulder. In my case, I had a torn rotator. One of my problems was the acromium bone again...but I also had a torn infraspinatus muscle tendon (back to arm connection). He cut it off completely, removed the damaged part of the tendon and re-attached it. I was in lots of pain before the surgeries...and TONS for about two weeks after. Man, was that morphone drip cool though [:D]. Did the doc test your arm for shoulder strength? One of the simplest and dead give away tests is to do this: Hold your arms to your sides, palms down. Make two fists. Bring your hands in until your thumbs are just touching your chest and your elbows are now out in front of you. Have another person of equal height stand in front of you and place their hands on top of your elbows. Now...have that person push down as you resist their action. If you could not hold the arm up...if the pain was severe, then you probably do have a torn rotator. In any case, as has been said, get some x-rays and get an MRI. Try the PT first, if that fails...then you will likely be faced with either of two equally unpalatable options: surgery to repair your shoulder or loss of the use of your arm...and continued pain until you do fix it. I fell on some ice in February and landed on my other arm and now I'm losing it. The symptoms are nearly identical. I ain't liking this at all! FWIW, my orthopedic surgeon says that in many cases, the condition is caused by heavy weight lifting and heavy athletic activity, mostly football, as a kid, then not continuing as we age. Go figure... Good luck! |
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x-rays won't show soft tissue probs, possibly the bone problems. MRI will. If nothing gets done PT may help you loosen things up. If you get surgery then you will need pt to loosen things up afterwards because you likely will get some stiffening up during the immobilization. [url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=135769&c=559&z=1"][img]http://www.hunt101.com/img/135769.JPG[/img][/url] The upper two are the torn supraspinatus and the 2 lower left are supposed to be smooth. That's the head of my humerus. Showing my boys that you don't need a boogy board to body surf. Trimmed the torn muscle, smoothed a few rough edges on the bone and pulled out a few bone fragments. 6 months of PT. It was nice in the beginning with the dancers and the massages and then they got into the serious work outs. |
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Your situation sounds JUST like mine. I have had the pain for about 3 years. Comes and goes. I have used Myotone a couple of times and it seems to work. I recently had a flair up and I am trying Glucosomine/Chondroiton. It really seems to be working. I also lift weights about 3/4 times per week. Good luck Let me know if you use either of the 2 remedies above and if they work. |
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Quoted: It's cause you put your weight on that shoulder all the time while your holding the mouse surfing the net.[:D] Bet your leaning on your elbow too. Damn you! [;)] I was doing exactly as you stated above as I was reading this. Yeah, definitely one of the reasons for my pain I bet. I'm gonna have to seriously change my posture when I work. Thanks for all the great responses! Will try the PT thing and change the way I sit at my desk for the next 2-4 weeks. If I don't see some improvement I will seek the anti-inflammation medication from a doctor and try another route. Damn desk job will make you grow old quick. |