Shoulder Problems

[xs11jack]

Over the last couple of months my right should (I am left handed) has been bothering me more and more. This last night it hurt to raise it and while the pain is centered on the point of the shoulder, it also at times ran down the outside of the shoulder to the elbow and from there to the wrist on the top of the arm. The shoulder hurts all the time, moving the arm outward and up caused excruciating pain, kind of like electrical shocks or a knife being jambed in the shouder and arm. I get my medical care from the VA and so everything is closed at my clinic until Monday. I can go to the emergency room and am thinking about that now.
Has anyone of you had this kind of pain?? Any info is appreciated.
Ole Jack

[LUBEDUDE]

Yup! Had it in both shoulders. Surgery was the only fix. Had 3 surgeries in the past 4 years.

Sorry to hear about it man. You better go see a Shoulder man.

[KAF]

Last fall my tight arm to my neck hurt bad, especially when trying to sleep. Carpel tunnel sugery and it went away totally. I thought the Dr was nuts when he forst said carpel tunnel sydrum.......

[Down South]

Sounds like a rotator cup problem. Been there with my left shoulder. I know the "feels like a knife pain".
I never had surgery. Mine went away when I quit pulling wrenches and took a desk jockey job. It took a full year before I could raise my arm without pain.

[carbine86]

Sounds very similar to a labrum and bicep tendon tear. Commonly referred to as a slap tear. I've had 3 so far getting ready to have on next month and after I recover enough the other shoulder needs to get repaired again. If you can hold off for as long as you can that would be best the recovery from surgery is long and painful.

[OBIII]

Hi Jack,
Been there, done that. Long story short, use your arm very sparingly until you see someone and get a catscan or an mri of the shoulder. My pain was caused by bone spurs in the socket, cutting on the tendon. When I finally got it looked
at, the tendon was 90% cut, and the doctor was unable to re-attach it, so I lost about 10% of the full strength in my right arm. Hopefully the VA will take care of you quickly and efficiently.
Good Luck,
OB

[Kraschenbirn]

+1 on rotator cuff/bone spur issue. Had pretty much the same symptomology around 3 years back...'outpatient' orthoscopic surgery (in and out of hospital in 6 hours) followed by four weeks of physical therapy and, six weeks after that, I was shooting my .45-70s again. This is a fairly routine procedure these days and the VA should be able to line you up with a sports/occupational medicine orthopedist.

Bill

[groundsclown]

Sounds very similar to a labrum and bicep tendon tear. Commonly referred to as a slap tear. I've had 3 so far getting ready to have on next month and after I recover enough the other shoulder needs to get repaired again. If you can hold off for as long as you can that would be best the recovery from surgery is long and painful.

Been there myself.
Dislocated left shoulder at work. Continued to use it for 9 months before I couldn't stand it any longer. MRI said torn rotator & labrum.
Surgery & 4 months off work plus 14 months later I've finally recovered fully.....right one needs it but not as bad as left was so putting it off for the same reasons (looooong recovery)

Definitely get a Dr's opinion. Someone thats competent with sports injuries is a plus. Depending on what the exact injury is, your age etc etc it could just be a few weeks laid up then a few weeks of PT (read 3-4 months) or maybe longer.

P.S.
I'm serious about a competent Dr. I went in under workers comp the day I blew mine out. The guy took 2 xrays, moved my elbow a few inches & gave me some anti inflams & sent me on my way. Pathetic.
When I couldn't stand it any more I went to a different office & got a Dr that knew WTH he was doing. Thorough exam, ordered mri's & sent me to a ortho specialist...night & day difference.

[opos]

Years ago I hit a tree skiing...had a "shoulder separation" ...had it in a sling for about 3-4 months...and no real strenuous activity...it got some better....got the doctor's ok to begin to get back to my Judo sport training..first night in training...wham and shoulder badly damaged...had surgery by a very competent shoulder specialist...never had any issues since..that was, as said, many years ago.

One thing that was very evident was if I would bend my elbow and then raise the arm (bent) up and back to the rear it really hurt...and that was, I was told, the "test"....I have a friend with bad shoulder problems...he did not go to a shoulder specialist...tried a chiropractor, massage, accupuncture, all the "magic cures" and he ruined the shoulder and still had to have surgery..don't mess with anyone but a competent and up to date shoulder man.

[Dakooz]

Had adhesive capsulitis (aka frozen shoulder) in both shoulders. I never knew pain until I had encountered it. Definitively get it checked out.

[Retumbo]

Had adhesive capsulitis (aka frozen shoulder) in both shoulders. I never knew pain until I had encountered it. Definitively get it checked out.

Hahahahhaha

Been there done that!!!

[leeggen]

Most times a shoulder surgery when done early makes for alot quicker recovery. Waiting only prolongs the pain and extense recovery 2 fold. I like to shoot and reload, I don't like doctors nor surgeins but they are sometimes necasary to do more shooting.
CD

[MaryB]

Longer you wait the worse the damage gets! I ignored mine for 2 years, had a 40% tear they sewed back together... exactly a year later same shoulder had a 90% tear and I wasn't working... they missed most of th etear when they sewed and it got worse. They ended up cutting the tendon all the way, scraped remians off the bone, put in thread anchor screws and reattached the tendon...

[Plate plinker]

Sounds severe to me. I was told I had some joint wear by my doctor, but I have I chiropractor that fixed me up better without surgery. The muscle that attaches to the shoulder blade was inflamed and would not relax causing lots of pain at the shoulder. A little pressure point therapy and it was over. Hurt like "@&$ when he did it, but worked for me. I almost asked him to stop feels like he put his elbow into your back with all his weight, but in truth it's just his finger touch the right spot with nary a pound of pressure. Good luck with it.

[xs11jack]

Thanks, I am going to the clinic first thing Monday and get the ball rolling. It's interesting that when I wake up in the morning, it doesn't feel that bad but as the day goes on, it gets worse and worse. By bedtime it is really bad, pain all the time, not just when I move it. I gotta get this thing fixed, and I really appreciate all your help.
Ole Jack

[MrWolf]

I have a messed up neck and back. In September I put a little stress on my neck and my left arm/shoulder were doing what you described. I couldn't even lift a can of soda for weeks. Had something similar before and doc gave me a steroid pack so asked for another. After treatment back to normal. I now have a spare pack just in case.

[DHurtig]

I fell 2 weeks ago and landed on my outstretched left arm. Heard a loud pop and excruciating pain. Couldn't lift my left arm. Had an MRI and they said it is a torn rotator cuff. Go to see an orthopedic surgeon on Monday to plan the next move, but I'm sure there is going to be a surgery.

[MaryB]

After the surgery do the PT! Do not ignore it because you are busy! Or frozen shoulder can result! And that is as painful as the rotator cuff surgery! If you have a lazy boy recliner plan on sleeping in it for a couple weeks after surgery...

[jmort]

I have strained both my right and left bicep muscles and the shoulder pain was intense to say the least. I strained/inflamed the muscle where it attaches to the shoulder. I assumed it was my shoulder. Took a couple/few months to resolve.

[GabbyM]

Physical therapy can usually tighten up a shoulder.
My issue is the doctor who did the hernia surgery was a tool.
When and since I did lift a bit. My left tactical swells up an pretty much fells like I've been kicked right in the nuts. Bout tow months into that last unck. My health insurance paid 97 cents on a 44 thousand dollar bill. Not kidding. I am feeling decent of late. Couple years ago when I was sort of self medicating pain I got myself suspended from this forum for lack of tolerance. What it amounted to is I needed time for my tactical to reduce swelling before I could be once again sociable. Then I wonder if anyone can even tell the difference when I feel better. Since I'm just a grumpy dirt clod anyways.

So Ole Jack: Try not to piss off the ones around you to much. Or else you will be doing your own laundry. My laundry gal hung in with me. But then I actually do my own laundry. She buried her last two husbands and I divorced my wife. So there may be more slack in that rope than some have.

[300savage]

Sounds like bursitis to me. I have three of those anchors in mine and a bone spur cut off the top of the joint that pinched the bursa when I would try to lift it. Good news is a good shoulder guy can do amazing things for you.
Emphasis on good, don't let just anyone cut on you, do your due diligence and go find the best sports medicine shoulder guy you can find.
Believe me you really want to do your research as not all surgeons are equal and you will pay forever for a bad one.

[xs11jack]

Thanks everyone, I need all the info I can get before seeing the doc. At the St.Louis VA we get a lot of doctors from The Washington School of Medicine and the St.Louis University School of Medicine. The doc that treats me for my Crohn's Disease comes from Washington School. He is a great doc. So now I go through the hoops to get it fixed.
Talk about laundry, I do mine too. Yesterday the arm and should wasn't hollering at me too much so I carried some down to the basement and when it was done back up again and it wasn't too bad at all. Thanks again!
Ole Jack

[MaryB]

Yes! My shoulder doc also works on the MN Vikings...


Sounds like bursitis to me. I have three of those anchors in mine and a bone spur cut off the top of the joint that pinched the bursa when I would try to lift it. Good news is a good shoulder guy can do amazing things for you.
Emphasis on good, don't let just anyone cut on you, do your due diligence and go find the best sports medicine shoulder guy you can find.
Believe me you really want to do your research as not all surgeons are equal and you will pay forever for a bad one.

[xs11jack]

Mary, Mary, What am I going to do with you, I have been Packer fan since 1959. I am sure that your doctor is a great physician, but Vikqueens????
Ole Jack

[MaryB]

LOL he is close! Well 90 miles away... for here and medical specialists that is close!

[xs11jack]

Well I guess since I don't live in Wi. anymore, and you are a member here in good standing, I can let this one little flaw go by. Happy New Year.
Ole Jack

[MaryB]

My neck doc is a 200 mile round trip from out here, shoulder is 180 miles, ortho who is keeping an eye on my knee is only a 90 mile round trip...

[Fergie]

Could be anything from a rotator cuff tear, to adhesive capsulitis to some kind of impingement syndrome.

Your Dr. will have you do several tests to make the determination and some scans as well.

I've dealt with a shoulder injury for 10 years now and no surgery has been needed as I keep up on the PT side of it. I need the surgery eventually, but life has to slow down a bit first.

[CLAYPOOL]

Ask the nurses on the sly who is the best doctor for what you need.. They know what's currently going on and who to go to.... They also hear about work comp cases , etc.

[RogerDat]

For a lot of joint and shoulder stuff the routine is injection of steroids and physical therapy to see if it will clear up without surgery. Helps some folks a lot, others a little and some not at all. Bone spurs will continue to damage soft tissue until fixed. Tears are generally going to get worse rather than better. Both make the eventual repair harder with more damage to heal or fix if ignored.

Shoulders tend to be long recovery but also have pretty decent odds of full or nearly full recovery. I had two bone spurs size about 7-8 mm let them go until the pain was really bad. Lot of soft tissue damage. After surgery things healed with a reduced range of motion so... they put me under and forced full range of motion to tear things that had healed tight to be loose again. Then back to therapy for 3 months. Now things are pretty good. Little stiff or ache now and again but nothing all that bad.

Something that helped me for awhile was a thin pillow or folded blanket along my side to rest my arm on. This kept keep wrist, elbow and shoulder up off the mattress just a bit when sleeping on my back. Did reduce the pain, the slightly different angle took some pressure off the sore joint.