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Night pain without immobilizer

Posted , 5 users are following.

abfro
abfro

Rotator cuff repair 2 weeks ago. Been doing great - off pain meds at 3 days. No pain, just occasional achyness. Saw doc for followup yesterday, said I was healing great and can sleep without the immobilzer at night. I was very excited but had a terrible night, my shoulder/arm ached all night long. I assume it's because I am used to having it supported 24/7. Has anyone else experienced this? I have been sleeping in a recliner and been pretty comfortable until I took the immoblilzer off. Is there any harm in continuing to sleep in it or should I try to sleep without it?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • sparkery
    sparkery abfro

    Posted

    You're way ahead of me. I am 8 weeks post surgery and still have pain. I expect to have it for 6-9 months on a declining scale. I had the immobilizer for 6 weeks and removed it permanently when I started Physio. I get flare-ups if I have been doing anything strenuous like lawn mowing. I was advised to use the immobilizer for comfort but I have resisted doing so. I feel that any pain post immobilizer is natural as normal strain comes on to muscles and tendons that have been on holiday for the time in immobilisation and the changes to your anatomy made by surgery are tested and strained.

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname abfro

    Posted

    Wow, is this encouraging...two weeks! I am impressed!

    Sound sleep is so important for full recovery....Iwould put it back on just to sleep....dead weight weighs a ton...dead arm weight just pulling on a newly repaired rotator cuff...

    • sparkery
      sparkery ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Makes sense. Night pain is the worse. During the day there are lots of distractions to take your mind of the pain but at night it can nag all night long.
    • sparkery
      sparkery

      Posted

      worst not worse!
  • christine64637
    christine64637 abfro

    Posted

    My shoulder problems have been caused by a proximal humerus fracture so this might be no help to you but this is what I did when first without immobilising sling. It is my left arm that is painful. I lay on my right side and rested the injured left arm ( bent at elbow) on a soft pillow placed length ways in front of me. My Physio was happy with this but you should perhaps check with a medic as yours is a different situation. I wish you rapid healing.
  • kathleen1964
    kathleen1964 abfro

    Posted

    I'm happy for you! I had a few tears in my rotator cuff and a tear in my bicep. I had surgery Nov 3 2016 and I am still in pain! I cant sleep at night. I am going crazy!! I just want to be normal again. I ice my arm and shoulder and I heat it. I go to PT. I feel pain across my collar bone area and along down my right arm. I am right handed and this just happens to be all on my right shoulder and arm. I typed into google to see how long this was going to take and it took me to this site. Its nice to see Im not alone. Does anyone have any good advice to heal quickly? 

    • christine64637
      christine64637 kathleen1964

      Posted

      Hello Kathleen, are you taking any pain relief?When I fractured my shoulder I was advised to get the pain under control and then continue to take pain relief to keep it under control.I was prescribed Tramadol and also took paracetamol at other times as advised by dr. Are you sleeping sitting up or lying down? Before I could lie down my husband gathered all the pillows in the house. He built a sort of curved wall with them so I could sleep sitting up and leaning on my good side at the same time! Sounds odd but it was really comfortable for the weeks I needed to sit up. Hope you get some relief and some sleep,

      Christine

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