Aching arm after shoulder surgery 4 months on
Posted , 59 users are following.
I had rotator cuff and torn tendon repair 4 months ago. I still get an aching arm most days and have become very clicky, more so than before the opp. I appreciate there is pain for many months after this operation, but I don't see any sign of easing, if anything, some days are getting worse. Obviously, there would be pain if something has gone wrong, so how am I supposed be be sure it is all fine? Has anyone else had these sort of experiences at this stage?
3 likes, 129 replies
ke4nu7 cbc123
Posted
That's too bad. I guess I shouldn't complain. Mine has done rather well, it just was frustrating after surgery to have the mild pain and still couldn't do much. After 10 months, I rarely have pain with it and that usually from overworking it. I still do tai chi and use the bands for strength training. If I skip a day or two it starts getting stiff. I had both shoulder to mess up on me. The right one responded to PT and got well. The left one did not, and eventually had to have surgery. I'm glad I had it done. Being a lefty I was pretty useless but now its all good. Good luck to all.
tanya71990 ke4nu7
Posted
Yes sometimes it's hard to give into the another surgery but all in all it's the quality of life in which we choose take care good to hear you're better.
tanya71990 cbc123
Posted
High CBC these shoulder surgeries are not a cakewalk. They all take time and if you do too much you can make the pain last longer I have found that ice is my best friend along with meds then when meds are no longer needed which the sooner the better just stick to the ice 10 months and now my arm still has aching at times I live on a ranch and do a lot of work so maybe that is some of it but I take my ibuprofen. I don't know about the clicking noise but sometimes swelling in their causes things to rub maybe the ice will help. Get well soon. Don't forget about physical therapy it is the best. By the way I almost failed to mention I had to have my shoulder get a release surgery so I had two surgeries it was actually not a surgery but they put me out to get buy some scar tissue. I believe they called it a frozen shoulder.
linda39801 cbc123
Posted
I am 67 years old and am just a week shy of 5 months since my rotator cuff surgery on my right (dominant) arm. Following surgery my arm was in a full sling with a block for 7 weeks. I had three tears repaired plus a bone spur removed. I did physical therapy twice a week until last week (4 and a half months). Until a few weeks ago I still had more pain than before my surgery and also had a lot of popping. I was icing at least three times a day and still often sleeping in a recliner. Then all of a sudden things improved. I still have some range of motion issues but that is normal and is expected for at least a year but I do not have near the pain I had a few weeks ago. If I overdo it I feel it but it calms down relatively quickly. My therapist said that a relative had this surgery and almost a year to the day of his surgery he woke up feeling 100%. I've had many orthopedic surgeries on various parts of my body but this was by far the most difficult to rehab. I had my doubts for a long time but I definitely feel now that I did the right thing by having the surgery.
ImMiserable cbc123
Posted
Yes I am also 4 months into my rotator cuff and Tino deces procedure. 3 months and I was still in a state of excruciating unbearable pain now I am moving forward with meaningfull rehab. I asked my doctor and rehab lead how a normal person could cope with that level of pain anyhow currently I have very sore and tender tendons and muscles. Makes stretching a new beginning each day. I'm taking a day off from time to time And sometimes rach wants instead of twice. I find this helps. Can't wait to be normal again
iris62743 cbc123
Posted
yes i can relate, i had my right shoulder repair 8/2018. im still having pain in my upper arm shoulder n stiffness. still cant raise my arm above my head. now i have to have an mri to see what heal n what did not heal. hope i dont havevto ho back under. your are not alone. still cant go back to work, this a lot to go thru they say siz months to a year before i get my full motion back ong wow
arj50436 iris62743
Posted
I am at 8 months. I still have a little bit of discomfort but I will never forget how bad the first couple of months were.
I don't expect to be fully recovered until around a year. Both my physical therapist and my surgeon thought that I should have had full range of motion several months ago but my body had its own ideas!! Almost full range of motion. I was not really lifting my arm with my shoulder and I frequently had a lot of cervical pain after doing exercises so I decided to slow down and not push the ROM so hard and have just been focusing on strengthening.
I also developed bicep tendonitis. I had a shot and a lot of massage therapy which helped a great deal.
Simplymie cbc123
Posted
Hello all. I am very new to this site, so I hope im doing this right!
On 12/28/18 I had a post laberal tear fixed, along with bursa clean up, and osteoarthritis clean up in ac joint(bone was shaved)
I am just about 12 weeks post op. I am 25.
I have very good ROM, but I still have the dull pain in my clavicle area(not as bad as before, but can be felt) and some shooting pains into my neck.
I also started feeling some bicep soreness but chalked it up to the stretching in PT. As of recently I have been Experiencing muscle spasms in the area. Not to mention that, and aches in my elbow that can be felt in my fingers.
Obviously this surgery recovery causes worry as to what we should and shouldn't be feeling.
Is this apart of the recovery process or should I be worried about something?
christine_61665 Simplymie
Posted
Hi. As you have probably gathered from reading all these posts, and other threads on this site, recovery is a long process. I am almost 2 years and can do everything, but am very achy in bicep in cold damp weather. Judging from what I've been reading, many people are surprised at the recovery time. It gives comfort to know you're not crazy, but does try ones patience. Anyway I wouldn't worry too much now. You're young. I'm no doctor but I'd just keep on with the PT exercises and be careful and don't push yourself for awhile yet.
Simplymie christine_61665
Posted
25 going on 60 I feel like! lol.
Thank you! and I look forward to reading more!
christine_61665 Simplymie
Posted
This surgery is a difficult one. I'm 67 now and what I get is the shoulder shrug like "what do you expect?". So annoying. The woman that checks us in at PT told me " you shoulder people have it the worst". Made me feel at least that I wasn't crazy. Baby steps!
Simplymie christine_61665
Posted
My PT has been very reassuring that this is all normal. But it freaks me out when i feel new pain, such as the spasms and aches in my arm and hands.
I'm also a casino dealer and will be going back to work soon. I just hope this pain subsides!
My clavicle wasn't hurting during the first several weeks after, but now I still feel the same pain, except the bone isn't noticeable anymore. He said extensive work was done, and this is normal. I just hope so. I see alot of people had something done to their bicep, which I didnt but like i said, mine is bothering me now.
ugh. I suppose you're right. I'm just so ready for relief!
Anyone else still feels the unbearable pain when getting stretched at PT? whew!
pyesangel christine_61665
Posted
I didn't think that having my rotator cuff repaired could be any worse than when I had my knee replaced. Was I ever wrong. Even my stepsister who has had her shoulder repaired and a hip replaced, said she'd rather have her hip replaced again than have her shoulder done again. I didn't believe her, I didn't think anything could be worse...well I sure found out fast. I'd rather have my knee replaced again than have my shoulder done again.... The shoulder is the worst and I hope I never have to go through anything like it again!!!! You just have to hang in there and know that things will eventually get back to normal. Good luck.
Simplymie pyesangel
Posted
thank you! reading these comments and having people that can relate is so reassuring. I'm trying to trust the process, but worrys tend to set in. Good luck to everyone, by the way. I don't think I've had complaints about anything until these last 2 months! weird.
Simplymie cbc123
Posted
Does the clavicle area ever get pain relief? I feel like its worse now than before.
some days are good, than others I just feel so defeated! ugh.