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Chronic Shoulder Pain For 7 Years?...

Posted , 8 users are following.

Chronik
Chronik

Hello im a 25 year old male. Ive been having a stabbing pinching type of pain in the back of my right shoulder near the teres minor for around 7 years now. I have muscle weakness and back of shoulder clicks alot, when i massage the back on my shoulder with my left hand, i can hear a cruchy sound in the muscle and i cant reach behind my back. It's giving me really bad anxiety and its affecting my job and sleep.

Over the years i kept going to the doctors and they said its probably just muscle knots. Got sent to a specialist and he said there was nothing wrong. I also have a pinched nerve in my t6/7 thoracic spine and the spine specialist said that it wouldnt cause that pain. I starting going to a different doctor, she sent me to get an mri and the mri showed nothing wrong. Ice and heat help with the pain.

I also got a ultrasound and it said theres a small amount fluid fluid the bursa overlaying the supraspinatus. There is also seen in the long head of bicepstendon sheath. The appearance is possibly due to tenosynovitis. Thats not where i feel the pain. The orthopedist that i seen referred me to do physiotherapy and to get a cortisone shot.

The pain is affecting my life and mental health, i cant even use my arm properly anymore. Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully someone can help me to figure out what this pain is.

2 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • 2468Mary
    2468Mary Chronik

    Posted

    Sometimes it is a pinched nerve.
    • Chronik
      Chronik 2468Mary

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply but ive had a mri of my neck and it says everthings alright.
    • 2468Mary
      2468Mary Chronik

      Posted

      Sorry to hear of all your pain. I hope they can find out something soon
    • Chronik
      Chronik 2468Mary

      Posted

      I appreciate the reply i just want to know if the ultrasound results would cause the pain.
  • Oceangirl
    Oceangirl Chronik

    Posted

    Hi chronic

    Sorry to hear your in so much pain

    Unbelievable that its taken so long

    Do you know what you did that started all this eg sport/fall?

    The cortisone should help with the bursa and the pain tho it may take a few weeks to take effect

    On this site there are some fact sheets of all kinds of things put shoulder problems in the search bar and in the box below that automatically says "search everything" there are other options

    Sounds like your getting some decent help now as slow as it may seem

    Your young enough so in time once they sort out your issues, recovery should be possible 😀😀

    • Chronik
      Chronik Oceangirl

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply oceangirl, i think i was working out when it happened. I used to box alot when i was younger. Its like the doctors arent listening, ive went to two specialists about it and they said there was nothing wrong, so i lived with it and it was getting worse.

      So i went to a different specialist with the ultrasound and he said there abit of inflammation in the shoulder. I can never relax, i draw and play guitar and its affecting that. I feel like quitting my job because of it.

    • Oceangirl
      Oceangirl Chronik

      Posted

      Yep I reckon boxing would do it

      Its a fair jolt to the rotator cuff muscles. Especially if the wrong technique was used.

      Cortisone injections should help with that inflamation which will help the pain level. Its possible you made need 2 shots

      When some rotator cuff muscles are not working as the should the others will compensate so the get over used and tighten up causing pain

      Hydrotheraphy is PT evercises usually done in warm water

      With noodles, floating dumbells etc

      My local recreation/swim centre has a hydrotheraphy pool

      Its amazing what you can do in water. It helped me build strength back up in my shoulder

      I certainly wouldnt be quitting your job

      Hopefully between cortisone injections, physical theraphy, and hydotheraphy if you can

      Be patient and hopefully with the treatment and time it'll come good

      Cheers Anne

      Ps Acupunture would help with those sore tight overworked muscles

  • henpen1980
    henpen1980 Chronik

    Posted

    Have you tried water therapy? Ask your doctor. Hang in there!

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 Chronik

      Posted

      Physical Therapy conducted in a swimming pool. Very helpful if it is available near you.

  • henpen1980
    henpen1980 Chronik

    Posted

    Do not quit your job. Figure out a treatment path and keep going. You can do it! Keep your chin up!
    • Chronik
      Chronik henpen1980

      Posted

      Thanks ill have a look at water therapy. Ive been living with it for about 7 year so just got to keep going, it just constanly hurts even at rest. The only thing that really helps is icing my shoulder.
    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 Chronik

      Posted

      Did you injure the shoulder?  Hope that you find something useful with water therapy.

      Have you looked into acupuncture?  I have never done acupuncture, but I have friends (athletes) who swear by it. 

      Finally, have you investigated chiropractic treatment?  Some people like chiropractic treatment.  I went a few times after a vehicle accident in 2001.  It wasn't for me.  I found relief and healing in the swimming pool.  I have an extensive water background, and I knew what to do to help the healing and range of motion (whiplash and bruised brain stem).

      At the moment, I a recovering from three torn rotator cuff muscles.  Two of the tendons had to be reattached with screws (blah).  The injury happened 12/26/16.  Surgery 1/27/17.  I can't wait to get back into a swimming pool.  My PT has asked me to hold off a bit longer.  We are working on dryland PT the past four weeks.  Progress is slow, but there is progress.  Again, I can't wait to get into the water.  

      Hopefully, you will find some relief and a treatment plan.  Do some research online (videos) for more ideas.  Good luck!!!

    • Chronik
      Chronik henpen1980

      Posted

      I think i injured it while working out, i have a disc bulge thats pinching a nerve in the t6/7 thoracic spine. The pain in my shoulder happened a few months after the disc bulge so i thought it was caused by that. Got an mri and it showed nothing wrong, got an ultrasound and it said theres inflammation around the shoulder. I used to get massages on my back done and tryed acupuncture once, it seem to help a little.

      Im not sure about seeing a chiropractic , ive heard bad things about them. Im going to get a cortisone shot and try physiotherapy again. Your injuries sound alot worse than mine, all the best with your recovering. Keep moving forward. Thanks for taking for the time to share your story and replying.

      I just want to moved on from this, its stopping me from doing the things i want to do in my life. I used to exercise all the time but cant anymore because of the pain and weakness in my shoulder.

  • danny51851
    danny51851 Chronik

    Posted

    I wish i could help because that would mean mine was better also. I have had the exact same symptoms for close to 20 years now. I have been to 3 dirrerent specialist they say the same nothing there. The only thing that helps are shots every three months but they wear off to soon. If you find any help please let me know and i will do the same. Thanks.
    • Chronik
      Chronik danny51851

      Posted

      Hey thanks for posting! Just a quick update, it might help someone. I seen a physiotherpist she did some tests. She got me to squeeze my shoulder blade together and said my right scapula is winging abit at the bottom and gove me some scapula exercise to strengthen my middle and lower trapezius muscles. She said the pain in my shoulder could be caused by weakness in those muscles.

      Ive been researching online, the pec minor when really tight can tilt the scapula forward and that feels like whats happening because my shoulder look rounded in the mirror. I bought a body length foam roller and lay on it and let my shoulder down slower to stretch the chest or sometimes i use a rolled up towel. I massage the pecs with a tennis ball to relax the muscle. I draw and play guitar alot so i think bad postore and muscle imbalances is causing the pain.

      Im going to keep stretching the pecs and upper trapezius because that gets tight too. Also strengthen the weak muscles to pulled the scapula back in the proper position. Im going to see the physio again in a couple of weeks.

      I aslo been watching some physiotherapy videos on youtube. Ive learnt alot from watching those. Chronic pain can be really frustrating and exhausting, and it can affect your mental health but theres always other options that you can try that might help. Ill give an update when i make progress.

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