Shoulder pain for 6 months - no diagnosis
Posted , 24 users are following.
My left shoulder has been in pain for 6 months now. The pain has progressively gotten worse and worse and it is now at the point that even moving my arm slightly is troubling. I had an ultrasound done recently which showed nothing. Everything the ultrasound could see was normal.
The pain has always been at the inside front of my shoulder, but recently it's been spreading to my bicep, outer upper chest and neck. The front of my shoulder is still in pain the most frequently - to be precise, it's the area just below my collar bone and just inside the shoulder ball. That seems to be the source.
I'll go through all the symptoms I have.
- doing these things causes extreme pain at the inside front of my shoulder: lifting my arm to the front, above my head, or to the side, picking up even slightly heavy objects, pushing or pulling heavy things.
- doing simple things such as brushing my teeth, dressing, doing my hair are painful, again at the front of my shoulder.
- lying down on my back with my arm by my side gives me a distinct burning pain in my shoulder, and at times it radiates down to my bicep. This burning pain only comes when i lie down. (Just started a few weeks ago)
- my outer upper chest, near my armpit, hurts at times when I'm resting.
- recently I've started to sometimes feel dull pain in my neck, just above my collar bone. Not frequent at all.
- if I apply heat to the shoulder I sometimes get pins and needles down my arm, and it goes numb in certain positions (lying down and sitting down). This doesn't seem to happen as much with ice treatment. (New symptom again)
- laughing causes pain, as does talking too much and too loudly. After any sort of a gathering I'm always in immense pain, even if my arm is fully rested.
- I have trouble feeding myself most of the time.
It will probably be helpful if I tell you the cause of this pain. I injured my other (right) shoulder a year ago in March. I was unable to sleep on that side, or on my front, since that injury. I couldn't fall asleep on my back and so I slept on my left shoulder, exclusively. All night, every night. After about 5 months I started feeling discomfort when lying down on it, but I made nothing of it and carried on as that was the only way I could sleep. The discomfort slowly turned into pain (at the inside front of my shoulder, below my collar bone). I would only feel this pain when lying down on it. Apart from that my shoulder was absolutely fine.
Then one morning I woke up and the pain was immense and using my arm was painful that whole day. (The pain being exclusively in the location described before - nowhere else.) Since that day I have learnt to sleep on my back.
The pain did go away after a few days of rest but since my right arm was pretty much unusable, I had no choice but to resume using my left.
So the pain would come and go depending on how much I would be using my shoulder. Driving was the worst at bringing the pain back. This on and off thing went on till about 2 months ago. Now the pain is always present.
It's difficult to use both my arms and I'm pretty much stuck at home, being looked after by my family. Even doing the simplest things has become impossible.
I'm waiting for surgery on my right shoulder for a suspected labral tear but I still don't know have a diagnosis for my left shoulder.
Any help would be appreciated. What could the problem be? What step should I take next?
2 likes, 30 replies
DawnDedee roblee
Posted
Hope you find your answer, treatment and relief soon!
💛 Dawn, USA
lindaudio roblee
Posted
I've recently suffered a shoulder fracture & have been sleeping on my back, too. It's no fun, that's for sure. And daily pain is depressing as well.
My best to you as you travel on this road. Plz update us as you move through the process.
My best,
Linda
roblee
Posted
He also said an X-Ray would be useless as it's definitely not bone damage.
He suspects it could be a frozen shoulder and suggested I think about trying a cortisone shot, or physiotherapy. I've been referred to the physio and haven't yet made up my mind on the cortisone shot.
Having done some research some of my symptoms do match those of a frozen shoulder in the initial freezing stage, but a lot don't. Another problem it could potentially be is a pinched nerve. That would explain the pins and needles and the dull neck pain.
But I'm just speculating, could be anything.
I'm curious about the MRI though. Should I insist on having one done?
lindaudio roblee
Posted
Linda
DawnDedee roblee
Posted
roblee DawnDedee
Posted
mymaude roblee
Posted
roblee mymaude
Posted
Some symptoms do match, but others don't.
The pain in my shoulder is exclusive to the inside front, no pain on the outside, side or back.
The pins and needles I get every now and then are confusing as well, as they would generally indicate nerve damage. The distinct burning pain at night - is that a symptom of frozen shoulder?
I have an initial appointment with the physio in 3 weeks, so hopefully he should be able to diagnose my problem.
mymaude roblee
Posted
Parps roblee
Posted
roblee Parps
Posted
About arthritis, since 3/4 years I have had mild pain in two of my finger joints in my right hand, as well as the inside of my left knee. It has never interfered with my day to day life and is very minor. The knee I've only ever felt if bending my leg inwards or in an abnormal way. I'm not able to crack the two finger joints and always leave them out when cracking my fingers. They hurt immensely if I try. I had an X-ray of my fingers but the results were fine.
I have recently started feeling pain in my right elbow, but this could be due to the slightly bent position my right arm is in all night when I sleep due to my shoulder pain.
Could all these joint pains be linked to both my shoulder problems?
AliceVictoria roblee
Posted
I also think you would benefit from a second opinion..you know your own body,and the level of pain you are in,and an MRI. My GP,who I first saw to refer me for XRay on my wrist,then shoulder and elbow,followed by an ultrasound,,said often stress fractures,which is just another name for a fracture that doesn't have a clean break,doesn't show up properly.If the rotor cuff tears,and Bursitis (inflammation)hadn't shown up,an MRI would be the next option.Cortisone helped a bit,but I still have inflammation and worsening pain.When I wake in the morning,I sometimes can hardly move my arm,as it has very little feeling.I also have the tingling,strange sensation,and neck and shoulder pain.Physio exercises are so gentle,as to be almost non existent,and because my arm is not supported at all,I am still using my right arm/hand which is my natural one to use.We are not sure if I am going to need surgery as this looks set to drag on with legal proceedings,as the shop where I had the fall,are making things hard with trying to get compensation for everythiing.I also had a Fra turned collarbone,and have Osteoarthritis in wrists,neck,spine and hips and the start of osteopenia in the damaged arm.
Wishing you all the best,and please,get it seen to,as you are going to do more damage.
Alice. 🌞💕
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roblee AliceVictoria
Posted
I am seeing a physio in 3 weeks time so hopefully should get a diagnosis then, if not I'll insist on getting an MRI.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope you get the compensation you deserve soon. Good luck with everything.
mymaude roblee
Posted
roblee
Posted
Turns out the problem was in my pectoralis minor. There is a lot of tightness in the muscle and quite a few trigger points are present too. These were referring the pain into my front shoulder.
I have started self massaging and stretching my pec minor and there is considerable improvement in my shoulder. It will take a while to fully get rid of the problem but it definitely seems to be the pec minor and the treatment seems to be working.
If anyone has symptoms such as mine, don't rule out the problem actually being elsewhere.
It will help to try and locate any trigger points which might be causing the pain and I would highly recommend reading "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook" by Clair Davies.
Parps roblee
Posted
Good news you have diagnosed your shoulder issue...have you ever tried a TENS machine,they are quite reasonable and can give you a good result?
Will update on my shoulder issue when the results are available...
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