Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi,
Does anyone have any tips or recommendations for shoulder pain - possible impingement ? Even strong painkillers on prescription don't help. Pain radiates down arm, into the bicep, through to the middle finger/knuckle. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.
0 likes, 22 replies
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nancy1962 Grimm
Posted
Hi,
Have you seen a doctor for this problem and had physical therapy? Any imaging?
Grimm nancy1962
Posted
Yes, I've seen a doctor and had referral for a MRI scan. I was also seeing a physiotherapist. With the lockdown now in place, I cannot access the scan or the physiotherapy. Even codeine painkillers on prescription are not helping. I'm stuck for the moment, it seems. Thank you very much for your reply.
janine_68532 Grimm
Posted
hi,
It's the worst pain. See a good physiotherapst who will be able to give the best treatment. I had steroid injections into my shoulder. Several times before surgery. You need a proper diagnosis and maybe scans. Good luck. Icing helps. x
Grimm janine_68532
Posted
I had a physiotherapist but with lockdown now I cannot get treatment. I'm also waiting for MRI scan, but same story as above. I'm stuck and in a lot of pain, never known anything like it. Thank you very much for your reply.
sandra91776 Grimm
Posted
I feel your pain
I have impingement in my left shoulder and nothing helps
i had a cortisone shot back late February and it helped for about a week
The doctor wanted me to go for MRI and PT I just dont have the money I have insurance but I still have to pay $30 every session of PT and $100 for MRI
I broke my ankle last July and the shoulder pain is the result of me having to use my arms to get up and down stairs My ankle is healed but my shoulder hurts everyday
I find when Im up and moving its not as bad as when Im sitting and relaxing
Ive used ice and heating pad and not much help
Grimm
Posted
Sorry to hear about your shoulder. I was having physiotherapy until the lockdown, now it's not allowed. Also awaiting MRI scan, who knows when with lockdown. I'm stuck and in awful pain. Thank you for your reply.
max10793 Grimm
Posted
Hi Grimm
I used an ice machine for a couple weeks after rotator cuff surgery which did relieve some pain. without ice I would have such pain it kept me up every couple hours.
Each time it wakes me at night now I do some pendulum stretches and try to loosen it up.
I took an herbal supplement called acute, cbd oral and a which gave some relief.
Lately, out of desperation I broke out the old extra strength icy hot.
It actually calmed it down on bad days (smelly yes!).
What helped me the most was my physical therapist. I am so blessed that they are still
permitted to be open here in our state.
Perhaps you could google some videos on therapy for impingment. There are many
stretches that are low impact that helped me (shrugs, pendulums etc.). Perhaps you could find an office that would telemed you some stretches.
My next step was going to be acupuncture.
My saviour was my physical therapist, he manipulates my muscles which gave me much relief over the past weeks.
I will definitely pray for your pain to be relieved and the covid restrictions in hour area are lifted.
Grimm max10793
Posted
Hi Max,
Thank you so much for your reply. I'm sorry you had to have surgery and hope you are recovering well.
My pain is severe. I am doing some pendulum and shrugs - shoulder blade squeezes -and walking hands up the wall. Only gentle stuff, other wise it's just too painful. I guess it will take some time. My physiotherapist was great - before lockdown - hands on deep tissue massage brought great relief. Now I'm not sure when I'll get this again.
Thank you very much.
Grimm.
nancy1962 max10793
Posted
Hi Max,
Can I ask when you had surgery? I am going in Wednesday and as you can imagine am quite anxious. I did get the ice machine.
(Grimm hope you do not mind my asking in your thread, you may want to remember these things in case you have to go the same route).
Im sorry both you and Grimm are both having pain.
I found a CBD cream that actually does help some.
Grimm my PT will see patients who are in real need. Yours completely closed down???
Grimm
Edited
Hi Nancy,
Yes, my physiotherapists have completely shut down, won't reply to emails either. I wonder what they're doing ! I will try to find another that is open. (Maybe UK doing lockdown differently to other countries). Thank you for your message Nancy. Best of luck with your surgery. Take care, Grimm.
lisa31647 Grimm
Posted
Hi Grimm,
I had rotator cuff surgery (full thickness tear repair, subacromical decrompression and debridement) December 3, 2019. I have been going to PT 3 x per week since 1 week post surgery, but then stopped on March 13th when my daughter traveled home from NYC. There are a lot of elderly patients and I didn't want to take a chance. Long story short, I wasn't able to return until this past Friday - but in the meantime I used a theraband over the door to simulate some of the exercises I did at PT. My therapist said I had retained much of the progress, although I have been experiencing more pain recently. I think it's from all the cooking I've had to do honestly, I still can't lift anything heavy and cooking in addition to working full time on my computer is too much.
I hope you can maybe use a theraband to keep your shoulder moving. I too had multiple steroid injections. The first two didn't help more than a week and were prior to my surgery. The last one was post surgery to treat frozen shoulder - yep, it froze again after surgery and was so painful. Anyway, the last one has helped along with PT and while I have a long way to go, I am seeing some small improvements.
Good luck with your recovery, and don't put off the surgery if that's what it comes down to!!
Grimm lisa31647
Edited
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for your post. I hope your recovery is going well and the pain isn't to bad. I'm really hoping I don't need surgery ! Funny you should mention the computer as I think this makes my shoulder much worse. I'm trying to ease off using it. I'm continuing exercises for the time being. Not sure when I'll see my physiotherapist again ! Hope the lockdown doesn't last too much longer for anyone. I have a Theraband also.
Take care,
Grimm.
nancy1962 Grimm
Posted
Grimm, my bicep/shoulder pain is near always exacerbated by computer and phone!
I hope you get answers soon!
max10793 Grimm
Edited
Good morning Nancy,
After being in denial and then putting it off for a year...
I had my surgery Jan. 30, 2020
I felt something pull in my shoulder dec. 2018 and put up with it till march 2019 .
Having known from experiencing a small tear in my other shoulder several years ago, I thought this one would go away too with stretching exercises. It also seemed less painful in the beginning so this time I procrastinated.
Then in March I felt more snaps in my shoulder just from putting wash on the line.
This time I decided to go to the dr.
They only did an xray said I probably have tendonitis and sent me to physical therapy.
I took my instructions home and did my exercises on my own like before.
Then while on vacation in June, major pain that felt like my shoulder dislocated .
Went back to dr.,had an mri and was informed I had a small tear that needed surgery. I am in retail I felt it was a bad time to be off so we discussed putting it off.
I am very active and he thought I had enough viable tissue to wait.
Continued physical therapy for 4 weeks.
Stopped pt, felt great, decided no surgery!
Wrong!
Another fun vaca in sept of hiking up rocky cliffs and ouch!
I'm telling you all this to say,
Just get it over with and fix yourself if you need to. Don't put your job first.
I think I damaged it more with my lifestyle and work demands.
It turned out my bicep needed repaired and the remaining tissue was very thin so I was likely going to have more tears had I waited longer.
Gods been good to me through it. With the shutdown I am now furloughed from my work so it buys me more time to strengthen before I go back.
Despite my best efforts I am a bit behind.
If you need surgery I'd seek out the best shoulder surgeon and then afterwards the best
physical therapist you can find!
Keep us posted.
ala02045 Grimm
Edited
I have exactly the same thing. Unable to sleep for the last 3 nights. Did you find any solution? The pain is significant and I'm completely depressed because of it. Everything is closed and nobody can help me.
I'm trying to immobilize my shoulder. It helps a bit, but not nearly enough. I'm having the worst thoughts....
lisa31647 ala02045
Posted
can you get your doctor to prescribe muscle relaxers for you? My shoulder injury was a result of a hit-and-run accident, that also caused me to need next surgery and I have a back surgery to look forward to in my near future. Even though my neck and shoulder have both been repaired, I still cannot sleep without taking Soma at night. I feel your pain!
nancy1962 ala02045
Posted
ala and Grimm I feel so bad for you both. Can you call your doctors and get a prescription? Also if not I bought a CBD cream from my local wellness store and it really helped! You may want to check it out. It was a godsend!