Hello everyone, not really sure why I,m posting this but hoping that it might resonate with someone.

I have pain in my upper left arm and shoulder, I,ve had it for months(been niggling can,t say when or how it really started) but in the last coming up for 4 weeks now I would say its been really bad.Its there all the time, it feels like it is coming from deep within the arm(possibly the muscle?)I think what could have set it off bad was that I took my kids swimming and where I had to quickly reach out to grab my little boy, I used that arm/shoulder without thinking and the pain in my arm was excruciating.Also I couldn,t swim.
When it was coming on gradually it was like a stiffening of the shoulder.I found I couldn,t raise my arm above my shoulder(still can,t but its slightly better)dressing and undressing was getting a little tricky and it just felt like I was loosing strength in that arm, that it was getting weak.

Driving has been the most difiicult thing as I was finding that changing gears was agony
I went to the Drs(very unsympathetic) and he sent me off with anti-inflammatories(Diclofenac), no painkillers.Started taking the pills, can truthfully say haven,t noticed anything other than possibly a bit more movement range in arm.
Went for an x-ray of shoulder(I had to ask for this) and a full blood test.Am still waiting on the results.Went back to Drs, now have more Diclofenac and Co-codamol.Pain is still there but just a bit suppressed, Co-codamol is making me feel sleepy which isn,t a good way to be with children.

About 5 yrs ago I did have a Rotator Cuff type injury in that shoulder so it could be that returning but the pain is different, its not in my shoulder as much(I understand a little about referred pain) its more deep in my upper arm and the pain, well its making me cry.I cry every day and its making me feel sick.

I don,t know what to do, how to try and manage this pain daily until I can find out(if I find out) what it is.

For those of you living with pain , what do you find helps you?
I,ve tried the hot baths and putting heat on my arm does help a little.But I can,t look anything up(I know internet diagnosing seriously problematic )

Also, I,m not sure what else I can ask for, I don,t think the x-ray will show anything, but then again it might.I think the blood tests will come back with more but what I don,t know.

My husband has a work private health type thing(Bupa I think) I don,t know if its worth trying to do something with this.
I just don,t have any faith I,m afraid in my Dr and because I don,t know what it might be, I can,t properly research it and know what to ask for/expect.
Has anyone been in a similar situation?
In fairness though it probably is a very grey area as it could be so many things.
Could do with some advice really, have exhausted all avenues with friends and don,t know anyone who has suffered like this that I can talk to.
I,m not sleeping well as I roll over and the pain wakes me up so I,m tired from the broken sleep and tired from taking the painkillers and now I,m tired from the enforced walking as driving is so difficult(but I don,t mind the latter so much)

Thank you if you have managed to read this

MM08

I'm sorry that your GP is being so unsympathetic, is that the only doctor in your practise or could you see another one?

If your husband has BUPA or similar health care, I'd be sorely (sorry!) tempted to visit them. Even for an initial consultation if you feel that your own GP isn't taking you seriously enough.

What about physiotherapy - is there one in your area you could go to - in my experience they tend to be better at working out what the problem is when it comes to joints since they see them day in/day out as opposed to a GP who sees a whole host of other complaints too.

Not being a doctor I don't want to attempt to diagnose what's going on, but clearly you need to get this looked at by someone who will take you seriously.

Thank you Pomona for your response(I,m crying now daft moo that I am)

I completely understand:>)
With the rotator cuff injury, yes I did have a course of NHS physio and bloody painful it was too
It sort of faded away.Physio, I feel is what I think I will ultimately need and may ask for this from my Dr.
The Bupa option is what my husband is nagging me about but it will be very tricky for me to get to the nearest Bupa hospital as I find driving so painful.I also worry that I am possibly tearing? inflaming something by driving you know.
It,s the dealing with the pain Pomona, I know everyone is different and you cant say tablet "x" should do this but I,m worried about the pain that I am still feeling.I know you can,t quantify pain, but I,m not sure what effect the pain killers are supposed to be having?I suppose another trip to the Drs may be called for.Its just scary to think possibly about how long these things take.The caretaker up at my son,s school was waiting 7 weeks on an x-ray result on his elbow!

MM08

I have some idea what chronic pain is like, though not as bad as you, and not as bad as many have to suffer, but I do know about how it gets you down and you begin to feel as though all you're doing is complaining.

Have you tried ice - bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel and applied to the area and held there for 15 mins at a time, and reapplied every hour? It'll help take down any inflammation.

The other thing, and this is from a First Aid point of view, is to consider resting your arm completely and putting it in a sling. Seriously. The immobility of the joint will give your arm a chance to heal - if you're getting pain while moving it then your arm/shoulder is very clearly telling you that it doesn't want to move thank you very much. Support the arm with your other hand in a position/angle close to your body that feels comfortable and get your husband to wrap a tie, or a tie from a dressing gown or something round your neck and your arm to hold your arm in place.

No matter which option you go for: your own/other GP, BUPA, physio, you need to get it checked out.

If you are with BUPA it would be worth asking about MCTIMONEY Chiropractic. Avoid other types like the plague though!

Thank you Tas Mania, I will look into this and will probably be back with questions if thats o.k:>)

MM08

when you have a diagnosis - if you still don't like taking the pain killers (I know how you feel with that one - i have arthritus & nerve damage from disc problems) try getting a TENS machine - it works on a minute electrical current blocking pain sensations & I wouldn't be without mine now - they cost between £15 and £50. But only use this once you have a diagnosis as you need to know how to fix the problem not just block the pain

Thank you Nicci, I,ve come across these too in my reading so have some awareness of them.Just don,t like the "fuzzy" feeling from the painkillers but guess I am still adapting x x x

MM08

with some people the fuzzy feeling from coedine doesn't go away - for me it did but i have family members who just can't take the stuff

Hints & Tips for diclofenac & Codeine from a long term user (mine are on repeat from the quacks)

1: ALWAYS eat before you take them - even if it is only a couple of biscuits as they can seriously upset your stomach if you don't (i have to take something else now with the diclofenac as otherwise i will just throw them straight back up) i find that carbs are the best for this

2: ensure you drink lots & eat plenty of fibre as codeine can have a nasty side effect of making you constipated and thats the last thing you need when in pain

Also as Tas said earlier try using cold to take the swelling down - it's much nicer than the tablets - i have an icepack in the freezer (one of those ones for cooling bottles so that it can wrap round things) that is used just for this purpose (i was always worried about someone eating the peas & getting ill from them)

(edited for spellings)

sounds to me like a torn tendon or muscle. first things first. put on a sling. i know it hinders movement but it will stop the arm getting 'caught'

i'm not sure but check with your doctors, but here we have to self refer to see a physio. just ring the docs and ask. if they do get on the blower and get an appointment.

i'm a bit of a co codamol addict these days but they do make you very sleepy. best to take them when the pain hits bad and not too often as they are addictive as well.

when in bed try lying on your back and prop your arm up on a pillow. for muscle pain i would recommend trying some votarol pain relief gel. its the only gel ive ever found that works.

regards a tens machine. try looking into hireing one for a try out first.

hon when i send out your samples for testing i will include a deep muscle massage oil. get your hubby to rub it in. you never know it might help

No probs! I do know that here BUPA refers folk to McTimoney practitioners - I have a wonderful man who has literally given me my life back!

Tas xx

Thank you everyone, I,m overwhelmed by your kindness, I,ve only been a member a mere 5mins and you have shown such consideration and concern.You don,t know me but I really feel like I know a lot of you, I,m crying(again) but this time in a nice way.Thank you, I,ll digest all of this brilliant advice and be back(son wants to get back on Club Penguin )

MM08

[hands MM08 a hanky, a cup of tea and a hug]
I've got the exact same thing and it drives me mental. It even makes my ear hurt cos it goes up into my head.
I see a private physio once a month (could be dead before the NHS see me, and I can't affordto see him more often) and it doesn't quite keep it under control.
One thing that works if I can get down to it, is um, no idea what it's really called but here goes:
Centre down into your body as deeply as you can, imagine yourself as a very small person inseide your own body, find the muscle/nerve that hurts and stroke or massage it with your tiny hands. Sometimes I use my feet as well, like pressing grapes.
I imagine the twisted muscle as a sort of rope that needs softening so I gently knead and roll it like dough, stopping to smooth it down or stretch it out now an again.
It does only work when I'm in bed, ready to go to sleep but if you have any skill with meditation you could do it at other times.

I'm intrigued by the idea of resting it since all the medics I've ever appraoched about it insist you HAVE to keep these tings moving oherwise they SIEZE UP AND YOU COULD LOSE THE USE OF YOUR ARM ALTOGETHER!!!!!!! I prefer the idea of resting it in a sling but how I get my GP to sign a note for a week off work is another matter...
Cuprofen is great but it makes me so wheezy I'm not sure if I fall asleep or pass out from lack of air. Voltarol gel halps when It's so bad I can't sleep, takes the edge off it.
BM
xx

P.S.They are a nice bunch on here, just don't let them at the mead.

Hi BM, I think I kinda have a measure of how good everyone is on here.You don,t know how long it took and how much I cried before I posted this but I kind of knew it was a safe be( or hoped it was, I have never exposed myself like this before)

Can I ask if it isn,t being too intrusive(sorry) what they have said you have?
I can understand the ear thing as my nerves generally feel really jangled .

It is so strange that you have said that but that is exactly what I have been trying to do .In my minds eye I see it (the muscle, possibly) as a really tight, screwed up knot that needs releasing and that is what I,m trying to do.

I,m a bit like you BM, use it or lose it, but I can also see the other side.I do think I will need to try and rest it as much as possible.Bottom line my Doc don,t care which is quite scary, cried openly in front of him with the pain, didn,t bat an eyelid, just relieved that he didn,t have to give me a sick note!!!

MM08

It could be a damaged muscle, or it could be a touch of arthritis. Nag your surgery for the test results, and if necessary get a second opinion or a referral to somebody else.

A few hints from a long term arthritis sufferer which may also help with a damaged muscle.

Eat honey. Drizzle it on toast, put a spoonful in warm water and drink, or just lick it off a spoon

Look at what you eat and see if there is a pattern. Some things can make joint pains worse. Usual ones are cheese, wine, coffee, etc (it's never bloody sprouts or cauliflower )

If you finish up on anti-inflammatories for a very long period, ask for a blood test to check for anaemia.

I also use a cream made with Black pepper, lavender & juniper which helps.

Good luck

Opalmoon, your concern is very touching , thank you, I look forward to getting my treats

I am very wary of the Co-codamol as I,ve heard they can lead to dependency.A friend said listen to your body and learn to read the pain but when it feels like your arm is screaming continuously its hard!!! I was taking the max amount a day but have cut out 2 and am trying to space them out.I,ve been falling asleep around tea time and with a 9 and 6 yr old that isn,t good, homework isn,t getting done and kids are loving it as "mum" is too spacey to notice how much time they are on the puter and laptop! (my husband unfortunately works very long hours and is at college 2 nights a week)

I guess I,m just a bit impatient to know what it is so I can get the right treatment started/sorted.

MM08

Hi Freebird, thank you , your insight is much appreciated.My husband unfortunately was on exactly the same anti-inflammatories for a slipped disc(3 months + continual use) They didn,t want to renew his prescription because their is a slight risk of bleeding and ulcers and I,m well aware of this:>( My B.P has been raised but I think this is down to the pain and anxiety of not knowing.I did read somewhere that if you are deficient in Magnesium and some B Vits (B12?) that this can sometimes lead to muscle pain/wastage? As your body can start taking from elsewhere in the body, is this right?

Can,t stand honey but have been taking a local source for my hayfever symptoms(been getting it bad) and know that you have to start immunising yourself early:>)
Have it drizzled on my weetabix(disgusting stuff:>()

The bloods I am awaiting on are the glucose(diabetes) am not I don,t think, cholesterol(worried about this) Thyroid, Liver, Full blood count , ESR(?)Proteins (for kidneys I think) all bog standard stuff I think.

I know what you mean about chasing up the results, the onus I know will be very much on me, these Drs are very busy people!!!

MM08

MM08. right will make you up a lotion tomorrow and send it out straight away if you PM me your address.

as Free says honey is wonderful. if you dont like the taste of honey get some royal jelly capsules. they are excellent as are honey propolis tablets. you can find these at good health food shops.

if the painkillers are making you spacey. id try and wean yourself off a bit. if something is torn. and you exercise it you can actually do more harm than good. im not trying to scare you but it needs to get sorted.

book in to see your GP. take a friend make sure friend has a list of your symptoms in a notebook. tell her to to make notes throughout the consultation. this will make the GP aware that you mean business. while you are there say you cant live like this your kids are starting to suffer you are getting depressed. you feel the GP's lack of help is contributing. he will suddenly feel a bit more inclined to help.

also check and see if you have a practise manager at the surgery. if so you contact them and complain about the doctor. these managers are like rotweillers if they sniff any sort of reprisal they will bend over backwards to help.

i know this as my best mate works as a nurse in a massive surgery and her cousin is the practise manager and all the doctors are terrified of her.

i do hope this helps and dont forget the address.

Living with constant pain can be terrible, I do understand. But please keep clear of the Codeine, Oxycontin type of painkillers, especially if they are not giving powerful relief. I know we have to be very careful discussing these things online as we are not doctors but I can tell you I have been working with a drug addict for a year that got started by doctors prescribing these painkillers. She was once a vibrant teacher and mother and now is a wreck and lives in a terrible hell.
Not saying this would be you in any way but dependency is real and these drugs can be very addictive for some. They can also affect liver, heart and breathing.

Badgersmoon's suggestion of body awareness meditation could be very successful, I have found similar ways of healing can be very powerful, partly in stepping aside from the pain once you have entered it fully (it becomes a sensation other than pain that can be dealt with, difficult to describe but try it), partly in suggestive healing using warmth or light through the affected areas. Be sure to keep an eye on your breathing as you do it, refer back to keeping a slow rhythm as you focus on the pain and let the tears flow if they want.

Again, I am not a doctor but I believe that when you enter the pain fully the body/mind releases natural painkillers. There are many modalities of alternative healing that use similar methods. Have you tried acupuncture?

Your emotional response to this pain/injury also seems very high. Is there anything else going on with you that this is exacerbating? Have a quiet look at this in yourself. And certainly follow up on alternative herbal remedies for anti-inflammatories, not off the shelf but through a holistic healer.

Good luck and best wishes!

Thank you Jape, I can see how I might look a bit emotional but I can be emotional and I think its the mixture of the pain and the tablets possibly.

I do like the ideas that both you and BM have put forward.I will try them today once I have some quiet time.I was thinking of cutting back on the Co-codamol.

As a mother of two young kids there is always something going on so you are spot on there too Jape(am trying to deal with stuff alongside also) You,re good.

MM08

Thank you Opalmoon, I,ll be making an appointment today.I,ve cut right back on the driving and will try and cut it out completely.

MM08

Probably a damaged rotator cuff, but it's a result of years of accidents mixed with a touch of RSI.
Doctors aren't that interested since it's a chronic conditiona dn it's not worth their while to start long tests. SHove some anti-inflams into you is their general atitude...
I'm lucky in that I only have 1 child and sometimes she's at her father's for the wwkend so sometimes I can have a good long relax. That seems to be the best thing for it. even if it is terribly impractical.
BM
xx

TTT - dig out a practinioner who is a McTimoney Chiropracter. Worth EVERY penny.

Hi Nicci, sorry I thought I had replied to you, thank you for that , its very useful I sort of knew a little about it as my husband was taking the same tablets for his prolapsed disc.I didn,t know about the constipation though thats useful to know.We have one of those gel packs from the chiropractor that you put in the freezer, I can use that(don,t know why I didn,t think of it
)

MM08

MM08 your oil is on its way. be warned it is very strong so you wont need much. i have put how to use it in with it. should arrive tomorrow.

i do hope this clears up soon

Hi BM, hear what you are saying about the Drs, know they are not all the same but my experience of them has been quite bad.
I was talking to my husband today about this and he said that they were probably hoping that the tablets would probably clear things up and that they wouldn,t see me again.The earliest appointment I could get was for next Weds morning.I have to phone up each morning just after 9 to see if I can get seen that day but as that is the time my youngest goes into school I can never get through on my mobile and when I do the few appointments have gone, it is frustrating but we are all in the same boat R.E Drs appointments I suppose
I was trying to do this morning and afternoon for about 3 days last week.
When I do see him I,m going to ask for a referral for physio, hopefully he will give me that.My friend who is a nurse was disgusted that no Dr(seen the same one twice) has actually looked at my shoulder and arm yet.The only professional I,ve seen that was doing her job was the nurse practioner I saw at the Walk in clinic, she was fab, took a full history and examined my arm/shoulder, took my temp and B.P.
Am feeling slightly better today have only taken 2 co-codamols so far they were zombiefying me too much, will speak to doc about that too, am still tired but I think the pain makes you tired.I.m glad I don,t work as at least I get a chance to rest up during the day and sleep if I need to.
Thank you for all of your support and advice its nice chatting to someone who,s experienced similar.

MM08

Hi Jape, I,ve been thinking on what you said today and you have really helped me.I do normally work with crystals and am a great believer in the power of the mind and of thought as a tool for healing.I don,t normally work on myself as I find this difficult but I can visualise very well and I sat and worked on myself today.I do feel more positive about things and will continue to do this(alongside taking the diclofenac)I can see now that my mindset was all wrong but understandable given the pain I was in/am still in.You have helped me immensely thank you, I just need a proper diagnosis now:>)

MM08

would like to say something, but I think I'll wait to hear about results (if you choose to say something). Hang in there. big hugs. fizz

I went to see my healer on saturday. Only a quickie cos she was waiting for another client, but it did take the pain away fro a while.
BM
xx

Hi Fizz thank you, my next appointment is Weds a.m, hopefully my results will be in by then, its still bally painful, particularly yesterday and today, is now in the shoulder and I can feel it around the back in my blade.

I,m a bit curious now but thats o.k,

MM08

Just a quick update, its a bad rotator cuff with 50% going towards a frozen shoulder.

MM08

Ah. I had a seriously bad rotator cuff injury 4 years ago. It took a year before the pain began to recede. I could only get to work because I was driving an automatic at the time. At work I got very adept at disguising not wanting to use that arm by linking my hands together and putting them both forward if I wanted to lean on a table during a meeting - I doubt anyone realised it was so I could use one hand to move the other arm.

I finally got to physio and the physiotherapist went ballistic that my GP hadn't referred me earlier. He muttered something about 'scar tissue' which can mean the shoulder never really recovers its full function. So physio is vital. I can hear my shoulder 'click' if I move my arm in a circle, and I guess that's the scar tissue.

I'm finding ATM the pain is coming back. Oh - only a shadow of its former self. But I think I'm going to have to root out one of my old ruckstack-style handbags to ease the pressure of a shoulder bag on that shoulder. And I've still got the 'elastic bands' the physio gave me to use to exercise the shoulder, so maybe it's back to using those.

Ho hum...serious injuries never really go away, do they? And rotator cuffs are very serious.

Sorry MH, didn,t see this, its a terrible injury isn,t it.

My physio was pretty much the same, he was like "did you think it would go away?" and "why didn,t you get physio sooner?" (because I have a numpty of a Dr!
I am finding the exercises I was given very helpful but painful and also putting heat directly onto my arm helps, I have one of those gel packs you can heat in the microwave put around your arm in a sock thing.

I really hope it doesn,t come back for you MH I really do x

MM08

just a quickie.
my physio says 10 mins heat , 10 off and then10mins cold.
I know half an hour is a long time just to sit but it works with me. Rsi in shoulder and broken right hand. slowly mending

Amanda

Thanks Amanda

MM08

hi moon firstly sorry but i have no suggestions for your not too helpful doc but for painrelief i have. TENS machines are good-they may only dull the pain if its really bad but it gives you a bit of time to kick your doc into action.
some people i know have said it was great during early labour but 1person said it just dulled the pain to an ache
im not sure how to explain exaclty what they are apart from it works by blocking pain signals getting to the brain-maybe someone else will know more-sorry
they sell them in boots now pretty cheap so it may be worth going in and talking to someone there-if theres one close to home

hope thats helped a bit Pp xx

TENS machines work by stimulating the body to produce its own endorphins

I have one for my back: a chain of pharmacies (Lloyds) sell them and I bought one where the gel pads heat as well as stimulate: it's absolute bliss. I prefer using it to the painkillers because the relief is immediate: it's like having a targetted firm massage which pleasurably stimulates pain blockers. I love mine I have to say

Thank you ladies, Pomono we have a big Lloyds chemist near us and I have seen those heat pad TENs machines and yes they are reasonably priced.

I had another physio session yesterday and saw a different chap and he is of the opinion now that it isn,t 50% going towards a frozen shoulder , it is one so now I have different exercises to do.

I was using my microwaveable heat pad and taking my max dose of painkillers which was a shame as it spoilt my Samhain celebrations somewhat I couldn,t focus but there is always today and tomorrow x

And PP thank you for taking the time out to help me x

MM08

i was going to suggest a Tens machine but have been beaten to it,also Tiger Balm is really good too,just dont use too much as it gets really hot,your right to be careful with the pain killers ,i have been on them for years and they help with the pain but cause all sorts of other problems so are best avoided if at all possible

Thank you Morbidia I didn,t know about Tiger Balm I shall look into it.

MM08

O,h and the new physio I saw is now saying its 100% frozen shoulder.

MM08