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Falling and Shoulder Pain
Over a week ago I was at home bagging up unwanted clothes. I accidentally tripped on one of the full bags on the floor. I jerked my right arm trying to catch myself from falling. I have been in tremendous pain since in my right shoulder. Two days ago I was attempting to pull a sweater over my head and I heard a pop and my right shoulder popped back in place. I never knew that my daily 10 level pain was caused by my shoulder being out of socket. I thought I had pulled something in my arm. So my arm is back in socket but I am still in terrible pain. Any suggestions on what to do. I have been putting heat on it when home and voltaren gel, icy hot etc.I was going to go to the doctor but since it popped back in I figure there is no not much they can do. It is a level 8-10 on the pain scale but we know I am not going to get any pain medication.
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@cyn77 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support.
It sounds like you have some good information to give. May I ask what caused your frozen shoulder specifically?
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1 ReactionI tried to lift a portable microphone PA system. I felt something pull the minute I moved the thing. I put some ice on it and then heat and tried not to use it so much. A friend warned me that I shouldn’t wait too long before going to the doctor but I did. My shoulder got worse band I could barely raise my arm without pain. Finally I went to an orthopedic doctor who xrayed it and said I had a frozen shoulder. This led to shots and physical therapy. Took almos two years for my shoulder to heal. Don’t wait too long!
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3 ReactionsOh I might mention that I was 69/70 years old so that may have played some part in my problem.
@cyn77 we are in the same ball field age wise! I have sent a message to my PCP office and am hoping they answer sometime tomorrow. I requested either a video or personal visit, explaining my pain level and what happened. I am hoping this by passes the front desk and I can get some professional medical advice. I have definitely been spoiled by the orthopedic department at Mayo Rochester!
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2 Reactions@erikas I sent a message to the practice tonight hoping it will go directly to a medical person in the back area. I explained what happened and asked for a video or personal visit. If they can't accommodate me asked.if I need to go to ER! My pain level is going up not down. Yes, you could say we live in a rural farming area outside of Kalamazoo. My PCP office is new and was built in what was a corn field.
@suzanne2, How in heavens name did you tolerate that high-level pain from what appears to be a dislocated shoulder? I did that and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. They tied my arm to the ceiling light so it would be in an upward position and gave me more pain meds once I proved to them that I could use biofeedback to lower my blood pressure. I stayed in the ambulance shell until they got images and the orthopedic surgeon was called to come in at 4 a.m. to reset it. Are you sure you don't want to have it set and then help you learn how to recover as painlessly as possible?
Please see someone soon who can help with your pain. Ice, ice, ice to keep the swelling down if possible. The pain leads to anxiety about the pain which leads to more pain. You also, like me, may have torn a rotator cuff. And I say please again.....please don't let that go.....if it is torn you want it to have a chance to heal and become strong again. I hope your practice calls you right back. If not you must re-evaluate going to the ER. Do you have an imaging center where you can at least have some images done?
Is it just your shoulder or have you in any way suffered from fractures in your elbow? How far down does the pain travel? I apologize for the run of questions. It is just that you may be walking down my road.....very rough and bumpy.
Oh my.....you will be at the top of my "concerned" list. Please let all of us know the diagnosis and how we can continue to help you.
May you be safe and protected. What else can we do?
Chris
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2 ReactionsGood evening @cyn77, thanks for your words of wisdom and for sharing your frozen shoulder experience. It is nothing to want to know about first-hand dear @suzanne2. And you are correct, it is often extremely difficult to overcome since there are so many connective tissues that need to be restored to activity. If you would like some technical information, let's see if @jenniferhunter can give you an introduction to Myofascial Release or MFR. Your ligaments are made of the tight, thick fascia. I'll let her tell you.
May you be both be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris
I’m glad you’re not waiting. The sooner you know what is really going on with your shoulder the better. They may be able to give you an injection to ward off a frozen shoulder. You can google frozen shoulder and get the real medical name and symptoms. Best of luck to you!
@artscaping the pain has been an 8-10 and I didn't realize it was out of the socket until I accidentally popped it back in! Never had it happen before. I did get a video chat with my PCP this afternoon. He said the ER would not have seen me, not an emergency. The only thing insurance will let him do is refer me for physical therapy. If that doesn't work I can get an MRI and see an orthopedic doctor! Insurance rules medicine. I am getting some pain meds, Norco. Hopefully I can get into PT soon. Three weeks is way to long to have this go on.I thought I just twisted wrong.
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1 ReactionSad about insurance restrictions. It seems like the pcp would do an X-ray/mri at least then do physical therapy. Seems backwards to me. How is the physical therapist to know what to do? Will they just assume. You have a shoulder strain? Best of luck to you