Falling and Shoulder Pain

Posted by suzanne2 @suzanne2, Dec 12, 2020

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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@mickeymoose

Thanks for that Elizabeth, sadly cant see my gp at the mo, something to do with a global pandemic. Oh well I will

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Definitely have to a.word with my hospital gp..

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I fell a few years ago and tore my rotator cuff. It was very painful. Strongly suggest you have a orthopedic doctor look at it. You might need rotator cuff sugery. After that, you'll need physical therapy. Good luck...

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@bbeebe1943

I fell a few years ago and tore my rotator cuff. It was very painful. Strongly suggest you have a orthopedic doctor look at it. You might need rotator cuff sugery. After that, you'll need physical therapy. Good luck...

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My Dad had a rotator cuff issue. He was a tennis player. It became a assisted living ADL because he couldn't dress himself anymore at age 84. I dunno why he didn't go for the surgery, he never asked me to attend a consult, Dad didn't want the surgery? Calvin, is that you? 🙂

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@Erinmfs

My Dad had a rotator cuff issue. He was a tennis player. It became a assisted living ADL because he couldn't dress himself anymore at age 84. I dunno why he didn't go for the surgery, he never asked me to attend a consult, Dad didn't want the surgery? Calvin, is that you? 🙂

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This is me responding to myself! I fell on my bicycle in the fall, and I have been attending physical therapy, she says I have a rotator cuff issue. I haven't gone to see a surgeon yet. I am starting to browse Connect for others with a rotator cuff issue. They are not fun. I have pain at night while I roll over in bed onto my shoulder, and I am having trouble particfipating in YMCA exercise classes, especially weight lifting. Are there others with rotator cuff issues?

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@jenniferhunter

@suzanne2 Yes, I had pain for about 6 weeks while the shoulder SLAP tear injury was healing. Raising my arm hurt and it felt like a sprain. It wasn't bad if I wasn't moving the joint. The inflammation that caused a frozen shoulder after a diagnostic MRI with a gadolinium injection in the joint was far worse and I had intense pain and the slight motion of my shoulder from breathing made it hurt all the time. I had to put that in a sling for about 2 and a half months, and then rehab a frozen shoulder. Moving it at all was out of the question. The MRI was done for shoulder instability, and just doing physical therapy without imaging would have been a better choice, but I listened to the doctor. It really was the injection that caused it; a standard MRI without any contrast material would have been fine.

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How do we find out that imaging and contrast materials have the ability to increase the harm we already have. I had an intense shoulder ultrasound which took me from shoulder pain at a 4-5 level to a ten. The ultrasound was intense in that my arm was put into a number of painful postures. Now I am being treated by excellent doctors, but the path will be a long one. The ultrasound was ordered by a PA (Physicians Assistant) and I found was unnecessary.

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With that level of pain, please see a doctor. You don't need to be enduring that if there is something - perhaps physical therapy - that can help you. Take Care

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@suzanne2

@lotsofpain I did get prescribed Norco. My doctor said he could only do 14 pills for. 7 days, with no refills. He advised me to just take one st bedtime. That way I could have them for 14 days to sleep. Anyone else get such a restricted prescription? It is not like I ask for pain meds all the time. My pain level is high and it may be 2-3 weeks before I hear from PT! He said he was following the law. He said people get addicted after 7 days.

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My belief is that many doctors are concerned about protecting their bowl of food. The opioid climate is so volatile right now that its a rare doctor that will do what the patient needs - rather than act in fear of losing his position or beinf lectured by a supervisor. I'm sorry about your experience.

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@AlwaysHopeful

How do we find out that imaging and contrast materials have the ability to increase the harm we already have. I had an intense shoulder ultrasound which took me from shoulder pain at a 4-5 level to a ten. The ultrasound was intense in that my arm was put into a number of painful postures. Now I am being treated by excellent doctors, but the path will be a long one. The ultrasound was ordered by a PA (Physicians Assistant) and I found was unnecessary.

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@AlwaysHopeful I hope you are getting care you need now. It seems a lot of issues are caused by tight bodies with muscle that put pressure on joints. My physical therapist would treat something like that with myofascial release stretching which would unwind the knotted muscle and fascia, but not force a range of motion. I have done a lot of it and have benefited. Here is our discussion on MFR:

Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
There is a provider search here. http://mfrtherapists.com/

Shoulder injuries are really painful in my experience.

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