shoulder injury.. any suggestions to what is going on

[taniaaust1]

Something dont seem right with my shoulder so im wondering if anyone has any ideas.

I firstly injured my shoulder and dont have any idea how i got what was first diagnosed as "pulled muscle" as i hadnt done anything with it, one day it just started hurting for no reason, i hadnt tried to lift anything, i hadnt done anything to it which could of hurt it.

A bit later (after someone got a bit rough with me while the pulled muscle was healing), i was diagnosed with a tear in my shoulder tendon (showed up on ultrasound) and had impingement of my shoulder (showed on the ultrasound) and have been on anti inflammatories (and had a cortisone injection) and having weekly physio for past 3 mths (ive had about 15 physio sessions). I think the CFS is keeping it in an inflammation state and it gets worst each time i try to stop the meds.

Physio has been helping greatly my forward arm raises but my side arm raising.. i dont know if it's really improving and something seems really wrong with it when i do that.

Unlike the forward raising in which once it gets to a certain spot, (still limited movement range) i cant raise it any further upwards as it starts to pull (with some pain). the forward up raise feels like a normal injury which is SLOWLY improving over time..


With the side raises thou once it reaches a certain place.. it like freezes/paralyses. It isnt pain stopping it and i cant even get it to the point where i feel like a stretch is happening. If someone else thou moves it upwards sidewards.. it can be moved to the point where there is a stretch and pain going on (i cant raise it myself sidewards much higher than shoulder height). Why cant i move it myself beyond a certain point seeing it isnt pain stopping my ability to move it??? Why cant i get it even to the point where i feel there is a stretch going on???? Arm is strong till it gets to that point, then nothing at all.

Anyone have any idea what this issue is? The fact that it feels like it's paralysed beyond a certain point is really concerning me. There is no strength there at all to move it beyond a certain point. I dont think the physio has understood this when ive been trying to tell him. im not capable of moving it further as the strength suddenly goes at that point. Something seems very wrong.

(Physio said i couldnt move it beyond a certain point as gravity itself is putting a weight on it but the thing is doing the same movement while laying on my back instead of doing it when standing, so gravity should affect it differently, i get exactly the same result going on in the same place. I know it isnt the gravity putting my weight on my arm causing the issue. It's like the brain messages to move suddenly stop getting to the arm and dont get to it from that point onwards.

 

[Jenny]

Sounds a bit like 'frozen shoulder' tania - my husband had this - it gradually got better with physio. It's very common. Google it, and you'll be able to see whether the symptoms fit yours.

Jenny

 

[Martlet]

It can take months to a year to really get better, Tania, even for a normally healthy person. :-(

 

[Rafael]

Yeah, I had something like Frozen Shoulder for about a year. Started in one and then the other one got it too. (not trying to give your body any new ideas)
It coincided with the low point in my ME. So I wasn't moving around a lot in general.
But my Physio impressed me with a clear explanation of whats going on inside and the different causes for it.
One cause was as mysterious as many ME symptoms and usually eventually goes away. Another was a blatant injury - which neither of us seemed to have.
You might want to find a more "senior" Physio or sports medicine type.
He gave six gentle exercises to do myself plus some that required assistance (Physio or Mom or wife).
It slowly got better and as I have gotten better all around it has completely gone away.

Good luck.

 

[camas]

Sure sounds like a frozen shoulder. Mine came on out of the blue last July and isn't totally healed, but most of my range of motion is back. The physical therapist I saw said that she's sees a lot of FM patients with this. She was very honest in saying that whether you had physical therapy or not the outcome was generally the same -- it takes a year or more to heal itself.

I found that stretching just aggravated mine. The things that helped were acupuncture, just one treatment took away most of the pain, and a book on trigger points called The Frozen Shoulder Workbook: Trigger Point Therapy for Overcoming Pain & Regaining Range of Motion by Clair Davies. The book's a little dense, but did help me find and work out most of the points which seemed to help my range of motion.

Sorry you are going through this. It's no fun at all.

 

[klutzo]

I agree that it can take up t o a year to get back to normal.

My supraspinatus muscle was ripped in half during gallbladder surgery, as well as my biceps tendon, because I have fibromyalgia, and they insist on putting your arm out at a 90 degree angle to your body during operations. My tight muscles could not take it.

I did 5 weeks of physical therapy, 3 X weekly, then continued doing the exercises at home for 3 yrs. now. I was told I would regain up to 90% of my range of movement if I did that, and I've regained at least 95%. The only alternative I was offered was surgery on my shoulder, during which they probably would have put my other arm at 90 degrees to my side and ripped that shoulder too, so I said NO.

It took a whole year of doing the exercises daily before I could sleep on that side again. The pain was too much. I think the over the shoulder lift is much easier lying down on the bed and am surprised it's just as hard for you that way. I also use therabands, and do four exercises with them for my shoulders. I do those 3 times a week, but do the over the head reach laying down every morning before getting up.

I wonder if your shoulder froze due to not doing the exercises every day. I have no idea; just wondering, since I was told I had to do that for at least four months. It seems like an MRI of the shoulder would be a good idea if you've not had one.....that's how I was diagnosed. If you are not already diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, I would question that as well. This sort of injury is very typical in Fibro, due to muscles constantly being in the shortened position, and as far as I know, it is not typical if you have only CFS.

I went to an Orthopedist for the MRI and he was also able to give me a tiny amt. of cortisone directly into the problem area, using the MRI as a guide. That helped me move it further to break up the tightness at first. Maybe they could do that for you?

I know how much this hurts and I pray you will find a solution.

klutzo

 

[taniaaust1]

Thanks everyone for your posts... gives me more of an idea what to probably expect. I changed physios as my other was too far away but this newer one has now just told me he thinks my shoulder will be better with 4 more sessions. Im finding that hard to believe due to how long I've now had the issue and all the physio Ive already had and how it still is.

If you are not already diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, I would question that as well. This sort of injury is very typical in Fibro, due to muscles constantly being in the shortened position, and as far as I know, it is not typical if you have only CFS.

I did have severe Fibromyalgia for the first few years of the CFIDS. It's rare nowdays for me to get any fibro symptoms but I guess maybe it's still sitting there.. awaiting to flare right back up again. Interesting that so many here mentioned the fibro connection as I know another with CFIDS who also had frozen shoulder and she too has fibo. (thou most with CFIDS do have fibro).

 

[glenp]

Ive had the shoulder probs, impringement and frozen shoulder I resisted the cortisone shots and surgery. I stuck with arthrotec and massage and it has settled down nicely. I also bought an inexpensive infrared massager which is very handy. Also had tendonitis and I forget the name but on opposite site of the elbow like tennis elbow--so couldnt tell what - and at one time carpal tunnel but had that surgery and it made NO difference whatsover

glen

 

[muffin]

Odd, since I woke up in pain in my left shoulder a few days ago and it felt like a frozen shoulder. From sleeping? I must have slept on it wrong. Or, did something during the day that yanked on it incorrectly. I am using Voltaren Gel on the shoulder and it may be helping somewhat. If I weren't so sick to death of doctors I would go to one and see what's going on but I will wait and wait until it is really bad. Don't do what I do. Get to a doctor and see what you might have done to it and then get the meds, rehad, whatever.
It really does hurt, esp. when lifting. Frozen shoulder is bad. Sorry you are in this pain.

 

[leela]

Yup, I've had something like frozen shoulder for at least a year, too. When it first started the naturopath and the acupuncturist thought it had something to do with the gall bladder meridian . Indeed, my gall bladder doesn't produce enough bile, and apparently harbors some of the lovely pathogens we PWCs tend to secret away.
The pain and range of motion have changed over time, and perhaps due to compensation, the opposite hip has now become painful too.

It is now much better than it was at its worst-- I have been treating weekly with chiro/massage, but it still has a ways to go. I've only been doing weekly treatments for the last two months though, so I'd say don't just wait for it to go away on its own if you can afford a good practitioner.

 

[muffin]

Gall Bladder

If they think your gall bladder is not working (not just stones or gravel, but not working), then you might consider having it removed. I started losing weight, nausea, pain in the right shoulder/right upper quad and even above the stomach, and then the vomitting started. I threw up without notice, everywhere and at any time, with or without food in my gut.

Just a suggestion that if your GB really is not producing bile then might be time to hit the doctor, get the tests done to see if you have stones and if the GB is functioning and then get it out. When I had mine removed in Nov 2009 they used three little cuts with laporoscopy. Now, a year or so later they go right through the belly button!! Met a woman who had this done and it is amazing. Of course the 3 tiny incisions were amazing compared to the heavy duty surgery they used to do and would really knock you out for months. Just an FYI. IF indeed the GB isn't working due to stones, you could get into more trouble with infection, inflammation, blockage, etc. So, "pay me now or pay me later" with the GB. My surgery was so easy and without pain. I took Advil and Ultracet for three days and no Narcotics and NO PAIN. Cake walk.