A question about shoulder pain.

I just thought of something, some times you will hurt like that there when you are under a lot of stress. Stress related pains really hurt.

I know all about stress! This isn't stress, though, unless the stress of losing my veggie garden to this danged heat is doing it. I kinda doubt that. The pillows my husband bought (which is strange enough in itself since he hardly ever does stuff like that) are maybe twice as thick as my old pillow. I said I'd give it a try but, in hindsight, I guess I shouldn't have. I'm a side-sleeper and noticed that my neck was at more of an angle than usual but it didn't feel bad so I used that pillow all night. It was the next morning that the pain started and, even though I haven't used that pillow since then, the pain is still just as bad as it was. At times, it doesn't hurt at all, until I cough. It's the weirdest pain I've ever had because, when I cough, the pain in my arm is as bad as the pain in my shoulder. I can understand the pain in my shoulder when I cough since we use all of our back and chest muscles to cough but why should my arm hurt when I cough? This is definitely a radiating pain. My brain keeps wanting to head towards a pinched nerve but I really don't like that idea. I'll know more after I see the doc next week. At least, I hope so! It's a new doctor and I'm hoping he's not the kind who just pulls out the prescription pad whenever he hears "pain". I like the kind of doctor who wants to find the CAUSE, not just treat the symptoms. I just remembered that I have naproxen (500 mg prescription)! I'll take one and see if that helps.

Hi gabs. I just took a 500 mg. naproxen that was prescribed by my rheumatologist. I've also been taking Tylenol 3 (Tylenol with codeine) at bedtime. The codeine helps some but I may have to resort to my husband's hydrocodone he got for his back. He has spinal stenosis and has had two injections of cortisone but his pain is still pretty intense. He's headed for surgery, I'm sure. Until then, he gets hydrocodone and keeps asking me if I want one. I keep saying no because I don't like taking strong pain killers unless absolutely necessary. (Of course, I enjoy the heck out of them if I do need them. LOL) I guess it's just old age creeping up on me. I've told my sons that I'm old but not ancient yet. However, I'm slowly edging into that "ancient territory". We should all be born old and get younger as we gain more knowledge. It's just wrong that, by the time we REALLY have all the answers, we're too feeble and forgetful to put them to good use.

Hi Leenie. Surgery is the last resort but he can have the affected vertebrae fused (have a rod put in to stabilize them to keep them from rubbing together and pinching the nerves). He was just recently diagnosed with spinal stenosis. When he saw an orthopedist years ago, they simply called it bulging disks but, since his pain and numbness down his leg has gotten worse, he finally caved and saw another doctor who said it's spinal stenosis. My husband has been going to physical therapy, which isn't helping, naturally. The cortisone shots haven't helped, either. I think he has an appointment next week to discuss the next step. It should be "interesting" around here if he does need surgery; he's such a big baby! Why wouldn't it be an option for you? We have a neighbor who also had this surgery for the same thing and he says he wished he had done this years earlier because it has greatly reduced his pain level and he can do a lot now that he couldn't before the surgery. As for my pain, I'm so used to having pain that I can ignore it most of the time. Actually, the naproxen I took earlier helped quite a lot! I was pleasantly surprised. Apparently, it is a pulled muscle.

Marti, Sorry I keep butting in but if hubby has hydrocodone then take one!!There is no reason to suffer and hydrocodone is not that strong. Also, I didn't know your hubby has spinal stenosis. I too have spinal stenosis. I took hydrocodone for a couple of years and now take Morphine Sulfate and Neurontin (Gabapentin is the generic). I really want to know more about his surgery. I don't believe it's an option for me.

Hi Leenie. This might sound weird but I'm kinda glad you have this pain. Not because you are suffering but because you have experience! I have Tylenol with Codeine (Tylenol 3) and have been using it at night. I don't like using that 24/7 so I just stick with nighttime. It helps some but not much. I've even tried lying on my left side but that hurts even worse. I guess that's because whichever muscle it is is on my right side and is shifting because my neck is tilted in the opposite direction. I can't sleep on my back or my stomach, sadly. I had surgery on my right shoulder many years ago. I had all kinds of stuff wrong with it: a frozen scapula (shoulder blade), torn rotator cuff, disjointed arm bone, arthritis AND bursitis. It was a mess! Maybe this problem I have now is caused partly from that pillow and partly from my previous surgery. That's probably it, at least I hope so. I strongly doubt I have a hole in my lung. I'm breathing fine and my lungs don't hurt at all. Of course I'm coughing more lately because of the extreme heat and humidity! Figures, huh? Hmmph! I've taken a naproxen (500 mg.) which my rheumatologist gave me. I'll have to wait to see if it works because I just took it. I've also rubbed some Capzaisin on my shoulder, which seems to be where the pain is originating. So far, that's not helping, at least not with the radiating pain. I'll keep you posted on how the naproxen does and what the doctor says when I see him next Thursday. That's the earliest appointment I could get and I'm fine with that, since this has already gone on for a week or so. Take care of that muscle, girl! Hugs, Marti

The Naproxen worked better than the codeine! I took a nap on my right side and it didn't hurt! Yippee! Of course, when I woke up I was in pain again so I just took another Naproxen. That tells me that it's inflammation, most likely from straining a muscle. Maybe I won't have to see the doctor after all. If the pain lessens or goes away before Wednesday, I'll cancel the appointment. Isn't it fun growing older? Geez.

Marti, It doesn't sound weird to know someone who knows what you're going through.People like you and me have gone through so many things that it's comforting to be able to talk to one another about some of them. This muscle inflamation is probable caused by whatever happened to your shoulder in the past. When we injure ourselves, once it is healed it still remains weaker than it once was. So if you do something that for some reason puts some sort of strain on it, it's going to be affected.It's fortunate that you have the Tylenol 3 and the Naproxen. It's too bad you don't have a muscle relaxer. The doctor's say that you can alternate between heat and cold but I usually do one or the other Cold usually reduces the inflamation, and heat usually relaxes thr muscle. Try one and if it doesn't help enough, then try the other. I'm afraid that my shoulder actsup every now and then out of the blue. I never see it coming. You take care of that shoulder sweetie and let me know what happens. Love Ya Leenie

The oddest thing about this pain is that I can walk around just fine with almost no pain but, if I cough, I'm in agony! Guess I'll just have to be patient and wait to hear what the doctor says. I'm REALLY glad I'm left-handed! LOL I've just taken a 500 mg naproxen that my rheumatologist gave me. It's supposed to be great for inflammation so we'll see. I just took it a little while ago and haven't noticed any difference yet. I've pulled muscles from coughing before. That is VERY painful so I feel for you! I used to get bronchitis every year like clockwork. I pulled a muscle in my chest one time and in my neck another time. Of course, the coughing doesn't stop just because we have this awful pain. One thing I did that helped with the coughing was to inhale steam for a few minutes. It made me cough really bad right afterward but, once everything was loosened up and coughed out, I didn't cough for a long time. It might help you, unless it's a dry cough. Even then, it might help by moistening your bronchial passages. I know that we can pull a muscle by just twisting wrong. I knew a guy who picked up a bag of something kind of heavy, twisted around to put it down somewhere else and that was enough to pull a muscle in his back. He was down for 2 weeks! Maybe we both need some nice, long soaks in a warm bubble bath.

It sounds like you don't need to see a doctor since you know what is causing your pain. Maybe you could try getting up and moving around every so often when you're writing, like every 15 or 20 minutes, to give those muscles a break.

no, because it really doesn't HURT, actually most of the time its numb - kind of that "waking up tingling feeling" at the worse and just kind of almost numb at the best of times...

Hi Elic. I took a Naproxen that I got from my rheumatologist awhile ago and it almost completely got rid of the pain. Apparently, I have a pulled muscle since the naproxen worked and the codeine didn't. My husband has spinal stenosis. Two of his disks in his lower back are bulging and pinching the nerve that goes down his left leg, plus it's affecting both of his hips. He just had his second cortisone shot and has gone to physical therapy but it's not helping. It looks like surgery for him. That's the next step. I'm glad you haven't had to resort to surgery. Is your pain going away over time? Have you had any kind of treatments for it?

Thanks tinym. I've had a frozen scapula (shoulder blade) before and I know how much that hurts! I couldn't raise my arm above shoulder level. At the same time, I also had a torn rotator cuff and the surgeon told me that my arm bone was detached from the socket. I have no idea what I did to cause all this but it was fixed with surgery after the shots and physical therapy didn't help. I can move my right arm up as high as my left. That actually doesn't hurt it. It's only when I cough or lie down on it. I took a Naproxen (500 mg. prescription) earlier and the pain almost totally disappeared! Apparently, I have pulled a muscle and the Naproxen reduced the swelling enough for it to feel better. I'm glad to hear that the cortisone shots worked for you. Even though those shots can hurt BAD, they're so much better than surgery!

The cortisone shots didn't hurt at all. I guess I was lucky. I don't think I'm willing to press my luck with the third one. My arm is good enough now and as long as it doesn't get worse again I think it will be fine. Good luck with yours! I hope it stays ok now for you.