Advice needed please.

[galewicks]

Hello. I am hoping someone can give me some assistance. My husband has had problems with his left shoulder for years..... gradually getting worse until now he is very limited in what he can do. The pain is brought on by the slightest activity - walking, pegging out washing, lifting things, driving etc... the pain runs down his arm into his hand, which sometimes goes blotchy. Nothing really eases it but it helps when apply pressure to a point in his shoulder and he says he can almost feel the pain ebbing down his arm.

He has had years of tests, different drugs etc.. The most recent was an MRI scan as the dr thought he had a trapped nerve. We were devastated this week when the MRI scan showed no problems, and the dr basically said there is nothing more he can do, and we are to go back to his GP and ask for pain management referral

How can there be pain if the joint/shoulder is healthy with no problems?

We are struggling to understand how he is in so much pain and discomfort, and its just something he now has to live with

does anyone have any ideas of what we can do now? He barely sleeps because of the pain, which obvioulsy keeps me awake too when he is tossing and turning.. We also do little together as a family as he is so restricted in the time he can walk for without having to stop

many thanks

Gale

[MGP201]

does he swing his arm while walking?

[AnnW_Lew]

Get him to see a physio or osteopath for an assessment, surely GP should have suggested at least some physio. I started off like this and ended up with a frozen shoulder.

Physio needs to check things like thoracic outlet issues which can lead to blotching of the skin. This is caused by postural issues like high first rib or rounded shoulders which won’t show up on mri as it all appears normal.

Did they also scan his neck? as that could be the cause as it was with me. This causes referred pain down the arm. This is what I have. Physio has helped to reduce pain but I still have ongoing issues and pain.

Hope you get more help and answers.

[Sillysausage234]

Hi ,I get similar comes from left side of the neck shoulder arm to thumb,maybe a change of pillow might help .

[DeeM3]

Trigger points! They can be crippling! Massage therapists and dry needling....saved my sanity. I have one in the left as well and is aggravated when I do my farm chores but it is so much more tolerable after I went through physical therapy and massage. I also see a chiropractor weekly. I can touch spots in my neck that send pain into my shoulder as well. Look into trigger points.

[MGP201]

Go to a neurophisiologist. He may have a nerve entrapment.