Left arm pain and burning sensation

[OTPOTS]

I have hypermobility spectrum disorder and Posts. I have always had problems with left shoulder. However, now my arm has become painful with a burning sensation. Dr has prescribed naproxen but after taking it for a week there is no improvement. Just wondered if anyone else has suffered similar symptoms and what helped you? Thanks in advance for support and suggestions xx

[OTPOTS]

PoTS not posts. Predicted text can be a pain

[Lamornalee]

Sorry to hear about your arm, has there been any improvement since the pain and burning sensation started?

I too have hEDS and had a similar episode last year although my sensation was more like a tingling/numb sensation (with the pain, of course!). I was also prescribed naproxen and, like you, wondered if I would improve after a week!

Please give it a little more time, it took 4 weeks for me to feel better and return to work. I felt any movement in both my arms triggered the sensation and pain. I could only watch TV, I'm an avid reader and holding a book was agony!

Can you cast your mind back and find what triggered this? Mine was caused by by overdoing it at work (my job is physical). Could it be a trapped nerve?

Just be gentle on yourself and don't worry, I convinced myself I had MS until an MRI scan concluded otherwise 🤪

[OTPOTS in reply to Lamornalee]

Thank you for your response, I always have a problem with my left shoulder and 11 years ago has a similar flare up. It started by me waking up with numb sensation in my arm and pain. I then started a graded cardiac exercise program at the hospital have session on Monday and Wednesday and by Wednesday night I couldn't sleep due to the burning sensation. I work at a hospital so was assessed by physio on the Friday who felt it was coming from my brachial plexus not my neck and advised I go to GP for pain relief which is how I got the naproxen. I also have a very physical job so have been signed off work for a week and can have further physio through work. I am hopeful that yours settled in four weeks and you went back to work and good advice to be gentle on myself as I find that very hard to do. Thanks again x

[cyberbarn]

There are different types of pain, and different drugs work for some and not others. The burning type of pain is often nerve pain, which needs a different kind of drug than NSAIDs which is what naproxen is.

Having said that if the pain is being caused by inflammation putting pressure on the nerve then it could be helpful. But if you take something for long enough for something that will resolve on its own eventually after some time, then it is easy to say that the drug helped fix it, rather than thinking your body healed itself. Of course with EDS type conditions, our bodies often take longer to heal.

Often we feel a sensation in a different place to where the pain is. This could be something going on in your neck rather than shoulder or arm. Do you have a good physio or an osteopath? An osteopath may well be able to untangle what is going on and help things along.

[OTPOTS]

Thank you for your response. It is true that you don't know if the medication helped or you just got better by resting. Thankfully I can access physio through work. On initial assessment which was difficult as I was in so much pain I was nearly sick. The physio felt it was coming from shoulder not neck because certain neck movement didn't make pain worse. I will be seen again on Tuesday GP and physio. I was concerned that it could be complex Reginal pain syndrome and I don't want to do anything which will make the situation worse. I am trying to rest it with heat and also use it as much as I can during the day as well as the naproxen. Thanks once again for your reply xx

[Lamornalee]

Cyberbarn has offered some good advice, you WILL feel better but it will take time! Carry on taking the naproxen, and don't push yourself.

I found a good osteopath who knew straight away what was wrong with me, although I wasn't cured, she just helped me on the road to recovery.

As you know, people with hypermobility sometimes subluxate, could that have caused pressure on a nerve?

Wonder if there's anyone else here that can offer advice re: physio?

[OTPOTS]

What did the osteopath say was the problem? I understand that mine may be different but if I could read about it it might match my symptoms?

My shoulders are very flexible and I have very poor control/stability and reduced strength, so I could have subluxations without realising it when exercising. That shoulder clicks and clunks a lot anyway and I was diagnosed with fribrosing bursitis and had a steroid injection 11 years ago and lots of physio. At the time I had no diagnosis of PoTS or hypermobility spectrum disorder xx