Shoulder pain

[Pinkypie2018]

I've been having a lot of pain in my shoulders recently, it's mainly my shoulder blades, would arthritis affect these? I had a steroid injection in Feb once I started methotrexate for psa an since its worn off my shoulder blades are in constant pain especially at night. It's so uncomfortable I haven't been sleeping much. I'm not sure if it's arthritis pain or maybe muscle strain, but I honestly haven't been doing much that I would have caused a muscle strain. Apart from having a hot soak in the bath nothing is helping the pain.

[PinkLamb]

Hi Pinkypie2018,

Sorry to hear that you are suffering with pain in your shoulder blades, I was diagnosed last year with Osteoarthritis in my right shoulder, I have the pain in the rotator cuff, after a long long long wait I had an ultrasound guided injection into the right shoulder, about six months ago, & up to press It seems to have worked, I have a very heavy manual fast paced job, so I have to be particularly careful when carrying out certain tasks!! I am always aware that any slight jerk or action, could trigger it off, I also suffer with RA, so you can have different types of arthritis, the osteoarthritis is ware and tare, if it's the same as what I have in my shoulders, the only meds that ever gave me relief was Zapain on prescription from the GP

Hope that your pain subsides soon

Take care

Xx

[HappykindaGal]

It’s in my shoulder and muscles in my right arm. It’s funny, as it started in my knee and wrist 3 years ago, but they’re fine now. It’s permanently in my shoulder, mostly a mild ache, occasionally scream inducing pain. So to answer your question, oh yes, it can be in the shoulder.

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to HappykindaGal]

Yes my feet an hands were mostly affected but now it seems its decided to shift places, an it seems the most painful yet! I just wasn't sure about the shoulder blades but I do think the pain is coming from the joint. Thanks for replying.

[alexask in reply to HappykindaGal]

I am wondering about this. We tend to naturally exercise the knees and other joints more than we do the shoulder. My shoulder pain seems to be independent of exercise. I am wondering if exercising this joint ( in my case press-ups), actually helps it.

[jackiestu]

I’ve had pain in both shoulder blades for the last three years and although I can manage during the day the pain at night is horrible as soon as my shoulders touch the mattress the pressure on my shoulders makes the pain worse so sleeping is impossible. it’s got so bad that I dread going to bed I have had steroid injections twice which helped for about four months but I have to wait three months each time to have one so have just put up with the pain. Maybe you could ask about having injections as they do help and you may not have to wait as long as I did.

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to jackiestu]

That's the way I am too, during the day it's bearable but at night it's so painful. Decided to get an appointment with the gp on Monday to get it looked at an maybe stronger pain relief. So thank you I will ask about the steroid injection.

[Mmrr]

My shoulders started giving me pain several months ago and can be agony sometimes. The right side can radiate down into my arm and is a problem even trying to drive short journeys. So yes unfortunately RA can effect all joints.

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to Mmrr]

Thankfully it's not bothering my arms but it is painful to raise the arms an it makes a creaking noise. Not good but hopefully it passes soon ...

[Jimbo64]

Hi Pinkypie2018 I suffer from RA & OA I get a lot of shoulder pain if you can’t sleep at night go to your doctor and ask for Ralvo medicated plasters 700mg you put them on for 12houers and leave of for 12 hours it will help you sleep at night

[Pinkypie2018]

After another sleepless night I've made an appointment for Monday so I will ask about these, thank you very much as I've never heard about them (they sound great!).

[Hidden]

I had a bad fall just over a year ago and ruptured two tendons in my left shoulder. I had physiotherapy for it and it seemed to be improving but then it suddenly got a lot worse and was also creaking, crunching and cracking when I moved and I could no longer lift it. I had two steroid injections for it which did no good at all and then an ultrasound guided injection to freeze the nerve but it still did no good. MRI scans have shown that not only do I have the tendon ruptures (which I have been told won't heal) but I now have very severe osteoarthritis there as well. I am now waiting to have a total shoulder replacement done. I am nervous about it but there is no other option left for me as the pain I am in is very bad and keeps me awake at nights and I really can't use that arm much at all.

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to Hidden]

Gosh that does sound very painful indeed, hopefully you don't have long to wait on your shoulder replacement, you won't know yourself afterwards! Take care.

[Hidden in reply to Pinkypie2018]

Thank you Pinkypie, I also need two new knees and my spine is not good at the bottom of it but there is nothing they can do about that. A lot of the problem is that I have so many illnesses and just the arthritic related ones alone are enough to cope with as I have RA, OA, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, gout, curvature of the spine and apart from that I have all sorts of other illnesses. I think I could do with a body transplant really!

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to Hidden]

You certainly have a lot to cope with I don't know how you manage. At least your on the waiting list to get one joint sorted, but if only body transplants were available lol. Ah well we can always dream (that's if we ever get to sleep).

[Hidden]

Yes! Sorry to read that you're in this pain. I've suffered during every vasculitis relapse with severe shoulder pain & worst in shoulder blades. After a visit to a vasculitis specialty center at a big university I discovered the Rituxan protocol I was on - getting it sporadically (at two, 1000 mg infusions two week intervals) AFTER I showed signs of a relapse is incorrect. It has now been changed to Rituxan every six months at one 500 mg infusion. Don't know what it is related to, but I have my suspicions. Preventing relapses appears to be the only treatment for many of us. Pain meds don't seem to work. Only drug I would choose is Lunesta for sleeping when necessary. Also CBD oil - which many swear by.

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, the lack of sleep is becoming an issue as its just impossible at the moment.

[Hidden]

I have heard how painful vasculitis is. All of these arthritic deseases are an awful thing to have. I have so many conditions now and the RA has even caused me to go completely deaf in one ear and it affects my eye and mouth making them all dried up as well. At the last count I had 29 different conditions. I have often thought about trying CBD oil but have been told that the ones you buy in health shops are not strong enough and I don't know where else to get them.

[Teatrees]

Hi Pinkypie,

Just to say I do sympathise as it is an awful sick feeling and pain when in the shoulder blade! It is a new pain for me that comes and goes with my RA only had the the steroid injections in my fat at the top of my leg for all my body so far, but as my new bio drug now worked I will ask for another one as last 5-6 months for me.

Take Care Teatrees

[Pinkypie2018]

Ah thank you teatrees, I'm the same only getting the all body steroid injections so mine only lasts 4-6weeks. Maybe the methotrexate will kick in soon to help things as I'm only on it 7 weeks now.

[RAreyna]

Yep, yet another place for the RA gremlin to strike. I wasn't able to sit back against anything or lie on my back for over two days. I'm a very affectionate person and I was warding off hugs like a maniac!

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to RAreyna]

Oh I know people just don't realise that the simplest touch can hurt, we have a spa day tomorrow planned an my mum advised to get a back massage done as it would help. I was like no way, no one is touching my shoulders. But maybe the hot tub might help hopefully.

[RAreyna in reply to Pinkypie2018]

Hot baths keep me functional. Though I learned the hard way not to get in the tub when my knees are flaring. I had to call my sweetheart to help me out!

[Hidden in reply to Pinkypie2018]

I can’t stand massages either, I had one once and I was so tense thinking they were going to hurt me or that I’d suffer afterwards that I got no benefit from it and have never had one since.

[Mollieharry]

My shoulders and arms don’t tend to bother me much during the day but just a couple of hours before going to bed the pain sets in.lifting your arms feel like someone punched them.i wish I could sleep on my back,cause when I turn they burn.the funny thing was I never had this till I recently started hydroxychlorquine,but as I said in a previous post I don’t know if it was just a coincidence.going to persevere till I see my rhuemo nurse next wk,just in case it goes away of its own accord.