Hi everyone. As some of you will remember, I had a total shoulder replacement last month and it is wonderful. I can't believe how fast it has become good enough to lift it up and I am now dressing myself for the first time in almost two years. I am going to have a knee replacement next year so am hoping for a similar outcome.
What is causing me great pain and has been for some time is the extreme pain at the bottom of my back, to the extent that I really can't straighten up properly any more. I have seen physiotherapists about it and done all the exercises they have given me but nothing changes. I take tramadol and paracetamol at the same time and even have oramorph at times but all they do is to make me very tired but they don't take away the pain.
I wonder if anyone else on here has the same and has found anything that helps. I have been told that I could have some injections in my lower back but that they don't always work and that they have a risk of paralysis.
It’s probably muscular HW ....you will be using muscles you haven’t used for a long time whilst you’ve been holding your shoulder stiff, and now you’re starting to use those muscles.
Look at how you got dressed with a sore shoulder ...now you’re probably bending and stretching using your muscles in a more natural way.
Think about ...It took a long time for those muscles to stiffen up they won’t relax back quickly will they?
I think if you keep doing the exercises your physio advises,& maybe ask your Doctor for some stronger anti-inflammatories things will start to improve shortly.
So true, when we have problems with one part of our body we compensate and use other parts or we stop using muscles. So when something is righted or replaced it can take time for things to feel ok again. Good Advice.
Thank you AgedCrone and Pippy, what you say makes a lot of sense. I can't take anything stronger for pain unfortunately as I have asthma and a hiatus hernia so can't take anything aspirin based. I tried to walk outside this afternoon and only managed about 100 yards and was in so much pain in my back that I struggled to get home again and now after sitting watching TV this evening the pain is extreme, but I will try to move about slowly so as to get the muscles moving more again.
When my back was bad it was because my body was out of alignment because my right ankle was playing up. I went to a chiropractor ( rheumatologist was ok about it) a good massage for 2 sessions with some exercises made such a difference only had problems with my back once since ( 2 years now) one massage session sorted.
My back was so bad I couldn’t move at all for 2weeks
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Thank you for your info J1707. Some years ago when I had a very bad sciatica I went to see a chiropractor for quite a few sessions but it didn't do any good for me.
As the others have said it’s probably just using your back properly again.
I injured my back many years ago, before RA, and the best thing I did was take up Pilates. It’s a bit more difficult now with RA, but I can still do 80% of the exercises. It might be worthwhile for you.
Thank you for answering me Dspooky, unfortunately there is no way I could manage Pilates, I can't walk more than a few yards and struggle to do a few easy exercises. However, I will continue to do a few gentle exercises for my back and try to built them up as I go along.
So sorry to hear that. When I first injured my back I was given treatment using (I think) an infrared heat lamp which did help. I don’t know if this is still available as it was over 40 years ago when I was treated, but may be worth asking.
Thank you for your reply Dspooky. However, my cousin asked about that treatment a few years ago when he hurt his back and was told that it isn't done now.
Hi HW, great update re shoulder! Very pleased for you.
As others have commented, your back pain could be due to poor alignment and/or muscular wasting etc as a result. A physiotherapist or good chiropractor could soon observe that king of thing.
It ought to be checked out. Best of luck with it. 🙂
Thank you Charisma, I think a lot of it could be poor alignment and/or wasting muscles as well. My shoulders are definitely not in alignment and the injured shoulder was very much lower than the other one and my t-shirts and blouses all move over so much that you can see my bra strap on that side. I will ask my physio about it when I see her again early next month.
Thanks for sharing the good outcome of your shoulder op. Pleased for you.
You don’t say what’s causing the pain in your back. If you don’t know I would ask for a scan or x-ray. I really don’t think it’s acceptable to have severe pain as you describe without finding out why. I have been treated by physio’s, osteopaths and chiropractors. Osteopath was no good for me. I think if you find something that works, that’s your path. If you don’t see any improvement in a week try something else. My back is a bit unstable and I found some great stretches that help me. See “NHS back stretches”. There’s a physio that does a video. If I’m out of kilter and in severe pain I do the sequence every two hours. It’s hard going but it works for me. Good luck. Ask your gp or physio if they run a shoulder class. It’s an hour once a week for 6 weeks where I live. I start in January.
I had an MRI done of my spine about two years ago and was told I have degenerative disc disease which is mainly at the bottom of my spine. I suppose it has got worse now. I mentioned the pain to my GP when I went there about a boil I developed about two weeks ago. She just told me to go back if it gets worse or doesn't go away in about a month. It looks like I will be going back and I think I will ask for either another MRI scan or an X-ray. As to shoulder exercises I have seen a physiotherapist where I had my shoulder replacement and have been started on gentle exercises for that and I have to go back again in about two weeks. I have noticed that my shoulders are uneven for some time now, so I will mention that to her as well.
I feel for you. Back pain is the most dreadful thing to suffer. Wish I could help.
I wouldn’t worry too much about your dropped shoulder. Mine was the same for a few weeks after I broke mine. It felt normal but looked quite odd in the mirror. It came back to normal level after a while of just being as normal as I could be. Obviously you need to talk to them if you are concerned.
Thank you Esmereld. Mine has been like it for quite a long time as I had the bad fall that caused all the trouble with my shoulder nearly two years ago and I wonder if I will ever get it back to normal now.
Thank you for the information Oshgosh. I didn't know that opioids don't work on nerve pain, but then, I don't really know if this is nerve pain or not. I was given Gabapentin some years ago and couldn't tolerate it as it made me go to sleep all the time, I couldn't even stay awake for half an hour to watch something on TV. However, I was then given Pregabalin which I take at nights and to be honest I carry on taking them and I tolerate them well but I don't think they help much. I used to take them in the morning as well, but took myself off them because they made me tired in the mornings. It is so difficult to know what to do for the best, as all medication has good and bad points.
I hope you have a good Christmas and a pain-free one as well.
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