Shoulder impingement

[Paulapeanut]

Hello I'm new here. I am 71 and have shoulder impingement in both shoulders and am in great pain 24/7. I also have arthritis and in my right hip. I feel my life is over and get very scared.

[johnsmith]

Make an appointment to see an Alexander teacher. They may be able to help you develop the skills to make movement easier and hopefully enable you avoid making your pain worse.

[Paulapeanut in reply to johnsmith]

Hello John Smith, thanks for your reply...I will find out if they have any Alexander teachers where I live

[Leonwp]

Pain in itself is a very difficult thing to live with and can have a very negative effect on our health, have you asked to be refferred to a pain clinic or asked for further investigation into your problems? When i had shoulder problems a few years ago nothing they did seemed to help until i had an MUA or Manipulation Under Anaesthetic which freed up the joint and then the progress i made with anti inflammatories and physiotherapy was notable. The procedure was done in a day clinic and i was apparently only out for half an hour but the surgeon came to see me afterwards and ssid they would never of freed it by normal means as he had to literally hang off my arm on the edge of the table to get the joint to move. Hope that helps and that you find something that improves your situation and expectations.

Blessings

[Paulapeanut in reply to Leonwp]

Thank you leonwp

I'm awaiting a CT scan for my bowels, liver...Etc as I have high Ferritin levels and low iron. I've told the doctor about the pain in my shoulders and the gradual loss of use of my arms, but that seems to go in one and out the other. I have arthritis in my knees and hips too. I cannot take my Arcoxia anti inflammatory as they gave me an ulcer 2 years ago. Yesterday I booked an appointment to see the doctor again and ask to be referred to a specialist or for me to have x-rays of my shoulders. I can't go on like this.

Thank you for your kind reply.

Horaceina

[Leonwp in reply to Paulapeanut]

I would insidt on immediate refferal to orthopaedic specialist this has been left too long and shoulder joints may have becomr encapsulated (frozen) which will continue to affect arm movement.

Blessings

[Paulapeanut in reply to Leonwp]

Thanks leonwp, I've got an appointment for next week to see my doctor, to ask him to referred me for an X-ray. It's about time as I've seen 3 doctors at our surgery an none of them referred me for an expat, only gave me steroid injections which didn't work for me.

[Leonwp in reply to Paulapeanut]

Steroid injections are less likely to work the older the problem whilst an xray may help it is just as likely to be soft tissue. I think the opinion of an orthopod will be of more value to you than an xray, these specialists are very good at there stuff, i had an injury 16 years ago which was under estimated. There waz an insurance claim initiated butcnot for financial gain it was because the orthopaedic specialist i saw had a feel and a prod around my zhoulder snd ssid i will book you in for an mri scan but only so i can send it to your insurers i already know whats wrong and how to fix it but unfortunately if you go on the NHS list it will be too late. So the mri was done and it showed exactly what he said it would exactly what he felt and judged just by my movement in a 5 minute examination. He sent an email to the insurance company and basically said if you spend around £3000 now in a simple procedure and 4 weeks physio you will save this man a lot of pain, but also if you do not act very quickly you will be looking at a claim for tens of thoussnds to put it right if it can be put right then and not only that there is avery good chance the patient could further claim damages from you for up to a further £250,000 because the further injury will be caused entirely by your delay. On receipt of the email they phoned him and i had the procedure 4 days later and after thst and a few weeks physio just to stop it locking up again it healed with no problem, his opinion was if i had not of had it done iwould have had nothing more than a locked upper arm and a limited and weak lower arm and wrist and hand. The actions of that specialist at the time saved my career for the 11 years i had before RA hit me. The shouldef joint is immensly complicated because everyyhing that goes on below it runs through that junction and across the back of the scapula, whilst the joint is technically a ball an socket there is no sicket in the way the hip has just a socket formed by the junction of the clavicleacromion and the scapula all of which are tied in by counter pulling muscle, tendons and ligaments. It is a real complicated but of kit and the fluid multiple directional motion of it is why it is so often dislocated but although painful it is usually put back quickly and successfully. Unfortunately when it goes wrong it can give real big problems which can but may not get more serious by inaction as was demonstrated in my case. Oh and if your wondering no im not a doctor (i was a surveyor by trade) but in 1984 i smashed my left tibia and fibula and spent 6 months in traction in hospital and because i wanted to know what was going on the young doctors got me their A+P or anatomy and physiology reference books from their library and even gave me their first 6 months musco skeletal exam questions which i learned becsuse i had nothing else to do. BUT my medical opinion is worthless, i have no qualifications, i havnt even seen your shoulder and probably wouldnt get it right if i did and you should you not take any notice of it. But i am aware of what can go wrong because it nearly happened to me and i would far rather warn you and it be nothing than you not kick your doctors backside and have future problems. Regardless of xrays or mris only s good orthopaedic consultant can tell you what is wrong with your shoulder and what needs doing. I hope it is nothing serious at all and you get it sorted.

Hope i have explained enough to help.

Blessings, Leon.

[bobknob51]

Hi really sorry to hear that your in so much pain and its making you feel so low.you really do need to be referred to a muscular specialist .A few years ago I was in a lot of pain in both shoulders I was referred for physiotherapy and they said I had impingement in both shoulders I had physio on and off for 12 months until I was eventually referred to a specialist who immediately x rayed both shoulders and diagnosed tares in the rotator cuffs and gave me a date there and then to operate on the worse shoulder. Have you been x rayed ? If not insist on being referred to a specialist.I'm fine now and in no pain.Please don't let things get you down I'm sure you'll get it sorted and there's lots of friends on this site for you to chat to.

Bob k.

[LtAngua52]

Hi Horaceina,

I have this in my left shoulder, and it is so painful. I feel for you having it in both. I've found physiotherapy has helped enormously. I do them several times during the day, even when out or on the bus! Hopefully it will help you too.

[Paulapeanut in reply to LtAngua52]

I'm going to see my doctor Thursday and will ask me to refer me to see what the trouble is, so far my doctor has only diagnosed shoulder impingement in both shoulders, but not had me be referred, so, hopefully when I'm referred they'll see what's going on in these shoulders. Thank you for your reply LtAngua52