It started with a mild pain under my shoulder blade and around to under my armpit ,about a week ago .It got worse quite quickly and i called for a GP appointment on Wednesday. As it didn`t seem urgent at that point i agreed to an appointment this week on Wednesday. It got seriously worse by the weekend and on Sunday i was in that much pain that i phoned 111 and via them ,a GP and and finally Para medics i was tested for just about everything . Paramedics were satisfied that my Heart was ok and told me to take Paracetamol and to se a Doctor at my own surgery on Monday. Their diagnosis was that i probably have a Chest Infection. The doctor i saw Monday decided same after testing me again and gave me Antibiotics. She will phone me on Friday to see if i`m any better ,if not i need an Xray, The pain is exrutiating ,has anyone else had this sort of pain under Left Shoulder and Armpit.?
It`s dragging me down .
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robin41
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I have had this several times and was interested what paramedics said. Yes on all my occasions it was due to chest infection ie pleurisy. It can cause lots of pain especially under shoulder blade. You may well need more than one course of antibiotics. Because I have a history of this I have to keep some at home plus gp will prescribe strongest ones before needing iv antibiotics 😔Main advice I can give you is you must rest and treat is seriously. Don’t know if you live alone etc but if not someone else must do any housework looking after kids etc. If live alone just look after yourself. Spend time in bed. Don’t worry if don’t fancy food - keep it simple if you do. But try to drink lots to keep hydrated.
It may well take a little time before you start to feel better.
Thanks for your reply to my problem. Having read up on Pleurasy i can only find where it affects the Chest ,which i consider to be the front ?. After three days of Antibiotics it still seems the same . The pain always catches me when i`ve been in bed a few hours ,as if the fact of laying down somehow triggers it. After getting up and moving around a bit it eases to a tolerable level. Then i can sit down on a chair and rest a while without extreme pain.
Are you lying badly in bed, is you not getting enough support. There are strong muscles running from neck along down to arm. The muscles can become stressed and cause pain to shoulder blade this in turn can stress tendons and associated nerves. It can also transmit through elbow and into your fingers C7-C8 Just a thought, however I would follow your GP views
Well I went by information you gave where everyone indicated it was chest infection. My pain with pleurisy has always radiated from back. I certainly haven’t felt better with only 3 days of antibiotics and feel I indicated this. From latter information maybe this is a muscular issue? Make sure you give this info to gp when you speak on Friday.
I had this in 2015 it started in my armpit and ran down my arm my fingers were numb. I was diagnosed with radiculopathy and had compression on my root nerve c7/t1. Foraminal stenosis the pain in my right arm is controlled by pregabalin my right hand has nerve damage constant pins and needles and hand is over sensitive. I had a decompression through back of neck as already had decompression through front of neck for cervical myelopathy artificial discs and cage fitted in 2010.. it’s a hard pain to live with but can be controlled using medication.
what did you take medication wise … 34 female- so many previous injuries … car wreck 16 literally ripped tendons muscle on chin, knees, quads, ankle snapped, jaw of life 4 hour masterpiece;)… broke ankle before and after this wreck in soccer injuries… broke a rib when fell on air conditioning vent, fractured jaw from wreck not properly healed/ bad TMJ; slipped disc and herniated disc L5L7 in 2011; shoulder pain and back pain and since third birth of kids;I’m also a lifelong distance runner and have genetically bad knees… also… ( i was rebellious and had too much freedom and idiocy)
I’m always in pain- ckntrols lot of my life - I’m so you get I have terrible arthritis and severe support pains( back/ neck/ hips/ ankles/ wrists… goes in phases as far as intensity - I get a flair up that kills me and lasts about two weeks every 4 ish month- maybe 3… as of the last year I discovered I have disliked upper neck discs( C1/2??? I can remeber but shoulder is also bad from in… bad pain in elbow and hands and shoulder and neck… feels like my body is turning in at all edges.. fold me up I’m done… my feet heh of kilter snd then the hips and back goes then neck and inflammation in neck jaw lymph nodes of neck jaw pain ankle stability issues and upper neck pain over all just seguir and like a muscle or tendon is caught on a branch in my body and off ing EVERYTHING… like I feel like I walk on my toes at time when bad …??? Ahh am I going nuts or does anyone else have shit youth decisions kicking your ass
I have had this for five years but only the shoulder blade part in a very specific spot, it is from a disc problem in my neck, c5 or c6 I think and started with numbness and pain in same arm and has stuck like this for years. I take nerve painkillers and co-codamol and have a constant heat pad full length on back because of disc problems in lower back too.
Hope the antibiotics have some effect or an xray may show something if the problem is in your lungs.
Hi there, I’m sorry that you have been struggling with your health but I can imagine everyone on here is the same. I’ve had Pleurisy twice and it’s not nice but I don’t remember it affecting my armpits.
I also have cervical spine injuries which made me prick up my ears.
I have C5/6 and C6/7 Radiculopathy (damage nerves). I’ve had ACDF surgery on both those levels (removal of disc & spinal fusion). The C6/7 nerve mainly affects the shoulder, upper arm & bicep but I get pain from the C/5 nerve from my neck, collarbone, shoulder & arm into my thumb & fingers. My upper back is also affected. BUT I also get pain down from my collarbone to my upper chest and into the muscle just prior to my armpit. Which nerve is causing that is beyond me as a lay person.
It’s a very long shot but it could also be coming from your shoulder and not a neck problem at all. I began with these injuries for 17 years and they’ve got worse over time.
I’ve also had shoulder injuries and had surgery for both (SLAP repair & Sub Acromial decompression).
Any medic will look for the easiest and more common solution before progressing to neck injuries.
Muscles can cause severe pain when they spasm or tear. Such a lot of people think they have disc problems when they are in fact muscular ones. Compressed discs can begin with pins & needles & progress to numbness & worsening pain up to severe pain that is debilitating & constant. They can also affect motor function and prevent you moving your fingers/thumbs. I know all about the worst pain (10 pain score) pins & needles, numbness & lack of movement in my hands unfortunately.
I’ve just thrown a few ideas about from all my experiences and I’m hoping you have a shoulder injury that’s easy to resolve.
Good luck with your health & please let us know how to go on. Kind Regards Mitch
Thanks for that response Mich. This pain appeared suddenly from nowhere but was killing me within a day ! It`s agony if i sneeze, excrutiating pain shoots from under my shoulder to my armpit. The pain is always there but i think i`m just tolerating it on the low level much of the time .Due to my age (almost 80) i don`t know way to turn . The Paramedics & the Top Practice Nurse at surgery have each told me they think it`s Inflamation somewhere around shoulder joints. I`ll ask about an Xray next week if it`s still the same ,followin my course of Antibiotics.
Hi Robin, you really are suffering with that. I’d no idea you were nearly 80! Hopefully your antibiotics help & you can have your X-ray. Please keep us updated.
Thanks for your concern Mich. I do hope they can find the cause as it seemed to occur suddenly with no prior reason( e.g. fall or knock) it has me baffled and in a lot of pain much of the time . I can`t take anything heavier than Paracetomol and that barely touches the pain. Oh well ,the Nurse didn`t phone me ! so i have to face the weekend before i can find out why..
Hi Robin, that’s not good that you didn’t get your telephone call with the nurse but in these Covid times these things happen unfortunately. Do you have a Tens machine? They are great for masking some, if not all the pain. They are inexpensive and readily available online, Amazon etc. You need to make sure it’s a medical grade one to really work well and be adjustable for different areas where your pain is located. Local pharmacies often sell them too, all priced around £25. They are battery powered & have electrodes which attach to the skin on the areas where you have your pain & send pulses which are like pins & needles which mask your pain sensations. I have used them for many years & I couldn’t do without them.
I do hope your consultation goes well & you can begin to find some relief. Let us know how your case progresses please.
I managed to get a telephone appointment on Monday with a GP at our surgery.She went over the symptoms and then gave me a weeks course of a stronger antibiotic. She has also arranged for me to have Xrays (2) on my chest and shoulder area. As i have to wait until Next Wednesday to get the Xray i`m finding that the pain has improved a lot .It`s possibly the new Antbiotics . I`m just praying that it`s some sort of inflamation and nothing worse.
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