Shoulder pains

[Jesse-Cat]

I notice shoulder pains are mentioned a lot. What type of pain is this for you? My pain seems to be at the end of my shoulder bones and when I make rotating movements I "hear" and feel a lot of crunching. So, when i started with PMR, it was muscle pains in upper arm which restricted upward movement. Now, with the pred that is gone but it is replaced with a pain that seems to come from the shoulder. I can move arm up all the way, no issue, but rotations are the issue now. It can be painful too, sleeping on my side although recently this has improved. Dies this sound familiar to you with shoulder pains?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Were you examined for other shoulder problems such as rotator cuff injury?

orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/disea...

[Jesse-Cat in reply to PMRpro]

I had an x-ray in December and saw rheumatologist early March. He was running an hour late and rushed the consultation. He said the x-ray indicated bone thinning at the shoulder and the tendons could be catching, causing pain. And then COVID struck. I am transferring to another rheumatologist and in the meantime have to do with GP. Since they referred me early 2019 as the quick tapering did not go to their plan, they seem not to want to know.

Anyway, have to chase GP for blood test result and will follow up examination of the shoulder as well as AI

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As PMRpro says, it sound more like Rotator cuff injury. PMR affects the muscles rather than the joints as such.

[Jesse-Cat in reply to DorsetLady]

I understand the difference between arthritus and PMR. Since i started back at 15mg in july 2019 and tapered down a lot more gradually, I haven't had real muscle pains anymore. From 10mg and tapering down I have issue with joints. Shoulders, real pains, knees more like shooting pains and painful when sleeping on my side in the early morning hours. No pains in fingers, wrists, ankles but I have noticed a swelling on both knees, (just beside the knee bone), both ankles (little pouch just below the bone), ring fingers. During April and May, very stressful months and trying to taper from 7 to 6, I felt very unwell, had more pains around the joints, very tired. Since sticking to 7 this is more under control and I recognise AI was affecting me. I can raise thus with GP. But the pains and swellings I mention definitely do not seem flare ups to you?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Jesse-Cat]

Never say ...definitely!

If you had stress, then probably a combination action of both - wise to go back to 7mg - and to be truthful all though we all want to get lower - sometimes it’s just not the right time.

Around 7mg is a difficult time for most - adrenal glands needing to think about working again. So I would stay where you are, hopefully let the stress go away (if possible) - and then in a mont or two think about tapering.

My arthritis came back (well I never went away, just masked by Pred) - and I think shoulders are the most difficult to accommodate in bed!

This might help

arthritis-health.com/blog/9...

Tried a video, but not working - but you can look on YouTube shoulder arthritis - sleeping. Bob & Brad. Do waffle a bit but advice is usually good.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Usual Youtube problem!!!!! There is a way to get round it - HeronNS knows how. I struggled ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Ok

[HeronNS in reply to DorsetLady]

I found if you put a space in the URL for a YouTube video then it allows you to post the link without instead showing you a black screen telling you the video isn't functioning. If you then copy and paste that URL into your search bar and close the space that's been left, then the video will work.

[HeronNS in reply to HeronNS]

youtube .com/watch?v=IrYFvE_mCU4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1z0BSt6HPVi88cTxm-poN1ZxEckz2ceMHqFXh3g0gERNDC3cQ46BNVjfM

[HeronNS in reply to HeronNS]

You want the link to not be "live" when you post it, this one isn't, at least the youtube bit is, but you need the whole thing. I "broke" this between youtube and .com. Copy this whole thing, paste it into your bar, close the gap, click and there is a youtube video showing you how to stop your mask from fogging up your glasses.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to HeronNS]

Ok thanks.

[Hidden]

It sounds like rotator cuff to me as I have same problem. Prednisilone has fixed my PMR muscle pain in upper arm but my 'snap, cracle, pop' remains🙂

[Susan1705]

when stiff i feel the crunching of the shoulder joint. I also get a burning feeling between my shoulders and pain in the muscles at the top of the arms

[IslandRN in reply to Susan1705]

I experience exact same thing

[Inika]

I would say- I have absolutely the same. I was diagnosed with PMR two years ago and it started with left shoulder pain exactly as you described. Then within a month is was both shoulders, neck, buttocks etc. The full scope. Before I was diagnosed with PMR I was checked for arthritis by blood tests tests and MRT. Nothing. Now every time I have a flare, it starts with left shoulder pain you described, with cracking sound and pain during rotating especially at night.

And in my case - no rotator cuff injury or arthritis, just PMR..

[PMRnewbie2017]

I experience this once my dose goes below 6mg. In may case the tip of my shoulders both R and L are tender if I apply pressure to the area where the tendons insert into the shoulder girdle. This has happened three times now and I can confidently say it is not PMR in my case. I had a blood test done on 29th May and ESR was 8 and CRP was not measureable (below 5) when my Pred dose was 6mg. I have been on 5.5mg since the beginning of June and I am starting to feel the shoulder twinges again especially when I sleep on my side. I find a dose of 400mg Ibuprofen at bedtime stops it. It might be a capsulitis (inflammation of the joint capsule) or you might have strained some of the shoulder muscles. I am probably too physically active and these days if I do too much with my upper body my shoulders complain.

Delayed onset muscle soreness, slower recovery times from physical activity, muscle wastage from long term steroid use plus the dreaded lack of cortisol will all play their part.