I’m looking some advice, the strangest thing started to happen to me, I felt like someone had their full weight on my shoulders pushing me down. I couldn’t hold my head or arms up as they felt to heavy. I couldn’t get any relief or ease . It appeared to build in pressure and pain then gradually ease until eventually it passed and I could use my arms again..
after a period of time my husband helped me up from the chair. As I stood up it started again , I couldn’t hold my head up or lift my arms, I got up to bed thinking it would ease if I lay flat, but it didn’t and by this stage I was upset because the pressure feeling ontop of my shoulders was so painful. I felt I was being pushed to the floor and I had to go with it and lean over.
It has eased now, I’m lying flat on the bed and terrified to move incase it starts again . I have tingly like little electric shocks are traveling down my leg ( like a spider crawling ) and I haven’t had this in a while, similarly last night I started get hand spasms again..
Is this fibromyalgia, flare I’m feeling overwhelmed with all of this.. any advice, would help.
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Hamer5
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Hi there, If this continues please call the out of hours GP for advice. This is nothing like I have experienced in 40 years of dealing with my fibro xx
Do you mind if I ask you age?Has you Fibro felt this way before or does this feel different?
If it has started to happen more recently Does this shoulder pain happen more in the morning and wear off a bit in the day or us it all the time?
Have you been doing anything different like exercises or activities recently that might have caused a Fibro Flare?
As Dizzytwo said I think you should call a GP or ask your husband to do it if you are still feeling as bad in the morning.
Try and raise your head and upper body on pillows tonight for sleep and sleep on your back for a night it will ease the pain and help your breathing.
You might find either a cool pack or a warm wheat bag or hit water bottle might give you relief.
If you feel up to it , and can take it , take a couple of Paracetamol and see if that gives some relief , if the pain is not as bad it might rule out other things.
I have had that terrible pushing down on the shoulders pain , in fact it was part of the thing that made my consultant sure it was Fibro because he had other Fibro patients with the same description of pushing down pain.
I say it feels like a dragon has landed on your shoulders and us pushing it's talons in. Each talon point happened to fit with the Fibro points at the neck and shoulders.
I get the tingling as well nerve pain travelling down the back and legs that feels like cold running water .
It might be Fibro , but it might also be Fibro and other nerve and muscle pain from a different cause , so if it is unusual you should get it checked.
You may have pulled a muscle or trapped a nerve without realising it , and again this is worth checking at the GP if you feel as bad in the morning. If you are getting spasms in all sorts of places seeing the GP to make sure it is Fibro and not some other type of nerve pain is worth doing.
I asked about your age because there is a rheumatic condition called PMR which is inflammatory and can come on very suddenly . It usually happens in people over 50, but can happen earlier to some people.
If you are near 50yrs , keep getting this type of shoulder pain daily even after other treatment, and feel like you can't move your arms up past your head and things like paracetamol or other painkillers don't touch it , it is worth asking the GP to do your inflammatory marker blood tests (CRP/ESR) just in case it is PMR or another inflammatory problem.
I know it's upsetting when yet another pain happens but try to use your breathing , sip a nice cool drink of water and relax again as you know getting tense and anxious about it will only make it worse, take care and try to sleep if you can , Bee
I’m 49 years old. The only thing I did differently on an intermittent basis is carry a bag across my shoulder to carry things. I broke my foot and while I’m out of the cast and cam boot now I still need the crutches to walk. ( they fused my bones together and I’m struggling to bend my foot) that’s another story 😞. I have felted this weighted pressure pain but this is a different level. It’s like a spasm or like cramp it comes in waves . This morning it feels more on the left side down the neck and across the shoulder.
I had my bloods done last week and the receptionist said they were all normal apart from my cholesterol which was high 5.5
There is a possibility that using the crutches and carrying a bag could have overworked your shoulders . You can hold your body very tensely when moving on crutches , including your neck.Believe it or not a foot injury can cause a Fibro Flare in the neck and shoulders , or cause larger nerve pain or a temporary trapped nerve from the foot up the spine , or from the arms to the shoulders as your body adjusts. If you are holding your crutch quite tightly that could have also caused a return of hand spasms , especially on your weaker side.
Try having a rest for the weekend and using ice or heat on the area , you can use a combo ( ice for 5 mins / heat for 20) a few times in the day , just make sure the packs are well covered as ice or too hot heat near the skin can cause a Fibro Flare. Use the version that gives you the most comfort.
Drink plenty of water , if you do strain something or its inflamed , the body uses more water in the healing process , and even if you don't feel thirsty you can become dehydrated , that adds to the pain.
Try paracetamol for the pain , if it gets a bit better after a dose it probably does mean your shoulder and neck have become strained and are inflamed.
Try just gently rolling your shoulders back and forth , and do little stretches side to side without jerking of your neck now and then through the day it should help loosen it out.
Use the raised pillows in bed for a few nights.
If it is still bad by Monday still get it checked by a Doctor.
Or , if it gets worse over the weekend , if you can't move or feel breathless don't be afraid of ringing Out of Hours and getting booked in for a check up.
I hope you’re symptoms are starting to ease. I have had a flare like this only once and it was very scary. 3 years ago I had a frozen shoulder and started hydrotherapy. What appeared to be gentle exercises for my fibro body was just too much and my body reacted in a similar way to what you describe. I had to change all the exercises ( lying on my back floating being pulled around allowing my arms to drag). The shoulders are a complicated joint. I hope things improve for you soon.
It has started to ease, thank you. I contacted the out of hours he thought I had put too much pressure on my shoulders and advised me to up my pain relief and amitriptyline. I have been putting a lot of pressure on all my other joints because of my foot … crazy. I missed my footing of a step last year causing an injury called a ‘Lisfranc’ ( Google worst foot injury 😓) it was further compounded because initially they didn’t spot it and told me to keep walking on it. Six weeks later the extent of the damage required all cartilage to be removed from my foot, 3 plates 12 screws and a bone fusion. I spent 12 weeks in a cast, a further 4 months in a boot and I’m struggling to walk on the foot due to pain, burning, stinging. I have nerve damage and neuropathic pain in the foot but it also travels up the leg .. to say it’s been a challenge is an understatement, all the activities I did before to help my fibromyalgia I’m no longer able to do 😞. I try to remain positive but it’s when things like the shoulder pain happen , I think wha5 else can go wrong 😑.
Gosh , now you have explained your injury in detail my heart goes out to you , no wonder you are having so much trouble.Have you had any help from oesto or occupational therapy since ?
like helping you find ways to move on your crutches better , a gait or posture assessment , or the offer to fit you with medical insoles for the effected foot.
It might be an idea to ask for these referrals via your GP if you haven't tried these yet.
OT have supplied me with different equipment to help around the house and fitted rails to help me get in and out of the house. Im still attending physio but to say it’s been sporadic is an understatement.. I never would say anything but I did have enough when I turned up to my appointment to find out the therapist was off sick again ( out of six appointments two have been cancelled and I’ve seen three different physios , with a maximum of 15 min appointment). Each time im having to explain my case history so I did have a very short fuse at my last appointment. Especially each time they ask why did it take so long to operate.. each time I hear that it’s makes me feel sick with the mismanagement of care. The consultant who repaired my foot said the same but im left with the ramifications. There has been no continuity of care however, I have now been given a new physio so fingers crossed this will hopefully be consistent. Trying hard to remain positive 🥹
Yes, I get that and I've had fibro for two decades. I can sit up in bed in a morning and the elephant sits straight on my shoulders and all day.Today, I haven't got an ounce of strength in me, something has pulled the plug out and let my energy drain to none.
The only thing that ever works for me, is a day or two bed rest and no stress.
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