Think I finally figured out whats wrong with my shoulder-Anyone had a pinched nerve?

[The Inside Man]

:cuss: :cuss: :cuss: Hey guys a little background info. On october 12th 2007 I woke up on my friends floor(staying at my old college for homecoming) on my left side, my whole arm was numb and hurt at the same time. Since then I have had an aching pain in my shoulder that follows me around all day long. Sometimes it radiates to my shoulder blade area in my back, usually its just pain in the back of my shoulder or my left trapezius.

This has been driving me fuc king nuts, I haven't been able to lift for months and have lost 15 pounds and a lot of strength. I have been to two orthopaedic specialists, have had needles jammed into my shoulder joint for an MR arthrogram(like an MRI but they inject dye into your shoulder joint). I have been on cortisone and every other prescription drug that is supposed to help inflammation. I have a whole bottle of naproxen 500mg but haven;t started taking them yet. Besides the two orthopedic docs I have been to a general practitioner and a chiropractor.

Just tonight I noticed that the usual stiffness in the left side of my neck was accompanied by a "pulling" feeling if I turn my head the other way. I had notced it before and not paid much attention, but now I press down on the spot inside my clavicle and it sends a pins and needles type of pain down my whole left arm. fu ck. I don't know if this is causing all of my shoulder pain but it has to be some of it. I am making an appointment tomorrow with another chiropractor who also is a certified physical therapist. Anyway just wanted to know if anyone else has had pinched nerves in the shoulder/neck/trapezius area for several months, or had it misdiagnosed, etc. At least I have some kind of a lead now because all my other tests turned up negative. But at the same time I know this is not good, anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

 

[magnet7]

:cuss: :cuss: :cuss: Hey guys a little background info. On october 12th 2007 I woke up on my friends floor(staying at my old college for homecoming) on my left side, my whole arm was numb and hurt at the same time. Since then I have had an aching pain in my shoulder that follows me around all day long. Sometimes it radiates to my shoulder blade area in my back, usually its just pain in the back of my shoulder or my left trapezius.

This has been driving me fuc king nuts, I haven't been able to lift for months and have lost 15 pounds and a lot of strength. I have been to two orthopaedic specialists, have had needles jammed into my shoulder joint for an MR arthrogram(like an MRI but they inject dye into your shoulder joint). I have been on cortisone and every other prescription drug that is supposed to help inflammation. I have a whole bottle of naproxen 500mg but haven;t started taking them yet. Besides the two orthopedic docs I have been to a general practitioner and a chiropractor.

Just tonight I noticed that the usual stiffness in the left side of my neck was accompanied by a "pulling" feeling if I turn my head the other way. I had notced it before and not paid much attention, but now I press down on the spot inside my clavicle and it sends a pins and needles type of pain down my whole left arm. fu ck. I don't know if this is causing all of my shoulder pain but it has to be some of it. I am making an appointment tomorrow with another chiropractor who also is a certified physical therapist. Anyway just wanted to know if anyone else has had pinched nerves in the shoulder/neck/trapezius area for several months, or had it misdiagnosed, etc. At least I have some kind of a lead now because all my other tests turned up negative. But at the same time I know this is not good, anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

First off, sorry to hear that. Do you have any other symptoms? Ever had any other medical conditions?

Try to lay of the cortisone, it's not good at all. I've actually had a pinched nerve myself, from a surgery 3 years ago. It runs along my armpit and left part of my chest. Not sure what nerve it is, but it gives the weirdest feelings of pain sometimes.

Another thing about me, that kind of relates to your story. For the past year or so, I had been having a lot of stiffness in my neck and had lots of trouble with the pain / pinched nerve. Then one day, I realized that it was all because I had been sleeping with 2 pillows under my head. That had been causing my neck stiffness for over a year! I felt like such an idiot. I remember at one point I thought it was due to the car accident I was in several months prior...but no, it was all due to having 2 dang pillows.

You might want to recheck your daily activities and stuff like that to see if something may be causing this pain. Also, pinching nerves is not that hard. You don't have to physically "pinch" it... I pinched another nerve recently while driving...about 3 months ago. I used to drive with my left hand over the wheel, you know all gangsta and stuff. Apparently, too much of that led to the nerve that's connected to my funny bone, being pinched in my left arm. So my left arm/hand started to get tingly and painful in my shoulder, etc. Doc misdiagnosed me with carpal tunnel, and I can't get insurance to this day. It was a simple pinched nerve. I changed the way I drive, and I'm fine now.

But anyway, good luck, hope you feel better. Hope you find out what it is.

 

[lookyoung]

You might want to check if you have a cervical disc herniation. I have a cervical disc herniation of C5-C6 and I had the exact same symptoms. Shoulder pain for a while went to the doc they gave me an xray and it ended up being negative. I than started having neck pain an spasm to my triceps. Also numbness to my thumb and index finger.

I than had an MRI of my neck and they found a herniation of C5-C6. I am 100% cured. I took antiflammatories (celebrex and used a heating pad) Also used something called BLUE EMU which was recommended by my neurologist. Also heating pad for 1 hour a night. ( use heating pad to open up pores for 3o minutes than rub blue Emu and heating pad for another 30 minutes.

Many times pain can be mental. If I were you I would have an MRI of yrour cervical (neck) and read a book by John Sarno called mind over back pain. As a matter of fact he has 3 books out that are very interesting and I agree with what he has to say from myreallife experience in the medical field. Since reading his books and with a positive mindset I am 100% cured. Although I don't lift as heavy as I used too, I am still pretty active. I will not bench more than 225 pounds for a couple reps. Anything more is too much pressure on joints.

My tips would be
1. Heating pad.
2. Blue Emu rubbed twice a day.
3. Motrin and advil.
4. Physical therapy if covered by insurance.
5. Go back to working out slow. Do yoga. That what I did for a few months. you might want to try swimming and hit the sauna and steam room.
6. Read books by john sarno.
7. Keep a positive mental state and realize people are in worse positions.

best of luck to you. Injuries are a b1tch especially when your active Like we are.

 

[stronglifts]

:cuss: :cuss: :cuss: Hey guys a little background info. On october 12th 2007 I woke up on my friends floor(staying at my old college for homecoming) on my left side, my whole arm was numb and hurt at the same time. Since then I have had an aching pain in my shoulder that follows me around all day long. Sometimes it radiates to my shoulder blade area in my back, usually its just pain in the back of my shoulder or my left trapezius.

This has been driving me fuc king nuts, I haven't been able to lift for months and have lost 15 pounds and a lot of strength. I have been to two orthopaedic specialists, have had needles jammed into my shoulder joint for an MR arthrogram(like an MRI but they inject dye into your shoulder joint). I have been on cortisone and every other prescription drug that is supposed to help inflammation. I have a whole bottle of naproxen 500mg but haven;t started taking them yet. Besides the two orthopedic docs I have been to a general practitioner and a chiropractor.

Just tonight I noticed that the usual stiffness in the left side of my neck was accompanied by a "pulling" feeling if I turn my head the other way. I had notced it before and not paid much attention, but now I press down on the spot inside my clavicle and it sends a pins and needles type of pain down my whole left arm. fu ck. I don't know if this is causing all of my shoulder pain but it has to be some of it. I am making an appointment tomorrow with another chiropractor who also is a certified physical therapist. Anyway just wanted to know if anyone else has had pinched nerves in the shoulder/neck/trapezius area for several months, or had it misdiagnosed, etc. At least I have some kind of a lead now because all my other tests turned up negative. But at the same time I know this is not good, anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

Stretch your pectoral muscles on that side. Doorway stretch. Focus on shoulderblade back & down, and stretch that pec several times a week.

Might also want to do self release technique using a tennis ball for that shoulderblade.

 

[The Inside Man]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am going to a chiropractor/athletic trainer on monday morning. Other x-rays have indeed shown I have an inverse neck curve so I have been sleeping with a chiropractic pillow but not noticed much difference. I do try to maintain a positive mental attitude and realize that there are much worse things going on in the world, it's mainly my frustration at not being as active as I once was. And I only took one cycle ofcortisone in the beginning, starting my naproxen regimen today. I am happy that I am slowly figuring out what the problem is, and therefore (hopefully) getting closer to solving it. Thanks again for the advice everyone.