I had an MRI on my shoulder after about 6 months of complaining of shoulder pain. The results showed an area of fluid probably being arthritis. I was told to take an antiflamitory pill - we have tried about 6 different ones and nothing seems to stop the pain completely. I also had a cortisone shot which lasted about 2 months with no pain - I also have the exercises to help loosen the joint. This pain wakes me up almost every night at about 4:00 a.m. with a sharp aching pain which eventually subsides. Does anyone have any other remedies that I can try - I'm going crazy..... Someone told me about white raisins soaked in gin - but I can't see any changes in the pain -

right now I'm taking Glusamite Sulfate (OTC) twice a day

anything appreciated thanks

Lacy

I like to use heat myself on my shoulder. You an make yourself a rice sock - and then you will be able to stick it into the nuke for a couple of minutes and that will then mold to your shoulder. At night I have an electric blanket that I use - with the heat up on high.

Have they taken x-rays lately?? they should be able to see sclerosis in the joint if the arthritis in increasing. That is another option or even another MRI - although most doctors don't like to do mri's to often.

I am actually no longer taking the anti-inflamitories - and am actually on ultram at this point. It does not take away all the pain - not sure anything does. Another thing with shoulder pain - is it can be referred pain from the spine c-4-c-7 I think. If those are pinched or anything like that - shoulders will have pain in them.

Lacy

I like to use heat myself on my shoulder. You an make yourself a rice sock - and then you will be able to stick it into the nuke for a couple of minutes and that will then mold to your shoulder. At night I have an electric blanket that I use - with the heat up on high.

Have they taken x-rays lately?? they should be able to see sclerosis in the joint if the arthritis in increasing. That is another option or even another MRI - although most doctors don't like to do mri's to often.

I am actually no longer taking the anti-inflamitories - and am actually on ultram at this point. It does not take away all the pain - not sure anything does. Another thing with shoulder pain - is it can be referred pain from the spine c-4-c-7 I think. If those are pinched or anything like that - shoulders will have pain in them.


Thanks for the rice suggestion - I will give it a try - one doctor told me to ice it only.
I go back and forth between anti-inflamitories - I'm just scared that it might be something else in the bones - today my whole left arm is numbed - I haven't had x-rays for a year and I did have a disc in my spine that was compressed - but I thought that it was better because the pain moved to my shoulder....

Lacy

if you had a disk that was compressed - you might want to get that checked out. You can get pain in your shoulder from your spine and if it is a nerve that pinched then you would also get the numbness. You might want to request that they do mri and/or xrays of the spine to make sure they rule out any problem with the spine - special the C4,c5,c6 I think are the ones that normally affect the shoulder.

heat works best - ice will help cause the blood flow to lessen to the area for a while - and that will cause a feeling of less pain - but once the shoulder warms back up to temp - it's back - with heat it seems to work it's way deeper into the musles. Just my experience on this.

Barb