Shoulder pain - Pain Management Message Board

susieq03 · 10-28-2003, 12:49 PM

I have a question , Recently fell off the top of a 8 ft. ladder onto concrete, and hurt my shoulder, trying to catch myself. I had an mri of the shoulder to see if I had torn my rotar cuff, and quess what happened? The radiologist injected me with some kind of metal dye, so the mri would show up better. He used an ultrasound machine when putting the needle in, but I swear, it felt as if he hit a bone because it hurt really bad. The second day after the mri, my shoulder hurt twice as bad before the xray(did't have a tear). He said I have dd in my shoulder, but sometimes a person has a sensitivity to the metal injected and they have pain. Anyway, it has been over a week since the test, and I still can hardly use my arm because of pain. My gp wants me to get a steroid injection in my shoulder, but really don't want it, because think it just means alot more pain. I know I have a low threshold for pain, but just seems very strange that my arm still hurts. Any advice? Take care and God Bless everyone! SusieQ

janb · 11-04-2003, 07:09 PM

Hi Susie,
how is your shoulder doing? I had a complete tear of my rotator cuff and had surgery in feb. Well the pain never got better. Surgeon pretty much gave up on me and sent me to a pm dr. I had another mri which showed the rotator cuff had retorn and now have 3 herniated discs in cervical spine and 2 herniated discs in lumbar spine. All I can tell you is shoulder pain is the worst pain I have ever had in my life. I feel so bad for you. You could try some physical therapy and see if that helps you. I did that for six weeks prior to my surgery and it did not help but it helped many others. Maybe you should have a mri on your cervical spine also because shoulder injuries seem to cause pain in this area also. I don't know if I would go with the cortisone shot if I were you. Again some people get alot of relief from these shots. You could give it a try. Good luck and keep us posted.
Jan

cmdunn · 11-05-2003, 01:45 AM

I was in a car accident in 1987 and slammed my shoulder into the door posts. Nothing showed up on the x-rays, MRI or Ultrasound. No one could tell me why I was having constant pain in my shoulder and arm. I had a couple of steriod shots and decided that they didn't last very long and the pain seemed to be worse afterward. My sister had the same problem with her shoulder and found a doctor who gave her a prescription for a compound to use for 6 weeks before he was going to do surgery on her shoulder. The compound was made up of Lidocaine (20% gel) and Ketofen (10% non steriod anti-inflammatory). My sister used this faithfully and at the end of 6 weeks, her shoulder movement had freed up so much that she didn't have to have surgery.

I got my doctor to write me a prescription for it to try on my shoulder. I finally found a Medicine Shoppe that made compounds and from that day on , I've been in heaven. I did 4 months of rehab after my accident and was left with limited range in my arm. After using the compound, I found that I could exercise my arm and in a few days the pain began to lessen. After 6 months, my constant pain is gone and I have a full range of motion in my arm.

I suffer from migraines and the compound has become a god send for them. I rub a small amount on my temple when it hurts and the pain goes away.

Hope this will help you.
Connie

deerme · 11-06-2003, 09:56 AM

I consider myself an expert on shoulder pain. I have had 5 major shoulder surgeries including an anterior, and posterior reconstruction. Any time you stick any type of needle and inject anything into the shoulder joint, you are going to feel it for a long time. The shoulder is really nothing more than muscle cartalidge, a ball and socket. It is the most unstable joint in the human body. And from my experience, once you have a significant injury to it, you most likley will be in some kind of pain the rest of your life. Steroid injections only last so long, before you need another one. I have an injection every three months, take neuronton, 5 times daily, hydrocodone 4 times daily, and use a Lidocane patch every 12 hours. When I injured myself at work, I tore my shoulder in six different places, and tore the bicep muscle. Arthritis has set in, and I will probably need surgery down the road to take care of scar tissue build up and any more tears in my shoulder.

Karla · 11-06-2003, 02:04 PM

I injured my rotator cuff but did not tear it according to the MRI. I went through physcial therapy and it didn't help. I then got a cortisone shot and I was pain free for 5 months. The shot didn't hurt and all and I got complete pain relief from it. Now my shoulder is hurting again and I have changed HMO's. My new dr wants to start me back at square one in physical therapy before he will give me a shot. Oh well. It may help I suppose. If not I know in a couple of months I can get another shot. I know I can't keep getting shots but I don't know what else to do for the pain. I was on methadone and the pain broke through and now I am on fentanoyl patch and it still isn't helping so not sure what other alternatives I have at this point.