SOSO: shoulder pain

[mdklatt]

I need a South Oval Second Opinion on behalf of a friend. She's had shooting pain in her shoulder for a couple of weeks. Any pressure (massaging, etc) makes it worse. Using a computer makes it worse. Lying down will help alleviate the pain. I say this sounds just like a pinched nerve, possibly due to a slipped disk or something. Her doctor--who may or may not be a quack--gave her what sounds to me like a very cursory exam and then prescribed muscle relaxers. Does sharp pain that hasn't improved after two weeks and gets easily aggravated sound like a strained muscle? So far, the muscle relaxers have been more effective at inducing drowsiness than stopping the pain.

OUdoc? achiro?

[sanantoniosooner]

It's vagicitis.

[StoopTroup]

They had me do physical therapy until my shoulder fell off.

Then I had surgery.

[TUSooner]

When my gets something like that, I usually recommend sexual activity therapy.


I've never found out if it actually works. :(

[StoopTroup]

Maybe she should switch hands.

[mdklatt]

Maybe she should switch hands.

:eek: :hot:

[Flagstaffsooner]

When my gets something like that, I usually recommend sexual activity therapy.


I've never found out if it actually works. :(
Yup, rub her clam.

[achiro]

I need a South Oval Second Opinion on behalf of a friend. She's had shooting pain in her shoulder for a couple of weeks. Any pressure (massaging, etc) makes it worse. Using a computer makes it worse. Lying down will help alleviate the pain. I say this sounds just like a pinched nerve, possibly due to a slipped disk or something. Her doctor--who may or may not be a quack--gave her what sounds to me like a very cursory exam and then prescribed muscle relaxers. Does sharp pain that hasn't improved after two weeks and gets easily aggravated sound like a strained muscle? So far, the muscle relaxers have been more effective at inducing drowsiness than stopping the pain.

OUdoc? achiro?
Shoulder, shoulder blade , or trap? Yes, a pinched nerve in the neck can cause it...or not. A strained muscle should not have sharp pain after that amount of time unless she is continuing to aggravate it. Did she do anything that she knows of that may have caused it? Has it ever happened before? Does she have a history of previous shoulder injury...anything at all?

[achiro]

Oh and muscle relaxers can work for more than muscle strains(i.e.. inflammation) but if they don't seem to be helping...well I guess thats her decision.

[WILBURJIM]

Shoulder, shoulder blade , or trap? Yes, a pinched nerve in the neck can cause it...or not. A strained muscle should not have sharp pain after that amount of time unless she is continuing to aggravate it. Did she do anything that she knows of that may have caused it? Has it ever happened before? Does she have a history of previous shoulder injury...anything at all?
You can get spasming muscle to cause a pinched nerve from too much mouse work on the 'puter, no?

[achiro]

You can get spasming muscle to cause a pinched nerve from too much mouse work on the 'puter, no?
Si!
One thing I always ask a patient with chronic trap pain is whether they support the arm or elbow of the mouse hand or if they are just extending the arm out and moving the mouse around with all the pressure on that trap.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Don't write off cardiac.

Women show some strange symptoms, and I've seen shooting/radiating pain in the shoulder and/or arm before for female cardiac issues. Might be worth a check, as off the wall as it may seem.

[WILBURJIM]

Si!
One thing I always ask a patient with chronic trap pain is whether they support the arm or elbow of the mouse hand or if they are just extending the arm out and moving the mouse around with all the pressure on that trap.
Well, I don't support my arm much. My doc, a few years ago said it was my brachius that was spasming, he did not mention my trap. He prescribed Soma Compound, that worked for awhile. Now, I just live with it: intermittent numbness down the arm and pain in the upper back/neck/shoulder. Sometimes, I "crack" my neck and get a shooting pain down my arm like the stingers I would get when I played ball. Should I go back and see the doc or what? Oh, I hate goin' to the doc. Since I turned 40 and he check the prostate, I do not like him.

[OCUDad]

Take the advice of an old fart - find a female doctor. When you get to a certain age, you want a doctor with smaller fingers.

[mdklatt]

When you get to a certain age, you want a doctor with smaller fingers.

:eek:

[mdklatt]

Shoulder, shoulder blade , or trap? Yes, a pinched nerve in the neck can cause it...or not. A strained muscle should not have sharp pain after that amount of time unless she is continuing to aggravate it. Did she do anything that she knows of that may have caused it? Has it ever happened before? Does she have a history of previous shoulder injury...anything at all?


The pain is in the right shoulder blade and radiates into the neck and sometimes the arm. This has happened before, and it went away on its own. It might be keyboard/mouse related.

[OCUDad]

:eek:Easy for you to say -- you don't HAVE a prostate.

[mdklatt]

you don't HAVE a prostate

:confused:

[OCUDad]

Well, that's what I heard... :D

[mdklatt]

Well, that's what I heard... :D

Heh. :D

[slickdawg]

She doesn't want to be massaged, but being laid out on her back feels good to her. So what's the problem again?

[OUDoc]

Usually, we know the body will fix itself, given enough time. Usually. We try anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants. I agree it sounds like a nerve being pinched somewhere, but even that could fix itself. A pinched nerve sometimes causes muscle spasm that can make the symptoms worse. Given the symptoms you describe, I would have likely ordered an MRI, put her on anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants. If there's no weakness, it usually isn't an urgent thing. Give it a little time, if it's not better, call the doc back and tell him that it's still a problem. Hopefully, he'll order an MRI.