Tenaj Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I've done something to my shoulder. About six months ago it started aching on and off. I suspected that it was sore from getting big three-ring notebooks off of a high shelf where they are stashed - definitely a homeschooling Mom injury :) I would get rid of it by taking Aleve for a couple of days (or Motrin) and then I would do it again. This has been going on ever since but now when it acts up it seems to radiate down my whole arm into my elbow and even into my wrist this week. This week it was triggered because I tried to shoot a basketball. I am not one to run to the dr. but am beginning to doubt that this will heal on its own. The problem is that I don't have a gp. I've been depending on my OB/GYN for the past 10 years or so because I'm there so often. Do I need to go to a gp first (which will take longer because I need to wait for a new patient appointment)? Or can I head somewhere for more specific care for this type of problem? Any advice greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Go see an ortho dr :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Go see an ortho dr :) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 Go see an ortho dr :) Thank you. I was hoping that was the simple answer. I didn't want to have to go through a "chain" of drs. if the answer at the end was probably an ortho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 No help, but:grouphug:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 As long as your insurance allows it go to the ortho first. Sadly I have to go through the chain. I started the process Friday. Let's see who's shoulder is healed first. My money is on yours. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 (edited) I've done something to my shoulder. This has been going on ever since but now when it acts up it seems to radiate down my whole arm into my elbow and even into my wrist this week. Any advice greatly appreciated! Okay - I had something exactly the same. the pain radiated down my arm, even over my shoulder to my shoulder blade (where it abruptly stopped). It was a severe case of tendonitis and was pulling on everything with major inflamation. My gp sent me to an OT/PT, and even she'd never seen a case as bad. I had eight weeks of therapy, and even then it was still somewhat sore. my advice - find a GOOD chiro who does extremities. I started seeing a chiro later, and from what I know now - it would have been so much faster and a better job of preventing the recurrance. my daughter put her wrist out of commission by displacing a bone in the tunnel next to the 'carpel'. (she couldn't use it at. all.) the complete waste of time and money orthopod - who didn't know what was wrong - dh insisted I take her to, told her to rest it for four MONTHS. my chiro adjusted her 4X's in four days before she flew out and she had 90% return of function before she left. a little sore, but it was working again. she did a few more adjustments when she got home for the summer and has never had a recurrance. (it's been eight? years) take ibruprophen for pain because it is an anti-inflamitory. Edited May 6, 2012 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Okay - I had something exactly the same. the pain radiated down my arm, even over my shoulder to my shoulder blade (where it abruptly stopped). It was a severe case of tendonitis and was pulling on everything with major inflamation. My gp sent me to an OT/PT, and even she'd never seen a case as bad. I had eight weeks of therapy, and even then it was still somewhat sore. my advice - find a GOOD chiro who does extremities. I started seeing a chiro later, and from what I know now - it would have been so much faster and a better job of preventing the recurrance. my daughter put her wrist out of commission by displacing a bone in the tunnel next to the 'carpel'. (she couldn't use it at. all.) the complete waste of time and money orthopod - who didn't know what was wrong - dh insisted I take her to, told her to rest it for four MONTHS. my chiro adjusted her 4X's in four days before she flew out and she had 90% return of function before she left. a little sore, but it was working again. she did a few more adjustments when she got home for the summer and has never had a recurrance. (it's been eight? years) take ibruprophen for pain because it is an anti-inflamitory. Thank you for this. I had wondered about the chiro. I'll need to do some investigating. The reason I was thinking ortho first was because it seems like something is "catching" in my shoulder which makes me think that something is torn and I wasn't sure if a chiro could do anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 As long as your insurance allows it go to the ortho first. Sadly I have to go through the chain. I started the process Friday. Let's see who's shoulder is healed first. My money is on yours. :D I'll have to check on the insurance. Years ago I did something to my knee and was able to get in with an ortho but things can change even though we have the same insurance now. I hope both our shoulders heal rapidly! I've been trying to ignore it but I suddenly realized over the weekend that it is changing my lifestyle. My kids are jumping when I go to reach for something to help me and I'm using my left arm instead of my right as a habit now so it's time to find out what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Update: I did finally call and had an appointment this morning. Diagnosed as an impingement. They gave me a cortizone shot in my bursa - I feel so knowledgable about shoulder anatomy now :) - and instructions to take it easy on it for a few days. I'm to go get an x-ray and will meet with PT sometime later this week or early next week for instruction in an at-home exercise program and then go back in a month. So thankful that it doesn't look like surgery will be required - he did mention the word but said they would try these other methods first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Glad you got your shot quickly. It took dh months to get to that point. Good news is within days he had almost full range of motion back. Hope yous happens just as easily. (I'm still waiting for an ortho appt. MRI showed mine is a torn tendon.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 I was really surprised that they didn't require an MRI/x-ray first but he said that the positions that caused pain in my arm were classic impingement. I really "lucked" into this appointment. I called the recommended ortho's office on Thursday. They are only in my immediate town one morning a week but someone had just cancelled for the 9:30 appointment this morning and there it was, waiting on me so I got in. I'm sorry you still have to wait :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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