Shoulder pain. Sorry not the most interesting subject!

[thefinaltwist]

Just looking for people's advice/own stories of shoulder/rotator cuff pain. I know people on here are not drs etc etc

So basically I was in a car accident almost a year ago. For context I was stationary at traffic lights and I was hit from behind at 65mph ( drugs/drunk ) I fractured my nose on the steering wheel and had awful whiplash/pain down right side arm/shoulder/back! Over the course of the year I've had back neck and shoulder massage once a month, physio every 2 weeks and also seen a chiropractor which started off at 3x a week then decreased over time to now just a maintenance appointment every 6/7 weeks.

Right thats the background now for my current problem. I feel I've healed well over the year. Was initially off sick for a month but returned on reduced hours and reduced duties for a further month. Recovery feels a bit slow but have been told by the consultant I'm looking at 12 to 18 months for full recovery. Tend to get on well day to day I just need to be careful not to over do it with things such as light gardening ( weeding etc ) I've learnt to make adjustments such as sitting on a stool. I'm also still on light duties at work ( top heavy physical job ) Anyway I woke up about 2 weeks ago lying on my right hand side and I've had issues ever since. Pain in the front of the shoulder, top and up towards my collarbone especially worse if I reach up high or try to unclip my bra etc. Also pain if I lean on my elbow I feel it in the shoulder.

I've been resting it but obviously still moving around etc just being careful with overhead stuff etc taking ibrofen and cocdemol ( 8/500 ) alternating between hot and cold patches/sprays, hot salt baths ( recommended from physio and massage therapist ) and stretches given to me previously. My dh says I should be back at the dr but I don't see what else they can really do and I feel they will just tell me its from the accident. Just looking for any self help things I can try or advice really? Sorry this was so long

I agree with your hus. Ask your GP for a physiotherapist referral.

If you are determined to go the self help route, check out Dr Jo on YouTube

I've only just finished with a private physio. I was told by my gp back at the beginning of all this I would wait up to a year for a referral with the NHS.

Everything has been going great till I woke up on that side

I think you need x-rays and an MRI. Don't just try and live with the pain. X

I've had both at the time of the accident

I had a frozen shoulder (twice! Lucky me!) couldn’t put arm, raise my arm above shoulder height, do the back of my hair, lift something from an over head shelf…I practically saw stars if I hurt it during the frozen stage, could it be that?

Get back to the doctor - I will say that for my shoulder, it only started recovering (I still have slightly limited movement over a year later, despite daily exercises to get it moving now it's healed), that heat seemed to prolong it - it only started getting better when I only iced it - multiple times a day - to bring the swelling down rather than heat which seemed to prolong it.

It takes a long time. I had an accident and broke the top of my humerus in four places. It took two years and daily physio exercises before I had a full range of movement and no pain. It’s fine now, though.

I had a bad (push)bike accident 13 months ago, caused by a driver.

One of my injuries was to damaging my AC joint and clavicle. A saw a specialist surgeon who advised to try physio for a year before looking at surgery. He flagged being in my 30s we should only go down the surgical route if absolutely necessary as I would be looking at more extensive surgeries as I get older.

I'm not going to lie, it was a very long and painful 10 months. Initial focus was on treatment including laser therapy. Once I healed enough, I moved into the gym for expertise based treatment as well as continuing hands on manipulation.

First 7 months I was seeing the physio 2 x weekly, dropping to 1 x weekly for 2 months, then fortnightly for the last month. Luckily in AUS this cost was fully covered by our road insurance.

I'm still seeing my phsyio, at my cost, one a month as a check in and to progress the specific gym exercises (weights) for my shoulder I continue with 3 times weekly.

To add - while recovering I had a at home program to ru through daily. Pain in the arse, literally and figuratively, but committing to it even when on holiday saved my shoulder.

It does sound like Frozen shoulder. This is interesting from Mayo Clinic: fits with your history.

I'd say this is a new condition not the old problem, so if it would help you access physio for it, that would make visit to GP useful.

I do feel ice is working better than heat