To be sick and tired of this rotator cuff shoulder pain?

[Thepleasureofyourcompany]

2 months ago I dislocated my arm and cracked the humerus. Fracture has healed but all the muscles, tendons are fucked (which I believe is the technical term!). It's been 8 weeks now and pain just getting worse and worse. So far today I've taken 2 paracetamol, 2 nurofen and 30mg of codeine and its still just grinding away. I have a wheat bag on it, I'm doing the exercises as prescribed by physio. Sleeping laying down is impossible. The only thing differently I've done is that yesterday I went for a 3k walk because if I have to do nothing for any longer I will go mad. It's a dull ache like toothache.

My dh and dcs are sick of me moaning about it. Just posting for sympathy really and on the off-chance anyone else has had this and is now back swimming front crawl or weightlifting or something.

My shoulder muscles are absolutely rock hard. Even the physio can't quite believe how bad they are. So I expect a sports massage will be great in a few weeks.

I tore my rotator cuff about ten years ago. I saw a physio regularly and I was really impatient with 'nothing happening' in terms of recovery, but every time I saw her she said "you have to be patient, it'll take months". It was my right shoulder so I was having to do everything with my left hand.

I'm a swimmer and I couldn't get back in the pool for five months. My physio suggested at that point I do some 'hydrotherapy' - treading water and moving my arms back and forth to help strengthen the muscles again. After about three weeks of that, I was able to begin swimming again. So, six months of being unable to swim. But by that 6 month point it was pretty much perfectly healed - which is what my physio predicted.

I found night time very difficult, but my physio suggested using a TENS machine and that really did help, I would fall asleep wearing it. She also suggested various support pillows so I could rest my arm comfortably while lying down.

So I'd say there is light at the end of the tunnel... but the light's a bit further away than you'd like!

I had a cortisone injection in mine, it was so painful all the time. Injection seems to have worked I see a chiropractor every month and it can still hurt if I over do it and can't sleep on that side for long. Could you ask for an injection?

Its not the same thing but having had two frozen shoulders, going through my 2nd now - Naproxen helps. I take lanzoprazole to protect my stomach. Steroid injections and hydrodilitation were the only thing that helped with the pain and movement in the end. In for my second hydrodilitation next week.

A wheat bag helped so much with my first shoulder but the physio said it could also acerbate the inflammation. I alternated with cold packs. And Biofreeze roll on is also brilliant.

I tore mine turning over in bed, pushed my elbow in the bed to shuffle over in bed & felt it tear. I had 6 months of physio & then had the surgery as there was no improvement. It took 4 months of physio afterwards to get ant use back & over a year after surgery to feel anything like normal. I struggled getting dressed, hanging washing out & anything that involved moving my arm from my body.

I’ve had both shoulders stabilised.

Used to dislocate them regularly. Right one I could put back on my own. Left one needed A&E. Three times in a day once 🙄

Much sympathy here, OP. It is horrible and exhausting.

I had a full thickness supraspinatus tear and partial thickness one of the others - and never feel them now. It did take a while but I could exercise for most of that. The game changer was a scan as it ruled out labral and other injuries that meant exercise/physio could make things worse, so then I could go full steam ahead. I would get one if you possibly can run to it or persuade the NHS to.

I had regular physio for about 9 months and about another 6 months after my last appointment I realised I never feel it. I strength train a lot and the physio said I may get problems/need surgery if I stop as the other muscles are compensating.

That's all very interesting. Thanks for posting.

It sounds miserable for you @Thepleasureofyourcompany 😔

I have issues with my neck/back - due to scoliosis and a severe whiplash injury some years ago. I totally get that you become completely fed up of being in pain. I think it's worse when it's stopping you sleeping as well 😔

Few things I do/might help (might not - sorry!)

Check with GP about naproxen if the codeine aren't doing the trick. Pain usually makes us subconsciously tense the muscles which then makes things worse. So, if you can ease the pain, you may find it starts to ease it over all.

Physio - what are they doing apart from giving you the exercises? If you also have muscles around the area that are tense/compressing things, you might need them to do some work on that. I go to a private physio who is amazing- she will really work the muscles that are tensed - sometimes sore while she does it but worth it. She also does acupuncture which is quite helpful.

Pilates may also help in the long term. My physio runs classes so I attend those. Have a look in your area and see if you can find a physio that teaches pilates. Groups tend to be smaller than a leisure centre so they can tailor things to you and they will also really check that you are doing it correctly.

Hope it starts to ease soon!

I think I'm going to play up the pain at my next physio appointment- or just not try and 'be brave'.

I'm on Gabapentin for my back scoliosis, herniated disc. That's helped so much a good nerve blocker

I have damage in both shoulders, after I tripped and put my hands out to save myself. The Voltarol Maximum Strength gel (2.32%) helps a lot. I

I had a rotator cuff injury years ago (no dislocation or fracture) and it took months to heal and years before it stopped feeling 'fragile'. The pain was awful, it would really pinch and make me yelp if I did certain movements and I slept with my shoulder supported by a pillow for ages. The physio strapped it up with tape and the relief was immense.

Feminax Ultra (not express) contains 250mg of naproxen and can be bought over the counter.

I’ve had rotator cuff issues years ago. Lasted months and months and only got worse. Like you mentioned, it disrupted my sleep etc. GP did a cortisone injection but didn’t do anything. A few months later I saw a shoulder specialist and after a scan, he suggested another cortisone injection, which completely solved it. It went away and has not come back ( 7 yrs ago now).
No idea if an injection would help with your issue but maybe worth checking x

I had rotator cuff pain and realised I could no longer do my bra up - I did try exercises and a steroid jab but after nagging and a scan eventually it was agreed it was torn and I warranted surgery.

Before the op the surgeon said he'd only repair it if the tear was big enough which he didnt think it could be; he also asked me to do something with my arm and said "ha your biceps tendon is also fucked, I'll tie that off". Post op I'd torn the whole supraspinatus off so he had fixed that (I have photos) and he cut the tendon and tied it in a knot, literally. I now have one very slightly bulging bicep.

I am fixed. Bliss. Post op recovery did take months but I am a fully functioning, non-opiate-popping human being, capable of putting her own underwear on again. Highly recommended.

Really useful to know about the feminax ultra- thanks! I am having a lot of problems with my right shoulder. Not sure if it’s a frozen shoulder, bursitis or something else. I’m awaiting an ultrasound but I’m so fed up of the pain. It sometimes seems to ease a bit but then gets worse again.

Another vote for voltarol. I tore my rota cuff a year ago - it's nearly healed but letting some voltarol soak in for a couple of days was a great relief many times. It takes ages to heal annoyingly.

It will get better.. I Todd my rotator cuff trying to stop myself falling, aggravated it when the bus driver stopped suddenly. Physio and pain killers worked gradually. If you can get naproxen it's really good as the effect adds up .

look at complementary therapies they can do massage, acupuncture, cupping reflexology I found these amazing for my frozen shoulder x

Stick with the physio, soft tissue injuries are often more problematic than fractures. At this stage I would be holding off on referring for MRI, even if you do have labral damage it’s often managed conservatively without surgery unless the type and level of sport you’re doing puts you at high risk for subsequent dislocations, and any tendon/ligament injury will still be healing.
Try and take note of how much discomfort you’re in whilst doing your rehab, if pain is over 4/10 (10 being the worst pain you ever experienced) or any aggravation caused by the exercise continues for more than a few minutes afterwards make sure you let the physio know so they can adjust your programme.
As far as medication goes, naproxen or diclofenac should be effective so definitely give the GP a call and make sure you mention it’s affecting sleep.
Hope you start to see an improvement soon!

Thank you all so much. This thread has been very helpful. I'm back at the hospital today for a bone scan and might try and ask around for a pain prescription- they'll probably steer me to gp but I'll ask anyway.

I'd just ask them what pain relief is efficacious because the pain is interfering with your ability to exercise then GP for the prescription.

Is anyone using exercise bands I've just ordered a set?

I subluxated my shoulder (dislocated and immediately back in again) in 2020, it was horse related :)
I didn't go to hospital because it was the height of covid, I just took dihydrocodeine for the first few days then ibuprofen/paracetamol. I couldn't lift my arm above shoulder height at all. Eventually spoke to GP who referred me for NHS physio but in the mean time I got a private physio, she was a game changer, she released the muscles that had gone into spasm with me holding/protecting my arm for weeks. She said that the actual injury wasn't so important, it was the knock on effects on the other muscles that were causing the ongoing pain by trapping the nerves.
It took a few weeks of sessions but she put me back in the right direction and able to do her stretching exercises. I worked hard at getting it better, I thought it was never going to regain full fitness but after about 18 months it did.
The NHS physios just got me to show them what I could do (not much) and gave me some exercises but not stretches. The stretches really help.
I found sleeping hard, the pain would radiate from my back to shoulder to elbow and wrist. I got a small electric heated blanket and wrapped it round the worst area, that really helped.
Also, I did walk a lot, swinging my arms, physio said that is great for your shoulder.

Bloody horses! 😄

I've been walking round town and went to the library and I can feel that it's simmering away and I'll pay for it later. Hospital said more codeine!!