To ask you to help me?

[UnhappyCrumpet]

I appreciate many medical professionals have been unable to correctly advise what is wrong but I’m hoping it’s because they’re only looking at it from one angle and there will be someone out there who has had similar and can help.

I started to have pain over my clavicle and into my shoulder several months ago for no apparent reason. It is worse after I’ve been immobile, for example when sleeping. When I then go to move, it feels like the area is being ripped open. The pain is below and above the collarbone. It eases during the day, but if I sneeze, cough, or breathe deeply, my shoulder hurts. Again it feels like it’s stretching to the point of pain / tearing. I also have tingling intermittently in my hand.

as of a week ago, it’s now spread to my opposite shoulder. It’s not as bad there and I don’t get symptoms on sneezing etc, but if I try to correct my posture by moving my shoulder back and down, it feels like underneath my clavicle (outer edge on both) is tearing/painful stretch.

I can’t sleep on either side now, I mean I can but as soon as I remove the pressure by rolling over, the pain hits me. So it’s just not worth it. But even sleeping on my back, the stiffness is there.

i’m utterly miserable. I’m mid 30’s, and have realised I do not do well with chronic pain. It’s really affecting my mental state to the point my children have noticed.

I have had an MRI, which showed bursitis and tendinitis on one side but I don’t actually have symptoms of either of those things (full range of motion completely pain free) so although possibly contributing it’s not the actual issue and doesn’t account for the problem I have on the opposite side. Neck MRI and sternoclavicular MRI was clear.

any ideas? I’ve googled it to death. Where do I go for help? I’ve seen physios and they just give me exercises for the bursitis which isn’t the presenting problem.

im desperate!

What have the doctors said? Just that they can't find anything and left you to it?

Try an osteopath? I had similar issues and it turned out to be a cramped intercostal muscle. As soon as she touched it I leaped!

It took a few months but I’m completely pain free now.

I also recommend an osteopath. They are very hands on and in tune with fine differences in motion.

Have you had a massage? There could be a knot elsewhere on your body, like under a shoulder blade that's pulling you out of whack. I had this happen, it actually went on for years until I figured out how to prevent the knot. I think a massage would be an easy, relatively inexpensive way to rule it out at the very least. Do you have anxiety with tension? I did some kundalini yoga and some breathing workshops for awhile and basically relearned how to hold myself and breathe, and it made such a big difference. Have you tried cutting out caffeine? It could be nerve pain as well. Covid has been known to cause nerve damage and pain. I know most of my ideas are very simple, but that's how to get to the root issue- starting small and working your way up. It could be one of these things and it's getting overlooked because it seems too easy a fix. Hopefully you find relief soon. I had a bout of this recently and thought I'd lose my mind over it. It ended up being Covid, very strange symptom but it lasted over a month. It was so incredibly painful. Fingers crossed someone comes up with the right idea!

Osteopath or physiotherapy or both

The pain on the opposite side is likely due to the way you are holding yourself.

Have you got pain meds?

It sounds like I felt when I had pleurisy. I didn't have a cough but I had pain like yours and it was better if I lay on the side it hurt. I couldn't get a deep breath in and it hurt when I was walking/moving.

Thanks all. I have seen 4 different physios, had a sports massage, seen a chiropractor and an osteopath.

my next port of call is a sports therapist and I’m even considering acupuncture.

your stories are all really helpful, and I feel positive that there is a fix somewhere and someone, somehow will surely fix it. It’s just finding the right person with the right technique. And working out wtf I am doing to make it worse every day!

I do have anxiety, mostly related to health and I’m sure the tension from worrying about this doesn’t help. I’ve just started Pilates in the hope that the overall strengthening / breathing techniques help my poor battered body!

@flowerygloves yes! Basically.

Did they check your lungs?

Yes, lungs were covered via the MRI and were clear.

This may be completely wrong, but my mum in law had very similar symptoms and it turned out that she had fibromyalgia.She was given steroids.
I'm not saying it is though.
Good luck hope you feel better soon It must be miserable for you.

Sounds like bursitis or a frozen shoulder. (ESP the bit where it’s worse when you’ve been sleeping.) You might benefit from a cortisone shot or some physio. I would recommend going back to the GP and letting them know that it’s not improving. (Also NSAIDs and Fish Oil might help too.)

@Fraaahnces thank you. They did find bursitis but I have no symptoms of it - I can move my arm and shoulder freely without pain so the orthopaedic consultant said I’m not a candidate for a steroid injection on the basis of ‘treat the patient, not the scans’

I’m on fish oil but loathe to take painkillers as I’m fine 90% of the time, just if I move in a certain way. It’s so bloody bizarre.

@Clarich007 god I hope not. What an awful illness that it! Your poor MiL x

If you assume the pain is due to inflammation, maybe a few days of consistently-timed NSAIDS (taken with food) might relieve it and then you could report that to your GP. (Or tell them it didn’t work…)

I have tried NSAIDs for a few days but it didn’t help.

I’m back with the osteopath 2x a week this time. He’s found many issues so far but nothing to say why my clavicles are painful. Hopefully we will get there. I shall keep everyone apprised! (And really hope it works)