What's the best pain-relief for this?

[NoseyNooNoo]

I have had some sort fo nerve/muscle pain in my left shoulder/neck/back and arm since I was pregnant in 2006. At the time it was put down to being pregnant, being a nursing mother and then just being old (in my thirties). It came and went for months at a time. It came back in 2009 and got progressively worse. I also had a really painful shoulder. I was in tears much of the time. I ended up having key hole surgery on my shoulder to sort out osteo-arthritis and that has worked a dream and the nerve/muscle pain went as well.

On Monday I woke up with a very painful neck. It has since travelled down my neck and now my arm. The left side of my back is really sore. My left arm aches a lot, it's really painful. I know exactly where this is going - and that's downhill. My GP is not going to help on this so I am going to have to self-prescribe. I've tried paracetamol this morning to no effect. I also have ibuprofen, co-codamol and co-drydamol. I am really not the type to take medication but I can't live like this. What can I do to numb the pain?

Thanks for reading this long thread.

Anyone?

i get this, and I find heat pads on my neck help....also you could take ibuprofen now and the co codamol when the paracetamol wears off.

Ibuprofen and co-codamol, either together or at 2 hour intervals.
I pulled my neck a couple of weeks ago and there was a golfball sized muscle swelling at the base of my skull, I took Boots own ibuprofen with codeine (12.5 mg) and then plain paracetemol 2 hours later, it was the only way I could drive to work.
My DH is waiting for shoulder keyhole surgery, I hope it sorts him out as well as it has for you, he's on naproxen atm, nothing else he's tried has worked very well at all.

if the heat pads dont help some people find ice does.

I also found that sitting with a small cushion under my arm eased the strain on my neck too.

Thanks for yout tips. Have just taken the co-codamol.

I'm also going to change GPs I think.

I think co-codomol/ibuprofen is fine to take if its a short term thing. However if you think its connected to your previous problems and could be a long term thing then you really need to see a GP, even if that means changing your GP.

Co-codamol becomes habit forming and you need to take more of it to get the same benefit. Ibuprofen is not always good long term as I think it can cause stomach problems/ulcers?

Personally I've found amytriptilene to be very good for nerve pain, but its prescription only. Have you thought about a TENS machine? You can ask your GP for a referral to a pain clinic, very good at helping with chronic pain.

Well that's why I dn't want to take pain-killers - I don't want to become addicted and I don't want any other side effects. My GPs have been cr@p though. I only had the shoulder op because I went private. After years of appointments, being told it was just one of those things and being told to take some paracetamol (that doesn't work) I mentioned I could go private and 2 weeks later I was having an operation!

I'm going to change doctors this week. I've had enough. I'll ask the new doctor about a TENS machine. I have benefitted from a really good one at an osteopath clinic. I'm not sure how I would go about getting one for use at home and how to set it up - given that the pain is on my back and I can't twist!

It sounds like the old injury/problem may be flaring up again. When you had your op, were you told that it could recur after some time?

Could you ask about trying something like Pregabalin (brand name Lyrica). I had excruciating back pain for the best part of 5 years. I was prescribed this particular anti-convulsant and by the next afternoon I was like a completely new woman.

It dampened the pain down to the extent that I went from struggling to get out of bed to leaping out and torturing the kids to get up for school/day trips .

Thanks for your thoughts. I saw GP on Friday. He said it was due to old age and gave me a print out of some core stability exercises. He also said it was his job to lower my expectations and that I should just accept the pain and be happy when I didn't have the pain.

I'm going to register with a new surgery this week.

oh b***d !
Have you managed to get a new GP ?

I've phoned a local surgery and they are happy to take me on so when I have a spare moment I'll pop down to get the forms.

Have you been referred for physio in the past? If it was a while ago it may be time to try again. Standard of physio's and their approach is varied. It could be really helpful.

You could try the supplement Glucosamine 1500mg daily taken just before bed. It can take up to 8 weeks to work.

Also get your doc to test your Vit D levels. Defficiency can be a causative factor in musculoskeletal pain.

Could it be a Thoracic Outlet problem?? it sounds similar to my problem

if so I believe the right phsyio could help, at least thats what the pain clinic have told me - not had it for mine yet so can't say for sure, though acupuncture DID help, as did MLD massage.

otherwise I've found rest your arm/neck- no computer - that makes mine worse, I find barometric pressure affects it too - & Ibruprofen & either co-codomol, or Diazepam will help take the pressure off the pinch nerve that cause it.

I also 2nd a tense machine & I also find paingone pen helps a lot, but try & test it out on yourself first, as for some reason they don't work for everyone - also clary sage aromatherapy oil helps lift your mood & is a natural pain killer (not to be used in pregnancy though) & up your magnesium intake, either with supplements, or Epsom salt soak baths - magnesium helps your body regulate pain & stress,

hope it feels better soon

Oh & your GP sounds like a complete Tw@T

you need a pain management clinic referral too

Thanks all for continuing to comment on this. I spoke to an older woman this week who uses my GP practice. She said the one I see, who is the one that is always available, is known to be a bit of a 'chocolate tea-pot'!