Severe shoulder pain- help 😔

[Ansumpasty]

Hello. I’m looking for any reassurance as I’m worried sick.

I woke up 3 nights ago with pain in my left shoulder (top of arm, rather than near neck or back), as if I’d been sleeping in a bad position. It was mild irritation all day but I was able to carry on. It’s not heart and chest related and is definitely coming from the joint or things that attach to the bottom of the joint.
That evening, it started to feel a little worse. I tried lifting my arm and stretching from the door frame, which was a bad idea. Fell asleep on the sofa and woke in agony. It’s been agony since- the type of pain that knocks you sick and I’ve been in tears. The last 2 nights I’ve barely slept. Managed a few hours last night by sitting up in bed with my arm propped up to my side.
I can’t move my arm out the side more than about 6 inches without bad pain. It feels like a constant toothache at the top of my arm, even when still.

I went to the GP yesterday who checked me for things like ectopic pregnancy, referred me for an x ray and gave me naproxen. The x ray can take a while to come through.

The only thing I can think of is that 2 days before it came on, I tried to lift 2 giant pumpkins in a bin bag and swing them into one of the giant tip bins. It didn’t hurt afterwards, though? Can pain come on 2 1/2 days later?

I’m prone to health anxiety and I’m getting myself in a massive state of worry. I start a new job in 3 weeks and I’m terrified that this will still be here and jeopardise it for me 😞 I can’t even get myself dressed.

I have another doctor calling me this afternoon and I’ve booked an acupuncture session. The naproxen is not good for my stomach, so I’m taking co codamol and ibuprofen, but it only just takes the edge off.

I’m finding this extra hard as I have a phobia of medical tests and my anxiety tends to jump to worst case scenario.

I can’t do any of the exercises I’ve found on YouTube as it hurts way too much to lift my arm. Currently alternating ice and heat.

Kids off school for half term and I’m feeling so guilty that I’m ruining it for everyone by being in so much pain 😔

Anyone had anything similar or can offer me any reassurance? I’m so worried.

This sounds like a rotator cuff tear given the history of coming on after you lifted something heavy.

Large/ full thickness tears that come on acutely after an injury in a young person are best managed with surgery but need urgent referral. Minor tears or acute on chronic problems/ chronic tears or tears in older people can be managed with physio.

rest or passive movement ( keep your shoulder and arm hanging and very gently pretend to stir a pudding ), ice and ibuprofen will help. Put a pillow under your shoulder and arm at night.

an X-ray cannot exclude a soft tissue injury but is done to check there is no fracture or dislocation.

hope you feel better soon.

Yes ibuprofen is a little gentler . You can take gaviscon but that just deals with the symptoms and does not protect your stomach. Ranitidine is a good alternative to oneprazole.
take the ibuprofen after or with food and avoid alcohol and acidic juices

If a musculoskeletal specialist suspects a rotator cuff tear they will organise MRI to assess the extent of it.

Ranitidine banned some time ago, cancer risk.

I use Maalox, no side effects. Buy from Amazon

Thanks for this . I had missed this and am a prescriber! . Rarely prescribed ranitidine as PPIs are far more effective anyway……You are indeed correct that ranitidine products have been withdrawn due to the concern raised in 2020 that products may be contaminated with a cancer causing substance. Who says mumsnet is not educational. 🤣

Thank you 😃
It’s weird as I lifted the heavy thing on Thursday, but the pain didn’t start until Saturday night. I got punched in the arm a few times on Thursday (one-to-one student with autism) then stretched from the doorframe on Sunday to try and ease the pain, and that seemed to make it a hell of a lot worse.
I was told by the 2 doctors and the nurse I saw in the first few days to keep moving it and use heat. It’s complete rest and I’ve that seems to help, so I was doing the exact opposite.
I’ve had kidney stones and recovered from a section and this pain has been right up there!

*ice not I’ve!

So it was getting less painful with a sling (no longer a constant tooth ache type pain and I was able to think of other things and was so relieved!), although still couldn’t move it much.
Yesterday evening, I attempted a few gentle stretches. Then, I forgot and reached forward to grab something quickly and twinged it badly.
Woke at 2am terrible, constant again 😔 It’s so tender to touch at the very top of my arm- even the ice pack is hurting it. So annoyed with myself for not being more careful. Meant to be going back to work for my final week before I start a new job in 3 weeks and I’m so worried that it’s not going to ease 😩

That’s meant to say I’m in work tomorrow for my final week. Such a pain 😩

Hi! I know it’s been ages since you posted, what was the outcome of your shoulder? I’m experiencing the same and am feeling so desperate because of the pain.

I think it took about 3 weeks to go. It suddenly just eased! I feel for you, it was absolute agony.
The main thing I did was start using an immobilising sling and completely rest it. Originally, I went with the advice of people to keep moving it to avoid a frozen shoulder, but that made it so much worse.
I also paid to see a private chiropractor, and she did some stretches and massages and used an ultrasound machine. I used anti inflammatory gel, too. I had to sleep sitting up for weeks with my arm propped, it was awful.
Hope you feel better soon!

I can empathise OP, frozen shoulder absolutely agony, physio will help, but don’t expect a quick fix sadly. I still struggle some days

Have a look at Dr Mandel's videos.

https://youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=Frozen+shoulder+dr+mandel

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, am also sleeping propped up with an ice pack! It has been torture!

Those were the exercises I did after I dislocated my shoulder . It really does work.

It sounds incredibly distressing and uncomfortable. It's good to hear that you've ruled out heart and chest-related issues, but the pain you're describing definitely sounds like it needs attention.
It's possible that you might have injured your shoulder, perhaps even a rotator cuff issue given the location of the pain. However, I'm not a medical professional, so it's essential to seek advice from someone like Dr. Kevin Kruse, who specializes in shoulder problems. You can find more information about him at https://www.kevinkrusemd.com/arlington-shoulder-surgeon/.
In the meantime, try to rest your shoulder as much as possible and avoid activities that exacerbate the pain.

Osteopaths do have medical training. They do at least a 4 year Masters full time or 6 years part time purely on the musculo-skeletal system. and are one of the 14 Allied Health professions in the UK many working in the NHS. Physios do a three year degree. All osteopaths are required by law to be registered with General Osteopathic Council and present their degree and insurance certs.

I had nearly exactly the same and it was referred pain from my neck in my case with numbness in my fingers. I went to urgent care with it as I was in tears with pain and hadn't slept much in a whole weekend. Doc wasn't nice to me but did prescribe Tramadol and diazepam and whilst it made me sick. I was able to sleep when they gave me anti sickness as well.
I also got a Tens machine from Argos which distracted me a bit. Osteopath sorted me out with very gentle manipulation. Try not to worry. It'll ease once you get control over the pain. I was told to ask for neuropathic painkillers like amitryptaline (spelling??!) but they refused.

I have similar symptoms for 3 months and just had an ultrasound on my shoulder. It was impingement syndrome and a torn tendon.. recovery can take months apparently.