Shoulder pain

[Time2]

I've been having shoulder pain for at least 8 months.
It finally became to much when I visited my kids and we had a wiffle ball game and I realized I could not throw over hand because of the pain.
I threw under hand the whole game.
So I went to an orthopedic surgeon, xrays and the doc point out a bone spur. He gave me a steroid shot and said if this doesn't settle it down we can do keyhole surgery and remove the spur.
It's been two days, I don't have the sharp pain I had with certain movement but now I have more of a constant ache.
Not sure if that is just from having the shot and that will diminish or if it is as good as it is going to get.
I still can't throw a ball, and it is very surprising as I've been pretty good, but I'm 65 yrs old now.



Anyone else go through this?

 

[Nemo2]

Both my shoulders hurt.....(can't sleep on either side for too long....so I change sides at night until both become intolerable...then I get up for a while).

Haven't been to an ortho, but a physio I saw waaay back suggested slowly lifting a small weight until it was horizontal with my shoulder....(repeat without rinsing)...seemed to work, and I've just now started back doing them.

65? Aaah, don't worry...it gets worse.

 

[MichaelB]

Both my shoulders hurt.....(can't sleep on either side for too long....so I change sides at night until both become intolerable...then I get up for a while).

Haven't been to an ortho, but a physio I saw waaay back suggested slowly lifting a small weight until it was horizontal with my shoulder....(repeat without rinsing)...seemed to work, and I've just now started back doing them.

65? Aaah, don't worry...it gets worse.

Reading your health related posts gives us so much to look forward to ..

 

[Nemo2]

Reading your health related posts gives us so much to look forward to ..

Yeah...me too! I know I've previously mentioned that, years back at age 73 when I was doing thousands of stair climbing risers a day, I had people in their 50s/60s say I was an 'inspiration'......in retrospect "ha ha".

When I first met DW's dad he was the age I am now.....go go go....now he's 94 and barely moves.

All of which reinforces my desire to travel while I (still) can.....when you're aware of the alternatives it helps making choices easier.

 

[MRG]

I have had periodic shoulder pains, normally it's the precursor to nerve damage in my cspine. Last May 16, I woke up in intense pain in my left shoulder. Felt like someone was hacking it with an axe. Burning pain down my arm and hand, lost my strength in my left hand.

I was able to get an injection 2 weeks later it removed half the pain and numbness overnight and after months of PT my strength is back. I still have a little numbness in my pinky and ring finger.

How long do injections last? Dunno, some people need them more frequently and others less often. If you could fix it with a low risk surgery I would. I have known about my issues since 1996 and surgery isn't a good option for me. I've had 5 occurrences and every one sucked.

 

[RunningBum]

I took a ski fall 2 months ago and had similar problems. It's slowly getting better, but I still can't throw overhand well (couldn't at all for the first month). I can't sleep on it for very long, and it sometimes hurts when I reach for something. Since it is getting better I'm being patient and letting it heal, but if it stopped I'd probably do something about it other than some basic PT on my own.

Have you looked up or asked for physical therapy as an alternative? Does it limit your life enough to warrant surgery? The surgery doesn't seem like something that would take too long to recover from.

 

[splitwdw]

I've been having shoulder pain for at least 8 months.
It finally became to much when I visited my kids and we had a wiffle ball game and I realized I could not throw over hand because of the pain.
I threw under hand the whole game.
So I went to an orthopedic surgeon, xrays and the doc point out a bone spur. He gave me a steroid shot and said if this doesn't settle it down we can do keyhole surgery and remove the spur.
It's been two days, I don't have the sharp pain I had with certain movement but now I have more of a constant ache.
Not sure if that is just from having the shot and that will diminish or if it is as good as it is going to get.
I still can't throw a ball, and it is very surprising as I've been pretty good, but I'm 65 yrs old now.



Anyone else go through this?

Why are you throwing a ball? Give the shoulder a rest and a chance for the shot to help. My sister had bone spur too and started throwing a ball for the dogs then complained that the shot didn't do anything. Give it a rest.

 

[Jerry1]

I'm certainly no doctor, but I'm guessing a bone spur is not going to heal with rest. I've had shoulder pain on and off for years and it seems to be muscle or nerve so rest does seem to help. I would think a bone spur needs to be dealt with surgically. However, it sure can't hurt to rest it while you decide what to do.

 

[eytonxav]

I guess you could try anti-inflammatories and some physical therapy which may work in less severe cases. I have also used one of those hard rubber balls and rolled it against the front/back of my shoulder and shoulder blade, as scar tissue can also built up over the years and cause problems.

Another option might be changing your arm slot to throw with a more side arm motion. Like many things good throwing mechanics can also help by using your legs, and hips more and taking some load off your arm/shoulder.

 

[Time2]

Why are you throwing a ball?

The ball throwing was two weeks ago, that I couldn't do it is what sent me to the doc.

Give the shoulder a rest and a chance for the shot to help. My sister had bone spur too and started throwing a ball for the dogs then complained that the shot didn't do anything. Give it a rest.

I am.

 

[Time2]

Reading your health related posts gives us so much to look forward to ..

If it makes you feel any better, I suffered back pain with two herniated disks for ten years and then over a fairly short time my back quit hurting. I just recently stopped taking hydrocodone for my back pain, Just a note, that did nothing for my shoulder pain. Seems like it would have helped that pain, but didn't.
This was within a year of finally deciding to take a chance on surgery, I visited a surgeon, got all the x-rays and an MRI. The surgeon's conclusion was, I can't see where to operate that I think I could do any good for you.
Anyway, my back pain is gone, I'm walking 5 miles a day, 18 minute miles.
have stopped lifting dumb bells because of my shoulder.

 

[Dash man]

I have Cervical Disc Degeneration Disease and bulging discs in my lower back. A lot of nerve damage and arthritis. I’m 63 and it first got my attention in 2006. I now get nerve ablations done routinely and Tylenol, muscle relaxers and hydrocodone are my friend. I can’t take NSAIDS. I get PT when things get bad. I’ve been to neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons, but all have said I’m not a candidate for surgery. An ortho doctor at my church told me few people are.
I’ve just adjusted my life to it and accept things now. I’m thankful I’m not wheelchair bound and I can afford to pay for folks to do the chores that have gotten too difficult for me. Getting older ain’t for sissies.

 

[freedomatlast]

I had a case of "frozen shoulder" for about a year. Couldn't touch my back with my left arm without severe shoulder pain and trying to put my coat on with my left arm was almost impossible. At about the 8 month mark, I finally visited a doctor and she suggested X rays to start. Everything looked good on the x rays so they then suggested therapy sessions which I declined. Now at about the one year mark, I'm 98% back to normal with no pain during daily activities.

 

[Freedom56]

I've been having shoulder pain for at least 8 months.
It finally became to much when I visited my kids and we had a wiffle ball game and I realized I could not throw over hand because of the pain.
I threw under hand the whole game.
So I went to an orthopedic surgeon, xrays and the doc point out a bone spur. He gave me a steroid shot and said if this doesn't settle it down we can do keyhole surgery and remove the spur.
It's been two days, I don't have the sharp pain I had with certain movement but now I have more of a constant ache.
Not sure if that is just from having the shot and that will diminish or if it is as good as it is going to get.
I still can't throw a ball, and it is very surprising as I've been pretty good, but I'm 65 yrs old now.



Anyone else go through this?

My FIL went through the same issue as you are going through. He injured his shoulder when he was much younger. The doctor told him he had a bone spur. He got a steroid injection it helped for a month or so but reverted back to pain. They put him on Tramadol and it helped slightly didn't solve the problem. He was getting depressed so we took his x-rays and scans to my brother for a second opinion (he is a radiologist and nuclear medicine specialist). He disagreed with the original finding of a bone spur and said he had acute arthritis and given that steroid injection didn't work for him, he recommended a shoulder rotator cuff replacement. We got a third opinion in Switzerland (where he lives) from an orthopedic surgeon and he agreed that my FIL would need a rotator cuff replacement. He was 82 at the time and we were pretty apprehensive about him undergoing surgery. He finally said he couldn't handle the pain any longer and decided on the surgery. He handled the surgery well and withing 48 hours his paid was gone. It took him about 3 months to fully recover. He just turned 84 on Monday and his shoulder doesn't bother him at all.

I would get a second opinion if you are still in pain. There may be other options for you. Go to a hospital that specializes in orthopedic surgery.

 

[Lewis Clark]

I've had surgery on both shoulders. The first was just a bone spur that caused some minor damage to the surrounding tissue. The second was a partial tear in a bicep tendon, which was torn by a bone spur.

In both cases I tried physical therapy before surgery, and in both cases the PT did help some, but did not solve the problem. I was happy with the results of both procedures.

 

[jcretire77]

Had an AC Joint bone spur w/ arthritis clean up years ago that fixed right shoulder pain that stopped me from playing tennis. Was able to play for many years afterward.

After a torn labrum in the right shoulder I decided that priorities had changed and did not want to go through another surgery and focused on golf.

While on Lisinopril i experienced a frozen left shoulder. It was pretty bad, but physical therapy resolved the issue. I cannot prove that Lisinopril was the culprit, but will never take that again.

Now at 61 it does not take much to aggravate the tendons on either side and longer for the irritation to settle down. The joy of getting older.

 

[pacergal]

I've been having shoulder pain for at least 8 months.
It finally became to much when I visited my kids and we had a wiffle ball game and I realized I could not throw over hand because of the pain.
I threw under hand the whole game.
So I went to an orthopedic surgeon, xrays and the doc point out a bone spur. He gave me a steroid shot and said if this doesn't settle it down we can do keyhole surgery and remove the spur.
It's been two days, I don't have the sharp pain I had with certain movement but now I have more of a constant ache.
Not sure if that is just from having the shot and that will diminish or if it is as good as it is going to get.
I still can't throw a ball, and it is very surprising as I've been pretty good, but I'm 65 yrs old now.



Anyone else go through this?

Give the injection some time to work. Try NSAIDS if you can take them. PT helps too.
I have had surgery on both shoulders for calcifications/bone spurs in the joint. Much better now. PT after the surgery is a must. And I still do the exercises frequently.

 

[Time2]

I have Cervical Disc Degeneration Disease and bulging discs in my lower back. A lot of nerve damage and arthritis. I’m 63 and it first got my attention in 2006. I now get nerve ablations done routinely and Tylenol, muscle relaxers and hydrocodone are my friend. I can’t take NSAIDS. I get PT when things get bad. I’ve been to neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons, but all have said I’m not a candidate for surgery. An ortho doctor at my church told me few people are.
I’ve just adjusted my life to it and accept things now. I’m thankful I’m not wheelchair bound and I can afford to pay for folks to do the chores that have gotten too difficult for me. Getting older ain’t for sissies.

In April of of 2010, I had a 10 day back ache, not uncommon for me to have a back ache now and then because of my lifting job then. I had used a gym to strengthen my back before, so I signed up and paid for a year.
That was a Saturday, Sunday morning before I ever made it to the gym, I woke up with a spasm in my right buttocks, with pain down my leg. I was at my docs at 8am saying get me in and do something. He gave me Prednisone, a muscle relaxer and hydrocodone and said I herniated a disk.
I came back to him in two weeks and said I'm just now getting up and not just moving from bed to couch and back. He was surprised and said he thought the Prednisone would have me going in just a few days. I went back to limited work after a few weeks, but was a zombie on muscle relaxers and hydrocodone. At some point I stopped the muscle relaxers because of the zombie feeling.
After a year I decided to get an MRI, it just confirmed what my doc said, except that it was two disks.
Anyway I'm maybe 2-1/2 months since I woke up with that back pain and hoping it gone forever. It was a long hall.
It is gone just in time to start with the shoulder ;-)

 

[Amethyst]

I am wondering if your Dr. recommended a course of physical therapy, and if not, then why not. It is always the first thing I am given to try for chronic pain, even in the presence of spurs (arthritis).

Therapists work with the Dr. to design a program for the individual. They are able to spend more time analyzing your particular situation, what you may have done (or been doing over a long time) which brought on your pain (and which probably wasn't that thrown ball), and which parts of your anatomy may need to be strengthened in order to take the strain off the injured/arthritic part.

In the case of my shoulder, I learned about muscles I didn't even know I had (e.g. serratus) which had (who knows why) stopped doing their job, causing other muscles to take on too much.

Good luck!

 

[Aerides]

He gave me a steroid shot and said if this doesn't settle it down we can do keyhole surgery and remove the spur.

Given my experience with my knee/cortisone shot, I'd say give it a good 2 weeks before you decide if the shot is working. It's not like a painkiller and can vary. Mine took a while to kick in, and a good month to feel like it had really solved my issue (i actually thought my meniscus had self-healed for a while there.)

I just got a 2nd cortisone shot as it wore off after about 4-5 months.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I had a case of "frozen shoulder" for about a year. Couldn't touch my back with my left arm without severe shoulder pain and trying to put my coat on with my left arm was almost impossible. At about the 8 month mark, I finally visited a doctor and she suggested X rays to start. Everything looked good on the x rays so they then suggested therapy sessions which I declined. Now at about the one year mark, I'm 98% back to normal with no pain during daily activities.

I found PT very helpful for frozen shoulder, particularly the deep massage the therapist performed. She also instructed me in some exercises, most of which were meant to stretch the connective tissue in the shoulder. I lived with the pain for about 18 months before I finally got medical treatment. Six weeks after that my shoulder was at about 85%. It still took several more months before I could throw overhand.

 

[Boho]

I've had shoulder pain on and off for years from the way I sleep on my arm. I'm more careful now but I've had it for the last several months. I'm convinced there's some kind of bed innovation that would help. When the bed senses that I'm sleeping on my arm it should change the stiffness of that part of the mattress. I'd immediately start working on inventing it if I had the money.

 

[MBAustin]

I suffered nagging pain in my right shoulder for more than 6 months last year- not bad enough to go to the doctor or really affect my daily life, but annoying nonetheless. In January I was playing shuffleboard with DS at a bar and it was incredibly painful to shoot with my right arm. So I played left-handed and decided to ask my PCP when I went in a few weeks later for my annual prescription refill visit. He checked a few things and recommended to start with PT. I went for 5 weeks (twice a week at first then once a week) and had home exercises to do also. I was 90% better at the end of that time, and if I had kept up the home exercises regularly I'd probably be 98% now. As it is, it hurts only occasionally and not bad enough to keep me from doing anything.

So I'd ask if a PT referral is in order after you've had a couple weeks of rest.

 

[2soon2tell]

I've had three total right shoulder replacement surgeries. The original and two revisions surgeries due to loosening of the prosthesis. As a result, I have chronic arthritis pain in the shoulder. My left shoulder is starting to hurt due to overuse.

I'm 73 so some pain is expected due to high mileage. When the pain gets bad I take a Tramadol which helps.

As they say, old age is not for sissies.

 

[Janet H]

You might discuss using a tens unit with your healthcare provider to help with pain.

It's not a cure but essentially tricks your pain receptors so that you are not so focused on the underlying pain. This is the one I have used: https://www.amazon.com/TENS-7000-Digital-Unit-Accessories/dp/B00NCRE4GO

You'll also need to order additional pads if you use it regularly.