First off, THANK YOU to all that offered advice and antidotes as well as your own stories of misery dealing with rotator cuff issues.
Per many of the suggestions I maintained NSAID's and used aspercream with lidocaine, salonpas pads, tea made with tumeric, frozen bags of peas and hot compresses for the pain. Shhhh, and maybe a wee taste of the hooch but who's counting.
Over the past few days I have been very cautious with the shoulder. I would move it just enough to feel an increase in pain in all axis and would massage the sore areas with my finger tips.
Now, the good news, so far. Earlier I was soaking in the shower and let the hottest water I could stand pore on the shoulder as I moved and rotated and massaged. I reached out and slowly moved my hand and arm up toward the shower head. When the pain got too much I leaned away and then walked my hand up the shower wall a little higher. The hot water felt good and I slowly moved to stand up straight stretching my arm higher with my body.
You ever have that feeling like you have to "snap" your ankle or elbow? You kinda shake your foot or hand then twist either one back and forth. Suddenly you hear a pop/click and feel it something give like the tendons were pinched or stacked on top of each other. Then it feels really good right?
Well as I was pushing up and moving the joint I heard that same type of "click" not once but twice.
I'm not an orthpedic surgeon and didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I have no idea what goes on in there but my range of motion without pain increased dramatically. As I'm typing this there is still soreness in the front muscle right at the end of where my collar bone probably ends at the shoulder.
All I can think is a tendon or two got bound up some how and caused the issue. Maybe some of the previous strain set up the cascade of events. What ever it was I am pleased to report, as of now, I may have dodged some serious issue.
I will use care and be very aware of what I do for the next week or so as it finishes healing.
Again, the outpouring of info and first hand experience as well as the overall comments to the community here is so greatly appreciated. You all are the best. I am sure that everything that was discussed in that thread and all the ideas shared will be used in part by some that read through it. Maybe not now but in the future.
THANK YOU!!
Irish
I just had rotator cup surgery done on Dec. 9th 2020. it`s now Feb. 14th 2021 and I honestly have to say, I wish I had never done the surgery. I feel I`m worse off now than before the surgery. Going to physical therapy twice a week and it`s killing me. they say I may be out for another 3 to 4 months before I can go back to work.
ReplyDeleteDamn. That sucks and it will probably be a long time after that you get closer to what you had before the injury. Good luck going forward.
DeleteI felt the same way when I had my surgery. That's why I tell people give everything else a chance first. It is one tough recovery. Had mine in July and did PT through September. On the up side here in February the shoulder is much much better to the point that I rarely notice it. It does take a while so hang in there.
DeleteI've had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders and a fairly good result with each. First the left in 2009, and a very quick recovery; probably 6-8 weeks until back in the gym. Right shoulder in 2013, with significantly more damage to repair, including the relocation of the bicep tendon. Much longer recovery, close to six months, but understandable given the extent of the repair. I'm convinced that the good results were the work of the mechanic doing the job (that's really all the surgeon is: a glorified mechanic; sorry not sorry). My guy is terrific; he's also repaired my elbow twice, once for bone chips and the next for tendon damage. I know people that used other mechanics with far worse results. Not that I recommend any surgery, but I got lucky, I guess.
DeleteMy apology to burst your hopium bubble. I am concerned with the two clicking sensation you felt or heard, the labrum is the cartilage that surrounds and reinforces the ball and socket joint of the shoulder and that may indicate a tear in that or a torn ligament of the upper bicep. It may give you some relief as far as range of motion, but when it clicks back, you will lose that ROM and possibly be more painful and sore Another equally bit of problem is the rotator cuff ligament or the muscle which there are a group of four of them that stabilizes and allow you to extend and abduct and rotate your arm. My advice is seek an orthopedic consult, let the doc set a diagnoses and treatment. It may be as simple as a cortisone injection or a peek and repair of what ever ails ya... the wee dram of spirits won't hurt either way.
ReplyDeleteI promise to get it checked out Mom. Sheesh. On a serious note there really wasn’t any thing that led to my onset of pain. One day nothing , the next wtf? I can help honestly say I have never damaged either shoulder since they were new 😬. I’ll call my PC tomorrow and set up a consult. I know my description of what I experienced and your experience of what really goes on when things are fubar calls for a professional on my end. Thanks Cederq.
Deletemy torn rotator cuff did the same thing: clunking back into place. At least it seemed like it.
DeleteTemporary relief. Get thee to a medic!
Thank you 1chota, with the both of us we can be successfully hog tie and deliver our reticence patient to proper care...
DeleteDamn I am really glad to hear this.
ReplyDeleteI have been worried about you all weekend.
Being a fellow stubborn Irish Fuck, I know all too well how the first instinct is to tough shit out when you don't really need to and how you try to make it look like it ain't killing your ass when it really is.
Great news buddy.
Thanks Phil. It made a huge difference. I’m still gonna be good so nurse ratchet (above) doesn’t read me the riot act. 😃
Deletemy doc asked my what I did. I said that I did not know. He said if I had a '47 model car wouldn't some of the parts start wearing out?
DeleteI think what really is motivating most of us is our concern that you won't make it back for next Friday.
DeleteIt's called impingement. Usually takes surgery to correct. I have had multiple shoulder injuries over the years including this. Baseball is killer on young shoulders that lasts a lifetime.
DeleteI thought I was "Mom?" If I didn't care and like you Irish, I wouldn't say a thing, but like Phil above, I too am half Irish (mom's side, a nurse also) and half Swede, A temper and stubborn as all hell... I can be a Nurse Ratchet, believe me.
DeleteTop o' the marnin' to ya Cederq! I know you care and I appreciate your input as well as all the others. There was some good learnin'here. In five hours,EST, I will call and find a good ortho DR in my insurance group and get an appointment. I will then report back post haste! Mom or Nurse ratchet, I think back in the day they were interchangeble when we were young :)
DeleteAbout that pop you described. I had something similar happen to me. But the other way. I was climbing (fortunately roped up at the gym) when I made a long reach and a hard pull and, POP! I fell off of the route, but I think I ended up finishing it. Same thing, limited mobility, loss of strength, and pain afterward. I figured rotator cuff too. I saw a doctor and got referred to a physical therapist. He did a little examining and manipulating. Then he got a small tool and gave a push and a lift in that area, and got a pop. I felt relief. It turns out there is a tendon that runs in a groove in the bone in that area. Basically, I had popped it out, and he popped it back in. Anyway, I didn't need surgery. But it is somewhat problematic. I just have to be careful. And yes, I still climb when I can. Good luck. Try a physical therapist.
ReplyDeleteCan't recommend Curcumin enough. I have arthritis in my lower back and it has been a God send. I buy the stuff off of amazon and take 1-2 a day. I'm not much of an organic anything but this shit works good. Sucks to get old.
ReplyDeleteYour shower experience is my daily routine. Stretch that sucker out as much as I can. Of course, you should probably see a Doc first, I only play one on TV.
ReplyDeleteHey Irish, I kind of hate to say this to a fellow imbiber but while NSAIDs are good and hooch is good, the two really don't mix well. The trick is to try to time them separately so they don't metabolize at the same time. Your poor overworked liver will thank you later.
ReplyDeleteAfter hooch, wait the amount of time it takes to legally drive, before taking NSAIDs.
After NSAIDs, wait 3 1/2 hours to metabolize the majority of it, before taking hooch.
In practice, I take NSAIDs in the morning and at lunch, and hooch in the evening. It only becomes a problem if you need NSAIDs at night to sleep, then you should quit drinking a couple or few hours before bed. Which is probably good for you or some shit like that, but damn.
I was cautious about timing. There was no way I was washing down my Advil with whiskey :)
DeleteGlad to hear it Irish. I knew someone who did exactly that, took a while for the metabolic byproducts to catch up with him, but once they did the effects were terrible.
DeleteWish you speedy healing brother!
I recently cracked a couple ribs and suffer from sciatica. I also have a condition in my left hand that is either dupuytren's contracture or trigger finger as the early symptoms are quite similar. My doctor thinks it is the former because of the nodule that has formed in my upper palm between the pinky and ring finger. For pain, soreness and swelling I use 95% arnica gel which you can find on Amazon. It was originally formulated to treat muscle injuries in horses and is a blend of arnica montana and herbs and oils. When in pain I also take (4) 30x Arnica Montana tablets four times a day.I avoid over the counter medications as many have bad side effects. I see my chiropractor every 2-3 weeks for therapy and her physical therapy has cured me of the sciatica and helped with the ribs and hand condition. I refused prescription pain medication offered by my doctor.
ReplyDeleteHoping you heal quickly.
sawman
You will need to start a physical therapy routine. Your doc will send you to a PT. They’ll start you on some exercise band work.
ReplyDeleteYou can look up the exercises on YouTube. I had bad shoulders and that worked for me. Had my baseball playing son do them as well to lessen the chance of injury.
Do not ignore your PT! Even if you think it is menial and slight, it all is a means to the ends. I bodgered my shoulder three times in a row when I was young, and had I not followed my PT I would have been sentenced to a desk job. If you don't believe me, consider if things go wrong and you need that shoulder to help you picking up your grand child, or wiping your a$$ if the other gets hurt.
ReplyDeleteEven warriors need to rest once in a while.
I get the "shoulder click" when I throw seed or bread out for the birds.
ReplyDeletePlease try the "damp towel in a ziplock bag, stuffed in a tube sock and microwaved" treatment I wrote.
It really works, especially in bed as you go to sleep.
Be well,
Gunny
78-03