Hi,
I have been diagnosed with an Impinged Supraspinatus tendon in my left shoulder. I have had months of Physio & Osteo but my physiotherapist now says he cannot do any more. Went to my docs for a cortisone injection (which fixed a similar problem in my right arm) but it did nothing.
I am a musician and being in pain permanently is affecting my playing but the docs just want to give me stronger and stronger drugs for the pain. Latest was Tramadol (didn't help).
So getting a bit desperate.
Any advice?
L
Next stop is likely to be decompression surgery.
Need to see a surgeon. Recovery is quite quick i.e. back to playing within eight weeks.
No need to wear a sling. Only thing to think aboutis what else the surgeon finds e.g. a tear that needs repairing. If this is the case, your recovery will be much longer.
Thx, NICK
I am a musician too so I feel your pain - what do you play ? I play organ / keyboard in rock band
I dont know where you are but Six Physio in london have musiciab specific physios This might help too
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/shoulderandelbow/information/documents/A4ShoulderImpingeAppendix5.pdf
Get a good surgeon and get the decompression done, they can do it with a scope and you will be good to go in a 4 to 6 weeks. If you really have an impingement you will just keep tearing up the tendon by trying to do more physio. I've had both shoulders decompressed and when I went in for the second one the surgeon told me that "You should have come in sooner and shame on you for waiting so long!"
I really only follow this forum now because I had a bad skiing accident and have had 2 shoulder replacements. Believe me, decompression is a breeze as far as shoulder problems and there are alot of surgeons who are very good at them
Hi, I am in similar situation and just had steroid injections a few days ago. If I were you, I would ask to be referred on to ortho consultant, not sure GP is experienced enough to deal with this. I have had all treatment initially with neck consultant as also have a neck problem but now referred by him to upper limb specialist. I have very good physio and am surprised yours has said cant do anymore , have you had MRI or anything? My physiology has given me exercises to help strengthen shoulder but said that depending on cons opinion, it may be something only surgery can fix, but physio still has a role to play. Good luck. Keep us posted. Xx
Hi folks,
well I am still here but still in pain. I am going to go back and see my GP as soon as I can - life is a little buy music wise at the moment. I am a saxophonist and clarinettist. The physio believes this is part of the probem as holding the sax puts my shoulders in an odd position and the biggest of them is like slinging a todler round yr neck. So i now have a different kind of harness that takes the pressore off my neck.
I have also sent for a trial Actipatch. Thought that at £2.95 it was worth a trial for a month. Will let you know if it is effective.
I will be asking for a referral when i see the Doc. Irritating thing is, with my previous employer I could have gone private but now i need to join a waiting list.
Although I do have a pretty full diary musically there are a few occasions where I haqve a 4 week gap so this would be ideal if i needed surgery.
Lets see what happens.
L
Thaqnks for the link to the leaflet - it was interesting and gave me some useful information.
Well, no big surprise - the Actipatch has made no difference at all. 1st few days I was hopeful as the pain did seem to reduce but then i stopped the anti inflamatories and the pain came back.
I am back at the GP in 10 days or so for another steroid injection and will ask about a referral.
I just hope he doesn't write a scrip for more pain killers as the tramadol didn't do anything at all.
Just sick of being in pain.
Well, I forget my login details so I am back under a different account name. My left shoulder is still bad and I have booked another GP appt to have yet another steriod injection in it (No 3). I am now trying a Tens Machine to see if thast helps. I do find it gives short term relief so at least i can sleep at night.
Seen the GP. He didn't do a 2nd cortisone injection as the 1st didn't work but he is referring me for a scan.
So we can but wait and see.
L
An update - been to see an Osteo surgeon. He had X Rays taken and the good news is I do not have any evidence of a bone spur or Arthritis (Not over and above what you'd expect at 50!). The Gap my Supraspinatus runs through seems slightly narrow but not too bad. So in a few weeks I will be having an ultrasound guided cortisone injection into the shoulder. If this doesn't work they are talking about decompression surgery but they are optimistic this will be effective.
Lx
X-Ray only shows bone, not tendons.
So if your tendon is inflamed and in a narrow space, then the Cortizone is unlikely to help you. But they have to try this first I'm afraid
Thx, NICK
Hi folks,
had an apt to see a radiographer for a guided cortisone injection right into the shoulder. He did an ultrasound and basically told me the supraspinatus gap may be fine but the tendon was twice as thick as it needed to be with inflamation.
So after giving me a local anaesthetic (glad he did this) he stuck a huge (6/7 cm long) needle into my shoulder. Didn't see the needle until after he finished - glad about this also. It was huge! Was scary at the time but the Radiographer and his nurse were fabulous. If I ever needed to have another I would not hesitate.
The result is, after 2 or 3 days the pain went and now, a month later I am still pain free.
Now my left thumb is playing up! Starting to think I have got sub-std tendons!
Lxx
Update - 3 months later I am still pain free (apart from the de Quervain's I have developed in my left thumb!).
I have comed to the conclusion that i have grown dodgy tendons!
The guided cortisone did the trick and I can play instruments without pain as long as I use my body harness - played the tenor last week with a neck sling and suffered for it so it does all seem to be related.