Pulled muscle/trapped nerve/frozen shoulder

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Realised that when putting my left arm out sideways I couldn't lift it higher than my shoulder. Couldn't reach up to high shelves and cannot 'reach behind' to undo my bra!!! In fact, can't even reach behind my back at all if I try to slide my arm upwards any higher than my bottom. Even have trouble pulling up my tights on my left side.

Get a funny 'burning' sensation at the front edge of my chest right near the top of my armpit. If I catch my arm in the wrong position it sends a hideous pain right down my arm muscle to my elbow. Like when I jumped into the passenger seat of a car, reached out and pulled the door shut........yikes, that made be double up in pain for a good 10 minutes. Also get an 'achey' feeling in my shoulder and arm.

Now, GP said I'd pulled a muscle - what garbage, it had been like that for 4 months. Eventually went to a Chiropractor who said it is a trapped nerve. My friend sees an Oesteopath for exactly the same thing and she's been told it's frozen shoulder.

Chiropractor has helped somewhat but I think she can't do much more. Now I seem to be paying £35 for 10 minutes of back massage, previously she spent more time 'manipulating' it, which seemed to help more, though painful when she took it outside of my comfort zone. Got about 50% improvement so reckon I'll just continue with the exercises she gave me and stop seeing her.

Does anyone have any links into any other gentle 'stretching' exercises which might help improve this further.

Currently:

1) I must gently swing my arm as far back and forth as high as it will comfortably go.

2) I must take it across the front of my body and hold it there with the other hand, gently stretching it across.

3) Sit a small distance beside a wall, reach my arm out sideways (at right angles to my body) until I touch it. Then slowly 'walk' my fingers up the wall as high as is comfortable, then 'walk' them back down again. At first I couldn't get very high and could only do it with my arm bent. Now I can do it with my arm straight out to touch the wall and can get much higher.

4) Now for the one which SCARED me the most but seems to have brought the best relief............Stand at right angles to a closed door and reach out to grip the handle (which will ordinarily be roughly level with the top of your hip). SLOWLY shuffle your feet and body 180 degrees so your back is now more or less facing the door. Your arm is behind you.

Apparently this strengthens/stretches out the muscle which runs across the left front of my chest by my armit and down towards my boob (sorry). I can actually feel it stretch out with my other hand when I'm turning.

When she first showed me I thought \"I'm not doing that thank you\" but to be fair, I have found it helpful and though there was mild discomfort, it isn't painful. I tend to do it first before the others now, as they are easier after I've done this (20 times).

Oddly, I have no problems carrying anything heavy, you name it, I can carry it -shopping bags etc. Just don't ask me to lift it up onto a table.

Sorry this is long. I'm not even sure exactly what's wrong with my shoulder, I just know it's not a pulled muscle!

2

Hi sagalout1954 - this sounds very similar to my experience - had a fall at new year and the frozen shoulder has come on from that - so now 5 months in. After a series of attempts with osteopath, a cortesone injection and home exercies (though I don't think I am managing such a comprehensive set of exercises as you) I was referred to a shoulder specialist who confirmed frozen shoulder and will do me a manipulation under anathetic. Still sounds long and painful but should cut the recover by several months compared to not intervening.

I won't add to your description of the condition except to say I could have written it myself as it's so similar to my experience.

One item I have found possibly helpful for assisting exercise are therabands which are widely available (e. g. amazon.co.uk).

All best wishes for your recovery

Xina ...

3

hi, I know it is a while since you posted this, but what has been the outcome. I have the same issue with right shoulder. Just booked an appointment with GP. Has deteriorated for last few years but only recently have I

not been able to put my belt on

not been able to wipe my behind with right hand - sorry for turgid detail

not able to reach higher than head height with right hand

getting shooting pains down arm when i reach for something outside limited trajectory

not able to sleep through without pain in shoulder and upper arm

cannot do front crawl anymore

cannot play golf anymore

HAVE HAD PERIODIC PHYSIO BUT HASNT REALLY SORTED IT.

Any feedback welcome

 

4

 I read this discussion earlier tonight after suffering all the restriction of movements etc for about 4 months.... I was to the point of not being able to bend my arm more than about 15 degrees.. not raising my arm, managing a bra one handed etc. So tonight I decided to concentrate on what I was feeling. I found a stretch and can already now reach behind my back with my thumb level with my bra. I did the doorway stretch BUT.... I stood with the front of my left shoulder against the door frame and my arm bend at the elbow, close to my body with my hand on the door frame . My arm was so tight I could not get my elbow anywhere near the wall in this position. I DID NOT try and push my shoulder forward or move the rotator cuff area. What I did was tried to push my rib cage down leftwards as I tilted my head back and to the right. I discovered an extreme tightness down the left side of my neck, passed the front of my left armpit and what felt like down the rib cage near the side of my left breast . I held the stretch and repeated it a number of times. I then manipulated the position ( no idea how) until I felt the same kind of stretch down the back side of my neck, back of left armpit and down into the side of my back rib cage. For future readers I hope this may help someone and for now... I'm going to go back to some more stretching and might cancel my first physio appointment tomorrow. My upper arm is still tight both front and back but Ill work on that after I get a bit more backward movement .

5

Hi,  I'm trying to figure out your door jam stretch.  It sounds like it's your left side, right?  It's my right shoulder that is troubling me.  Could you explain further for me on the stretch?  I can't quite picture it. It just might work for me.

6

Hi Cynthia, Stand under doorframe , right shoulder touching inside of frame ( where closed door would normally sit). Right arm is down by yourside. Then bend elbow to bring hand up and hold the wooden frame ( so hand is slightly behind your shoulder)... I only did this to isolate my arm and shoulder as they felt too tight and I didnt want to use them.... I then hold my shoulder and arm exactly as they are and lean my head away to behind left shoulder, and then take left shoulder backwards.  I have now found another one which is working well. Both hands behind my butt and take them as low as I can so my shoulders are kept low, and then I slowly stretch my neck on the tight side. I slowly, gently move my neck through all the positions. I then pull my shoulders back and stick my chest out forward and repeat the neck stretches. For me I think its coming from my neck.  Im still tight, but I just tested while I was sitting here and my thumb can "just" touch my bra line still. What I find surprising is that Im not concentrating on arm or shoulder muscles and none of these movements "hurt". Im amazed how short a time its been since I worked out the first stretch to now, and how massive my improvement has been. Im just starting at the top (neck) and working down.

Best of luck

7

Remember Im not a Doctor and what works for me may not work for others ... also ... only yesterday my hubby was told he has a herniated C5/C6 disc. If your feeling PAIN.... please see your doctor.

8

, thank you.  I'm going to use those stretches in my daily routine.  I have noticed a little improvement.  The walking of the fingers on the wall.  I have passed my marks, yeah!!! I'm still having problems with other movements.  Especially the hand behind my back, very tight. I do have a massage once a week and I'm not in as much pain when she works on that shoulder.  I did start the MSM supplement and I believe that is helping.

9

I changed my GP within the same practice, then INSISTED on referal for NHS physio.  They did an assessment, said 'frozen shoulder', gave me a painless cortisone injection (apparently they only hurt if the person doing it isn't doing it properly), had 2 lots of physio over the next fortnight. 

With cortisone controlling pain that was all I needed.  Able to perform all functions fully exercised my shoulder more than enough.  No more physio required & I was advised that if, in 3 months, my shoulder became sore again to go back for another injection.  It didn't.

Weeks with a bad GP too hell bent on saving the NHS money than on my health.  I wish to God I could have persuaded my 35 year old son to switch, this GP's total lack of proactivity & total complacency cost my poor son his life.  Bowel cancer constantly diagnosed by him as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, pat on the head & send my son on his way to manage the symptoms.  He died in January this year having FINALLY been diagnosed in A&E only 7 weeks earlier.  I'll never forgive that man.

My advice - do NOT tolerate pain, insist on referral to a specialist whatever is wrong with whichever part of your body.  Don't be complacent & too trusting of the medical profession.  We must now live with this overwhelming grief & loss.

 

10

HI Cynthia, Im still experimenting and tonight realised that when Im on computer I tend to rest my left elbow (left is my restricted side) on the desk, sink down into my shoulder with my chin sometimes resting on my left hand. So I decided to try and stretch out all the areas I was squishing by wrapping a scarf around my left wrist and gripping the little bit of the end,,, the other end I placed under my left foot which was a little in front of me while I was standing.. and gently pulled up... stretching my neck gently as well as shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. I then released the stretch very slowly. Once again I ended up with a good improvement, especially in the tightness in my elbow. Best of luck.

11

HI Cynthia, Ive now moved onto another stretch. I use a neck scarf with a knot in one end.. small loop to go over hand at other end. I slightly open a door and place knot through the door then close it. I put hand through loop and hold on and gently pull away . I then try and turn to face different directions. I also try and rotate arm so hand goes from palm up to palm down as I stretch. I started with scarf below waist level and now I have it over top corner of door.  I still do the stretch in my last reply first. 

When I wake in the morning I can now bend my arm so my hand sits just below the base of my spine. The side of my chest has lost most of its tenderness. I hope my ideas are helping you and others.

P.S. I have only been doing these stretches once a day in the evenings for about 10mins total.

12

I couldn't ignore your post. I am so sorry for your loss. It's incredibly sad to read about the incompetence of your previous doctor.

My initial, milder FS symptoms started very soon after the unexpected loss of my mum. My acupuncturist said that the areas that are sore when he palpates them are all in a channel which when translated from Chinese means grief. If you Google Frozen Shoulder & grief you will see there are others this has happened to. I am now taking 2 drops of the essence 'Star of Bethlehem' to help with blocked emotions & the effects of shock.