I think I racked up my shoulder

[Selah]

Hi, everyone! Anyone have any experience with rotator cuff injuries? I've never had so much as a sprained ankle in my life, so I'm not sure what an injury is actually supposed to feel like.

Three weeks ago I reached for something at a 90 degree angle to my left side and extended my arm a little bit beyond its natural reach. I sensed a very unusual sensation deep in my shoulder, kind of like ripping Velcro apart for a second. Then it HURT, and it hasn't stop hurting since then. I can (carefully) raise my arm straight up over my head, but I can't lift it much beyond a 45 degree angle if I'm pulling my arm up from the side. Reaching behind me with that arm, i.e. to put on clothes or a bra, often hurts a great deal.

The pain doesn't seem to getting any better, and I can't sleep on my left side anymore. My husband can't hold me tightly, either. :(

Any advice for pain relief or rehab exercises (or not) would be greatly appreciated. I see my Physician's Assistant in a couple of weeks and don't want to do any more damage to it if I can help it. Thanks!

[sweetana3]

I would suggest a visit to an Ortho Clinic. We have them here for immediate visits due to ortho injuries. Pain could indicate continued damage and you need an experienced evaluation and perhaps additional diagnostics. I would not wait 2 more weeks and I sure would not go to a PA or even expect much out of a family practice doctor. Shoulders are as important as knees and the pain can continue for months or years.

[kally]

I would see a dr. but I did read that tart cherry juice (of all things) can be helpful.

[mschrisgo2]

That sounds exactly like the symptoms I have with my torn rotator cuff, which was confirmed with an MRI. I echo the sentiment of getting to an ortho shoulder specialist ASAP, because treatment should be rather immediate. (which I did not know until recently; my accident was 15 months ago)

For the immediacy, ice on your shoulder blade and an anti-inflamatory drug, if you can take them, would be good, and don't do anything that increases the pain level- like try to reach behind you.

[awakenedsoul]

Yes, I would definitely get an xray from someone who specializes in the shoulder joint. www.bonesmart.org is a very informative website for joint problems. I agree with mschrisgo2's advice to ice, take something for the pain, and not to aggravate the injury.

[Selah]

Thanks for everyone's good suggestions! I see my PA on December 28th...unfortunately, with my insurance, I need to go to her first before any referral can be made. In the meantime, I'm just being careful and am trying to keep up my range of motion up to the point of pain, as I read that completely immobilizing it could lead to "frozen shoulder." Can't afford that, no how, no way...I just started a new job and am still on my initial 90 day probationary period. Thanks again.