SHOULDER/BACK PAIN from a fall

I fell about three weeks ago and it was a hard fall on cement outdoors. It was a jolt to my body. I hurt everything on the right side of my body and mainly my shoulder. I've had 4 x-rays and an MRI and I've had two prescriptions for inflammation and a muscle relaxant. No broken bone or rotator cuff tear or muscle tear.

Now I'm going to physical therapy for the weakness in my right arm and strengthen my muscle, etc. I am not sure what is going on--this morning I woke up, showered and was shampooing my hair and I felt a sharp pain in my back/near or in my right shoulder blade. I was in tears. No amount of pain medication or muscle relaxer can resolve the pain. I came home and laid on an ice pack--I feel somewhat better but I am puzzled why I am having so much pain. An FYI, I'm 53 and about 30 lbs overweight.

I sit at work and type at a computer all day and that is excruciating. I squirm, stretch and move around in my chair. My diagnosis is muscle strain. Could it be something else? I was perusing websites and I wonder if I cracked a rib but I believe they may have noticed that in the MRI. Maybe it's just spasms and then I was wondering if I am having a heart attack. Any answers?

I'm so frustrated by the constant pain. Thank you, all!

Hi Great2bcreative and welcome to the chronic pain forum. Ouch, that was some fall that you and no wonder you are hurting. I am 58 and have taken several falls in my house and cannot begin to tell you the pain these falls have brought on.

I think I would give physical therapy a shot to see if it can get things to calm down. You know your sitting in a chair at work may be keeping things aggravated, but you are right about keeping yourself moving around as much as you can. With your xrays and MRI being negative all any dr will do right away is conservative care. At this point they are thinking its a severe strain/sprain type of injury. Be sure to let the dr know about this new pain.

Please keep us posted on what your dr has to say when you see him tomorrow. take care..Susie

---

Moderator-Chronic Pain Forum

T2/T3 refer to two levels of your spinal vertebrae. T= thoracic.

I have Scoliosis (a curvature) from C4-T4 and among the symptoms are a burning/stabbing pain just to the right of my left shoulder blade (so between the shoulder blade and the spine).

So, it is possible that the injury damaged or shifted a disk and a nerve root is now being compressed. They may need to do an MRI to determine whether that is the problem.

Good luck.

---

C4-T4 Scoliosis (disk degeneration, stenosis, narrowed neuroforamen, bone spurs), RT hip and SI joint damage from car accident. Also, pectus excavatum, supraventricular tacycardia and mitral valve prolapse syndrome.
Current meds: Ultram ER 300mg daily, breakthrough - hydrocodone 10-15mg, or oxycodone 5-7.5mg. .25-.5mg ativan as needed for sleep, Verapamil 240mg SR (for tachycardia). [/gray

Good luck on your appointment! I sincerly hope this is not the beginning of serious back pain for you. Just in case it is and they suggest surgery...please, please, please get a second or third opinion. Back surgery in the T area is no joke!!! It is really serious business. Don't play around with this.

I don't mean to scare you, but the T spine is bad business. I have a few T spine issues..most of mine are L spine (lower) or C spine (cervical...neck). But, I know that back surgery is really major despite all of the "glowing" reports some surgeons give you. If they say they are the only one who can fix it...run...don't walk to someone else. This is the sign of overconfidence and nobody is the only one who can fix something. Find the absolute best to do anything with your back.

Also know there are other pain management options that can be done, from medication to other relatively simple things like a TENS unit (which gives small electrical pulses of some type and confuses the pain signals). It works for some and not for others. There are also nerve blocks, facet injections, steroid injections, RFA (basically never burning after a trial...this works good for me, but not for some others) and many other things.

Again, good luck on your appointment and please let us know how you are doing. We would love to have you as a part of our group, but hope you will heal quickly and not become a chronic pain patient.

All my best!

---

Failed TLIF L5-S1, Miltiple Bulges/Herniations, Scoliosis, Pituatary Disorder, Fibro, Failed Bladder Surgery, Failed Nissen, GERD, OCPD, GAD, MDD, CFS, TMJ, Migraines, HBP, Idiopatic Reactive Hypoglycemia w/Diabetic reaction to HGH, Bi-lateral CTS (now trigger finger), Edema, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Peripheral Neuropathy, Plantar Fascitis, Tibular Tendonitis, Adult Onset Flat Feet, & Vision Issues

Hi straydog and everyone,

Thank you for everyone's thoughts and comments! I went to the Ortho Specialist and he said that it is muscle trauma to the scapular muscle which affects other muscles connected to it. I feel like a big baby because it hurts constantly and it wakes me up at night. His diagnosis is physical therapy twice a week for the next month and then I go back to see him. He said it could possibly take 2 - 3 months. Does it really take that long to get better? Does anyone know? I guess I thought he would have a "magic" answer but I want a quick fix and definitely no surgery!

I'd rather exercise it at home and I'm sure I can ask the physical therapist about that. I still don't know what to think. But the exercises the PT will have me do will focus more on the scapular muscle. So I will see how that goes as I have an appointment tomorrow.

Thanks everyone! I'll keep you updated. . . . .

Hi

I have just joined the forum and was looking for people like myself. I am not a DIY man - but on 21 October 2000 - the day is indelibly set in my memory I fell off a ladder in the garden and smashed my shoulder - humerus, scapula, acromion to bits - plus whatever damage it did to muscles and nerves.

Movement is limited but OK. But the pain - made worse when I lift anything above 5lb. I've dried all sorts of medication - now on Tramadol, Duloxatine and boosted with Tylex when needed.

I have had blocks, physio and a number of alternative therapies. I also went on a pain management course run by a hospital in London. For more information please see http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/support-services/anaesthetics/pain-services

Myspecilialist is recommending SCS -but I have had mixed reviews.

I hope you get relief

Incartek,

Sounds like you had a really hard fall and broken bones. Fortunately, I didn't have that and should feel some relief in a couple months. Mine is more of an annoyance at this point and somewhat distracting. I need to keep on with my physical therapy. I hope YOU get better and you get the relief you need from the pain. Your recovery sounds like it will take a long time. Thank you for the information and I wish you the best in your healing.