1.29.2010

By the way, the EMG tests are not extremely painful. The last one I had for my shoulder didn't hurt at all.

Hi...Glad I found this site...Here is my story. On 12.24.2008 I feel on some slick ice. I completely went down on what I thought was just my back. I don't remember hurting my arm. I thought for weeks that I might have had a concussion, but did nothing about it. After six months after the fall I started feeling pain in my left arm...it started way up in my shoulder and the pain radiated down into the elbow...with lots of fire and numbness into my left hand. I had all I could stand come December of 2009 and finally went to the dr. I have been on Ultram, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aleve, Zipsor, (not all at the same time)...and I have been rubbing BIOFREEZE INTO MY ARM...NECK AND SHOULDER...I have had an X-ray of my arm...an MRI of my arm...and an X-ray of my cervical spine. The only thing that showed anything was the MRI which showed some tendonitis. I made one attempt @ physical therapy, but the next day I was in the most horrible pain that I decided I was done with that (done before I really started)...I have seen a chiropractor twice and she told me I have a frozen shoulder...and if I cannot get it moving I will basically lose the muscles in that arm. She has given me stretches to do...and said the pain would be horrible. She also told me I could have it un-stuck via a surgery. My normal dr. wants to send me to a neurologist for an EMG study...but I have heard that is extremely painful. My chiropractor does not think I need the EMG study. I am about ready to just say whatever happens happens...I have this feeling that if somebody would just grab my left arm...and pull straight on it as hard as they could whatever is going wrong would all break loose. I know I could not stand that kind of pain. I have had two kids...that was over and done. This pain has been with me constant for months now. I have given over 1/2 my tops away as the pain of getting them on/off was just miserable. These sports bras are killers to get on/off. I am just now able to get my arm in/out of my coat w/o help. The pain of doing that was off the charts. For months I slept in spurts...the pain in the night was the worst. My dr. said the nighttime pain is the worst and is to be expected. I have tried chairs...the couch...where ever I could prop my arm in a position with the least pain. Funny thing is I don't know that the fall caused this...I can only assume as it is the only thing I have done to I would say injure myself. I am glad to see there are others out there talking about this...there are days I feel I could go off the deep end with this. The pain has been so bad that my blood pressure has went up. I don't know if there is a connection or not. And with all the pain in my left arm...and my blood pressure being 156/105...I had to make an ER run to make sure I was not having a heart attack...but I checked out...and they sent me home...now on blood pressure meds to boot...I had never heard of a frozen shoulder. Would not wish it on my worst enemy...I know each case is different...but this has been over a year now...how long do these things last...I so want it to be over soon...and when it un-freezes...will I know...will there be mega pain when that happens...or when it happens...will I just be able to finally use it again perfectly? It is really sad when you are a woman and cannot get your left arm up high enough to shave under it...I keep trying...and I am cutting skin...and that is not funny...I see why the people on here (some of them) say they might just give up...but give up and do what...do any of you ever get your arm all the way back...you all cannot imagine all the things I thought I had wrong with me...how many trips should I make to the chiropractor? I almost look at her more as a theraspist than anything else...I just don't know what to do...I have tried so much...thanks for reading...and thanks for those that respond...