Looking for anyone who is or has experienced chronic shoulder pain, especially when working overhead. What have you found that successfully counteracts this condition: medications, streches, etc. Have been to several physicians but they were not really able to shed any light on the situation. I have had a Cortizone shot, and taken Vioxx, but would like to find a more holistic approach, short of not working.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
A rear addition provides a small-scale example of how to frame efficiently.
Featured Video
Related Stories
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
I've been dealing with this as well. I have tendonitis in my left shoulder. I did anti inflamatories for a few months. Then I tried physical therapy I just didn't have the time to go during the day so after a week and a half I had to give it up it only seemed to aggrivate it more. Then the doctor gave me a steroid shotIt's better after the shot, but I can still feel it. The next step is to do an MRI and see exactly what the heck is going on in there. Maybe you should get you doctor to do one of those.
Who Dares Wins.
As a physical therapist, and active builder of various structures around my place ( house, garage, addition, etc), here are a few ponderings I share on this subject:
Shoulder pain is a common ailment associated with any profession in which repetitive overhead activity is commonplace. Injuries often are due to overuse, and can often be due to working in awkward positions for long periods of time. Origins of pain can be due to impingment, which is mechanical blockage of anatomical structures in the shoulder; muscle strain or tear; and chronic injury and scarring to the rotator cuff (the group of stabilizing muscles around the glenohumeral joint). Other components of pain may be neurologic or referred pain from the cervical spine; and frozen shoulder syndrome.
In order to determine effective treatment and positive outcomes, appropriate diagnosis is crucial. Thorough evaluation by an orthopedist, physical therapist or other qualified health professional is important, as the above conditions will have somewhat different clinical treatment approaches. Diagnosis is certainly aided by xray and MRI. The latter option is costly and may not be ordered initially.
As for self treatment options, I recommend limiting overhead lifting, painting, or whatever causes pain. When you must do this, do in short sessions, ie don't paint the ceilings all day. Plan maybe only an hour or so at that task, then come back to it the next day. I know this can be a scheduling pain, but you have to look out for the longevity of your professional career.
Pain is usually associated with inflammation, and anti inflammatories can help. See your doctor for prescriptions like celebrex, above mentioned vioxx, and others. It is also important to discuss use of over the counter meds like ibuprofen, aleve, etc, with a physician or pharmicist, as drug interactions with other medicines may occur.
Another factor is maintaining available range of motion in a painful joint. Therapy is good for this. Even though painful, gentle range of motion exercise and stretching, keeps muscle, tendons, and ligaments free and supple, and also helps the nutrition of a joint. Joints feed off of movement, and can quickly lose function if not taken through a full movement of the joint's natural ability on a regular basis.
As far as further remedies, therapeutic interventions such as heat/ice, ultrasound, ESTIM, and hands on treatment can be beneficial, but further specific evaluation and assesment of your condition would be necessary before those treatments would be recommended.
Wrestling with 3/4, 11 inch, 18 foot lengths of Azek freize in high winds takes it's toll on me. As heavy and dense as it is, it made me realize where the Wright Brothers got their ideas. I am glad there is someone bigger and stronger on the other end, to keep me grounded.
My shoulders hurt, but it's not until I am about to fall asleep, and just start to relax, that they really hurt. It feels like they are trying to fall out of their sockets. No drugs, just a pillow to hold them in place. . .
over 5 yrs ago I had real bad reoccuring shoulder/neck pain.
after a coupla visits to my chiro ... it wasn't going away.
went to the primary care ... he sent me to an ortho ....took the xray's the chiro sent...
he ignored the xrays .. said only an mri could tell ... then poked and prodded ...
after 15 min he decided I needed immediate surgery on my neck.
This was a Thurs .. said he'd schedule it for the following Tues.
I told him to f off!
What happened to the mri? Why the rush?
I took the xrays and drove back to the chiro.
Went every other day for a week(6 days) ... then every day the following week(6 days).
Went back to work ... slow .... stretching each morning ....
healed back to 100% with in a month ... haven't looked back.
I did go to an physical therapist a coupla times before I could get into the ortho.... that was useless .... bend till it hurts ... then stop and rest.
Looks like I needed bent till after it hurt!
I have agreat chiro .... have been to about 5 or 6 different ... keep trying to find a back up closer to home or work ... my guy's on the other side of town where I grew up .... so far I'm stuck with driving an hour and a half thru rush hour traffic to see him ..... all the others have left a little or alot wanting.
Try asking around for a good chiro.
I go min once a month and max twice a week ... depending how bad I hurt and the type of work I'm doing.
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
The only part I liked about the physical therapy was the electric shock massage thingy. The therapist Set it up and showed me how to use it and then went away to tend to something else. I started messing with it and turning it up to see how much I could take. When she came to check on me I grimaced at her and asked her what the record was? She shook her head and said. "You know you can burn yourself with that same as electricity." I turned it back down and explained to her that at work as soon as I get shocked I have to let go. With this little gadget I can ride it out and see how much I can take. She thought It was funny.Who Dares Wins.
I cut back on my coffee and a lot of pains go away.. No Pepsi either..
Really, Do you know why that would help?
Not drinking coffe helps because then you do everything at 1/3 of normal speed! ; )Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
On too many days, I need coffee just to get up to 1/3 speed!Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Maybe it's no coincidence that the industrial revolution spread soon after coffee and tea consumption! : )Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
my chiro has one of those too ...
but he knows me too well so I don't get any of the fancy toys ....
instead of telling me to "take it easy" ...
he just says ... "come back after ya f it up again"!
he knows I gotta work... and mostly work alone ... so he doesn't bother with the "take it easy for a while" stuff.
he's also good for reminding me my wife is well endowed and asking when she's coming in next ... as her adjustments are free ... if I'm not around!
Like I tell him .... often ... he's gonna be hard to replace after I kill him ......
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
"Like I tell him .... often ... he's gonna be hard to replace after I kill him ......"
LMAO.. I fell out of my chair.Who Dares Wins.
Scion,
You don't say how old you are so I don't know if my experience pertains. I'm 58 and about 8 years ago I experienced serious shoulder pain. I am a glazier and do a lot of heavy lifting and over head work. I believe bursitis was a large part of my problem but whatever it was ,it was effecting my work and, particularly, my sleep. I would awake with my shoulder joints locked and have to pull them out over extreme pain.As the result of a TV ad, I started taking Glucosamine 500mg + Condroiti400mg 3 times a day. It didn't happen overnight, but in about 3 months I felt a significant improvement. In a year I was almost pain free and cut back to one pill a day with no ill effect.
I still take 1 pill a day and have had no relapses. I started out with Ostio Biflex Brand but soon found that generic versions of the same dosage(Waaay Cheaper)did just as well.It's an act of faith but I'm going to keep taking them as long as my shoulders don't hurt!I hope this helps you or somebody.
Chris
Chris, I've got to agree with you on this one. As I've been taking glucosamine
sulfate
(1000mg) once a day for approx. 3 months now and the improvement in both my
shoulders, both my elboes and even my wrist is 99%. I got em at Sam's for about
$10.00(members mark) for 240 tablets. I can't get over the improvement it has made
in my joints. The improvement wasn't overnight and I'd recommend to any one here
to give it a try for at least a week. I did and haven't regretted it one bit.
watch your cholesterol and blood sogar w/glucosamine& condrotin. it varies from person to person too much will throw those two for a loop........age is a big factor also...... bear"expectations are premeditated resentments"
Hey Bear, can you elaborate a little more about glucosamine effecting cholesterol
levels as I've got high cholesterol.
On chiropractors I only reccommend those that do the Palmer method.
On high colestrol take 250 MG of niacin daily (over the counter suppliments) for 2 weeks then bump up to 500 MG. Ya will get a big rush or buzz at first but that will go away after a few days. When ya bump up to 500 MG ya will get a rush for awhile on that dosage for a few days It will clean ya out real good. My doctor recommended it to me.
i'm gonna try that L.C......... thanks bear"expectations are premeditated resentments"
Read all posts and didn't see any mention of acupuncture......kid you not, I had a raging case of tendonitis a few years back, (dropping tools, unable to lift anything eventually) had 3 treatments, (individual results of course) and have never had a problem since. Love acupuncture so much I married an acupuncturist......best move I ever made. Any sort of back, neck, arm, etc. problems are taken care of right off. It's pretty amazing/bazaar actually, but it really works, and she not only cooks, but can swing a hammer, paint and remodel with the best of us! Beck
That's an excellent option. I might try that before I return to the ortho. What's a typical price range?Who Dares Wins.
Gunner....having my own acupuncturist at home is pretty expensive, actually. As for others, it is probably cheaper. Depending on the area, could range between 50 and 75 bucks, or who knows. I'm in California. Some insurances do cover treatments. Anyway, hope that's helpful, good luck.
Beck
Hey I appreciate the info. So what your saying is that the niacin will help me to
lower my chlost. Do I need to stop taking the glucosamine? And Bear, was I reading
right
that glucosamine helps to elevate chlost.
Edited 11/9/2003 9:38:43 PM ET by butch
for me yes but it differs from person to person. the combo of niacin and gluco. may mess with your blood chemistry. but i 'm not a doctor nor nutrionist . so hell...... whatta i know . but i'm tryin' the niacin thing....whats your cholest. number. come on butch make me feel better....... : )"expectations are premeditated resentments"
If ya want to lower it take the niacin and fiber... Metamucil etc...
Take coral calsium too... Get yer wife mate to take that too.. She need calsium!
Yep... It will lower it... Take fiber too.. It alone will lower it 30 points in 3 months.
Watch the timing of fiber with any other meds - it can reduce the absorption of some of them!
I'm glad this came back up to the top I was getting ready to do a search for it. After therapy and the steroid shot neither one realy helped my tendonitis in my left shoulder. I started using Tiger Balm and it helps more then either did.Who Dares Wins.
I have been dealing with shoulder neck pain off and on for the last ten years. The first 5 years were not as bad and the pain would eventually go away and I usually chacked it up to the various treatments that the doctor had prescribed. Unfortunitly, the past 5 years were not the same as the first 4 years. I have been through physical therapy, medication, 2 shoulder surguries, 2 carpal tunnel surgeries and a double cervical neck fusion of C-5/6 and C-6/7. I know that the disks above and below aren't that great either and I have starting to put too much stress on these due to the other disks being fused. Eventually I will need another fused and it's just a matter of time.
In the past 10 years, I had bee bumped around to various physical therapies, doctors, x-rays, medications for pain/inflamation, a pain clinic, etc. The only sucess I had was with "specialists". The chiro help, but didn't cure me. The physical therapist might have actually caused damage. The pain meds were a waste. The only anti-inflamitory med that worked is Vioxx 25mg once a day. It's like taking 2400mg of advill/motrin. Plus, Vioxx doesn't tear my stomach up. I can tell when I forget to take it.
The only time anything really came out of it is when the doctor finally ordered the MRI's of my neck, back, and shoulders. This is where the damaged rewally showed up. The doctor kept telling me that the insurance would not authorze the MRI's until he exhausted alll other avenues. The crazy part of this is that it would have been cheaper to have ordered the MRI's in the first place. I still am a believer in chiropractors, but the good ones are few and far between. Most seem to be what I call "crack and run"
Personally, I don't feel a single individual medical professional is the key to solving the problem. In my case, when I told the physical therapy of the pain in the shoulder while streching, they blew it off as pain related to my neck/tighnesss and I needed to work through the pain. After seeing my chiropractor for about a month, he was the one who said I needed to have MRI's done and seek a medical doctor(he was right). When I was sent to a shoulder specialist(ortho guy), he said the chiro was full of $hit and I had "thorasic outlet syndrome" and he blew of the Idea that it was realted to my neck-he was wrong. I finally got my family doctor to sent me to a neurologist and this is the guy that finally ordered the MRI's. After the neck surgury, he was also the same doctor who ordered the shoulder MRI's to find thet my shoulder joints were wiped out also
The outcome of all of this is that I still have shoulder pain, my neck is getting worse in the in disks above and below the fusion, and my wrists hurt worse since the carpal tunnel surgeries. But, the headaches are not as bad, the shoulder pain is alot less, but still painfull, the numbness is gone in my fingers for the most part. In other words, maybe a 15% improvement. If any do any streneuous activity, like in construction, then it only gets worse, again. Once I get my house build, I'm taking a hard look at reality and probably going to change professions, or not. It's going to be hard to get woodworking/cabinetry/construction out of my blood
In response to your remark on steroid injections, I had that done too. My side effect was a "high" that took 2-3 days to come down from. The doctor called it "steroid psychosis". I was floating above my keyboard/computer. That's when I realized my wife needed to take me back to the doctor/hospital
Good luck and push for the MRI's
hey b- yeah i myself have that hereditary curse of manufacturing alot of cholesterol. 260 last checked without medication. and when i was talking to my osteopath he asked my personal daily regimine and i told him i'm a vitamin junkie and he said that certain vitamins can put a stress on your liver which is common sense . and i told him how many, and he said he knew why my liver enzymes are up. and that glucosimine/ and condroitin and elevate your cholesterol level. now i eat well, dont drink to excess .... and he said lay off the vitamins for 6 months and come back to get tested....i'll keep you posted. i'm forty six , 6'1"-248 lbs- pretty solid gym 2-4 times a week and have an above average pace on the job. i stay away from red meat, eat fish 3-4 times a week. i drink beer mostly once - twice a month just to purge myself : ). smoke maybe a 1/2 pack of cigarettes every week. but i love to eat ....alot.... and i know it will be my undoing and more info than you need... so i'll wait and see .... take care.... bear"expectations are premeditated resentments"
Edited 11/9/2003 8:20:09 PM ET by the bear
Since you haven't been able to get a clear diagnosis, I don't know how much my experience will help. One thing's for sure: it's worth every cent you're paying for it.
I have rotator cuff damage to my right shoulder from working overhead without using my head. I had some success with physical therapy. The daily at home exercises (that you do with the stretch band) help the most. When I do them regularly I experience the least chronic pain. But the best PT for short term relief for me is the ice massages. Ahhhh - hurts so good.
The orthopod said I'll never see my shoulder return to normal, but if I'm careful and find alternative ways of doing some things (use a ladder, extension pole, make one of my sons do it, etc.) my shoulder will outlast most of the rest of me. I try to save the anti-inflammatories for when it gets really bad, because the pain reminds me to take care.
"A completed home is a listed home."
hey Lisa...
I just repeated your tag line to yet another customer!
once again ... they agreed.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
LOL! Glad to know it's not just us. Why is it so many of us need that deadline and pressure to get a job finished? Maybe it has something to do with the listing agent telling you that finishing the project will add thousands of dollars to your pocket in the near future? That's always lit a fire under us real quick!
"A completed home is a listed home."
actually his response was ...
in a Nigerian accent ...
"oh god..... I hope not!"
Then he confessed that's how it happened in his last house ..
this one is to be the "dream home" for at least 15 or so yrs.....
everywhere else is "mostly" done and we're hammering out the details of the basement conversion .....
unlike the rest of us ... he has the money to get things done right the first time ...
so he may be right in his thinking ... and thinking he does ... I gotta tell ya!
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistery in Carpentry
Are you on high blood pressure meds? The doctors seem to forget to tell people to take Potassium supplement. Some blood pressure med deplete the Potassium you need in your system. Also Calcium and Magnesium can be depleted. Even if you are not on any blood pressure meds you might be missing the minerals. If your body is missing the minerals and that is what is contributing to the pain a few days of the taking them the pain should go away.
I hear you!!
More like I feel your pain!!
After 20 years doing this I have recurring pains in my Feet, knees, back, shoulders, elbows wrists, fingers and neck.
Had a great Chiro when I lived in ME.
But only because it was covered 80% by DW's health ins.
Now My primary physician is an osteopath.
Great guy who really knows his stuff.
Always makes the hurties go away!!
I just wish the powers that be would let me see him more than 1/mo.
A good Chiro is a godsend.
but unfortunately thier are a lot of them out there who look at patients as boat payments.
Stretchies are good if you do the right ones.
Anti-inflammatorys are worth thier wieght in gold, they make you feel better but also help you heel.
Also I have found that letting the youngsters do the grunt work saves me alot of pain.
I can still hump a bundle of shingles up the ladder and nail 'em down as fast as some rookie with a nail gun, But WHY!!!!
Hope you get to feeling better!
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
In this business the older you get .......the more you hurt.
Arthritis is a major cause........plus just plain overuse.
I pamper my body and never excede the "use only 75% of my strength" rule I made to myself years ago..............Every morning I do the old daily dozen and a whole Ti Chi routine.
Ti Chi is easily learned.......and the best form of exercise known to man IMO.
61 and still framing
Two shoulders, two elbows, two knees, two hands; thirty years, six operations and still counting.
Wear, tear, and pain is part of the job. Injury is not. Work with your head, dont do anything stupid, and dont ignore pain that doesnt go away.
But then again, three of my doctors have bocome repeat clients............When all else fails, use duct tape!
I've got it, too. Tried just about everything except surgery which I won't even consider - why try something that could make it worse when there are so many things that might help but won't hurt, even if they don't help.
Here are some things that help me:
Chiropractic. I only go to chiros who practice applied kinesiology (AK for short -recognizable to many because of the use of "muscle testing"). I've been to about 30 different chiros over the past 30 years - most of them only once (long enough to find out they were worthless). In my experience about 15-20% of chiros are actually helpful. I'm lucky in that one of the primary world reknowned AK chiropractors is located in Pueblo, 40 minutes away. His name is Dr. David Walther. He is the author of the AK textbooks used by most chiro schools and has taught worldwide. No matter where you are you can call his office at 719-544-1468 and they will refer you to a qualified practitioner near you.
Feldenchrise (spelled wrong?). I took a few classes in what amounts to momvement training that have helped me to keep from "doing it wrong".
A home variation of PT: get a big bandana and tie opposite corners together. get a piece of small diameter rope ten feet long or so. tie it to a door knob that you can stretch out on the floor in front of. tie a truckers hitch or other loop into the rope next to the door knob. stick the other end of the rope through the bandana loop and back up through the loop of rope by the knob. lay down on your back perpendicular from the door with your head cradled in the no-knot part of the bandana loop (behind your ears and then up across your temples, more or less). you can now pull gently on the free end of the rope to give yourself mild cervical traction. this won't help everyone, but many shoulder problems are connected to jammed together cervical vertebra. the traction simply allows some more blood to flow between the vertebra. try it - you'll like it. (Of course I'm no doctor and you try it at your own risk blah blah blah )
Marry a massage therapist/AK practitioner. This has done me more good than anything else, but could be hard to accomplish! (a thousand thanks and kudos to my wife!)
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
You forgot to mention delegate to those a third your age.
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
Best solution of all!Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
that just goes to show ya how individual this all is ...
KT doesn't do a thing for me!
I blame my first and current chiro ... he got me used to the hard crack.
Now anything less just doesn't do the trick.
His receptionist also works PT for 2 lady's that do KT ... her daughter is the opposite ... Dr Ron's way to rough for her... the KT works twice as quick. Working for both ... she said she's noticed that difference ... almost like you're either one way or the other.
The big problem is finding a non-KT that can crack ya hard and not kill ya. It's a fine line that's better off not crossed. Push hard ... but not too hard. I just found another chiro right smack dab in the middle of the area I work most ... about an hour north of my house .... I'm gonna go check him (or her?) out next week.
I'd love to find someone close for a casual crack every now and then ... for day's I don't driving miles outta my way to see the regular guy.
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistery in Carpentry
Our chiro does both kinesiology and direct crackin'! Says it the combination that works best.Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
A couple of thoughts.
I've had a couple of situations where I've been in knee pain, elbow pain, or back pain. I have had excellent luck with physical therapy, as long as I spent time understanding what the problem was and did the exercises on an ongoing basis. I've also found that I need to either not overdo my activities or use proper equipment (kneeling without kneepads is very bad for me).
My experience has been that a good physical therapist is much better at getting me well than my doctor is.
It took you a while to get into this condition - it will take a while to get out of it. FHB had an article on this sort of thing a year or so ago, and I think their best advice was "don't ignore pain".