Strange shoulder pain

[Doppel]

Starting two weeks back I noticed shoulder pain one day after I'd spent about two days lying in bed after being sick. It got better over the following week or so, but a couple of days ago has come back. I've not seen anybody yet.

Here is the specific pain, and it's extremely unusual I think:

When standing up for example, if I have my arm straight and directly to my side and try and force it down with its own strength it hurts all around the general shoulder area, but more like under my collar bone as opposed to rotator cuff. Similarly, if I were to simply take a weight and hang it in that hand, as the stretching motion kicks in that's when it hurts, so shoulder shrugs would be impossible right now! It feels very much like if I slept on my shoulder or neck funny and the muscles are tight. I cannot find any particular pressure point that hurts, and range of motion--other than just described movement--is fine, including over head and all in various circles, etc. It's really just like the left side of neck/shoulder area is ridiculously tight.

Any ideas? The only stretch I've found is holding a weight or standing next to a table and hooking my hand under it and kind of pulling it up, but the stretching doesn't appear to reduce discomfort.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Sounds like a scalene strain. With shoulder blade depression (when the shoulder as a whole goes down), it puts stress on the upper trapezius and scalenes. Try to make sure you don't let your shoulder sag and don't actively depress it anymore. Don't do any stretches as that will actually impede the collagen deposition, which helps with helping. Is there any way you can have someone taking a picture of your resting posture (both front and side view)?

 

[Doppel]

Thanks, I think that may be it!

No need for a pic, I just looked in the mirror. I've had in the past one shoulder very, very slightly higher than the other but at this moment my comfortable resting position has it quite severe. The left, bad shoulder is resting much lower than the right.

So if no stretching at this point what should I do? I saw a PT at the end of last year for a messed up rotator cuff and after a lot of exercises on that right side it's gotten essentially perfect, but I still am inclined to think the start of this event was after spending two days with a headache on the couch in strange positions.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Since both the upper traps and scalenes attach to the neck, some light neck rotation exercises would help. Put yourself in good neck and head posture (refer to only images if you have to), and rotate left and right 30x each. If it's uncomfortable (2-3/10 on a pain scale), that's ok. If it gets worse at a given point in the range of motion, stop. Don't try to push and stretch it, just move. Also, do them controlled - not fast, not slow. Do some light shoulder shrugs at well (bringing your shoulder blade up). 30x there as well. These exercises should reduce muscle guarding and inflammation, improve blood flow, and hopefully accelerate the healing process. If it continues to bother you for long, a PT could pretty easily treat you so that might be a good option.

 

[Doppel]

Thanks. I am going to give this a shot for a day or two and if not throw some more money at my PT. This pain is quite annoying, and I'm used to joint pains in one way or another, though I guess it's not as bad as when my rotator cuff screamed at me when I did so much as one push up

 

[Doppel]

Pain continues, just called doctor to see if they want me to come in or refer straight to PT. I've found in fact there is intense tenderness at what I can tell on google is the sternoclavicular joint. Pain radiates around the general trap muscle area but the little bone protrusion where the two clavicals meet below the neck is sore as a mother. I seriously don't remember banging it or anything, but for this to be the result of two days of bed rest is seriously lame, if that was indeed the cause! I am quite sure it's not dislocated as I still have reasonable shoulder function and could do a push up without excessive pain.

 

[purbeast0]

i've actually had pain very similar to what you are explaining, and it ended up being a strainged muscle in my pec. i felt it pretty much in the exact situations you are explaining your pain, especially the one being if you had your arms at the side and 'pulled it down' on it's own will you would feel it. additionally i felt it a lot in shrugs, although i'd fight through the pain.

my sister is an athletic trainer and did a few litlte tests on me, like small quick ones in 2-3 minutes, and she thought it was an issue in my pec that i had just pulled or something. she was also telling me how your trap muscles and pec muscles can have an effect on eachother as far as feelings in them.

check out this link, i just found this googling real quick.

http://www.triggerpointtherapist.co...s/trapezius-trigger-points-everybody-has-one/

you can scroll down a bit and it talks about pecs/traps and how they can interact feeling wise.

the time i felt the MOST pain in this area was when I tried to do dips when having this issue ... was EXTREMELY painful and definitely solidified that it was a chest issue heh.

mine eventually went away after lifting through it for weeks and doing lighter lifts towards the later times where it got better. and i ALWAYS noticed this pain was the worst during chest day and I could do my shoulder days just fine, doing the normal heavy weight that I do.

sorry if this post is kind of all over the place heh.

 

[Doppel]

OK, update! Went to see the PT and on that day it had miraculously gotten a lot better. Anyway, we decided it was all neck. Pain easy to recreate while stretching the neck, too. It sure did radiate like a mother effer, though, and made me cradle my shoulder up to reduce pain.

Thankfully, it went away. I didn't even have to do the stretching exercises, though now that it's gone I am doing a little. Also doing some shrugs for what it's worth (maybe nothing, but...).

Haven't felt this in at least a week now.

sorry if this post is kind of all over the place heh.

no worries 8-0

 

[SociallyChallenged]

OK, update! Went to see the PT and on that day it had miraculously gotten a lot better. Anyway, we decided it was all neck. Pain easy to recreate while stretching the neck, too. It sure did radiate like a mother effer, though, and made me cradle my shoulder up to reduce pain.

Thankfully, it went away. I didn't even have to do the stretching exercises, though now that it's gone I am doing a little. Also doing some shrugs for what it's worth (maybe nothing, but...).

Haven't felt this in at least a week now.no worries 8-0

Glad your PT has been able to help. Keep working at it so you can avoid getting the pain at another instance in time.

 

[PatjJohnson]

Shoulder pain while Standing/Walking/Seating. No pain while Supine. Pain began suddenly. One night I was using my right arm to support me while seating down, several times. Next morning acute pain.
Pain most acute if blending down and arm reaching out as if to tie my shoelaces. No pain at all while lying supine.
Pain while driving, on computer with mouse, walking, seating ....

Have been on Naproxen for 2 weeks without change