pain in right hand, arm, shoulder, neck..
 

Hi, im Chole, and im very new to this site, as in seconds new :) . Im having a problem that no one seems to be able to figure out.

I got hurt at work in march, scooping icecream. The icecream was frozen solid and i strained way to hard i guess to get the icecream. Something in my right hand/wrist popped and shot pain up my arm to my shoulder.
After that initial injury, whatever it was that happend, i have experienced swelling and sharp pains in my hand. I have intence tingling and numbness in my hand and forarm. I had to work like this for 4 months because my job ignored me when i told them i was hurt.

After a while the pain spread further.It went up to my shoulder. my bicep and shoulder sometimes feel as tho they are on fire. Sometimes the pain is sharp and stabbing through out. Sometimes its deep and aching. I experience a feeling in my hand, forarm, and bicep that feels like someone has insurted icecubes under my skin. My hand and arm is very weak. The pain had begun slowly to migrate up my arm to my shoulder, and have now found its way into my kneck.

I went to a doctor who thoight it was carpel tunnel at first but 2 mnths of phys therapy only made it worse so i was sent to an ortho specialist. He thought it was carpel tunnel but now that its all the way to my kneck he says he has no clue whats wrong with me. He said i need a nerve conduct study done, but my jobs insurance refuses to pay for it(yeah i have a lawyer). So now i cant get the test done. So far i have been dealing with this for 8 1/2 months and i still dont know whats wrong.

And now that the pain has made its way to my kneck i get headaches only on the right side of head, behind eye, ear, and at base of skull. My jaw tightens at the hinges. I get muscel spasms starting at my right elbow up to the back of my kneck. There is this strange tightening in the front of my kneck like my throat is trying to close up. Also there is a knot/lump thing at the base of my skull only on right side.

Should i go to the hospital? Whats wrong with me?

Hi.

This is what I would (If you can do this). Print out exactly what you wrote. Take yourself to the emergency room, hand the paper to the admitting person, saying 'I AM IN AGONY".

Someone will have to listen, you just might get that nerve conduction test (which will tell them A LOT OF INFO).

Sounds like a lot of nerve damage going on. I had that happen to me once about 30 years ago. I yawned in my sleep, stretching out my right arm. I heard a popping sound, woke up in agony, went to ER, they did a nerve conduction test, told me I hurt my axillary nerve (sorry, that is the only word I can remember from 30 years ago). They gave me pain pills which did nothing. I had to go to physical therapy and make my arm go way up and down the wall. Very hard to do. Took me years to get the use of my arm back.

So try and get some answers and keep posting.

Someone has to listen to you. And shame on your employers for not believing you.
To this day, I can't scoop frozen ice cream out of a bucket.

Too hard.

Melody

reply to melody
 

I went to hospital last night/early this morning and the doctor was very standoff-ish. He said i have a pinched nerve or something in my neck. He mentioned im having muscel spasms in the back of my neck..... but he didnt explain, and when i asked the nurse to ask him if he thought it was related to my work injury, he told the nurse(thinking i couldnt hear) "i was being generous" whatever the heck that means. Im so sick of these doctors ignoring what im telling them and just going with whatever gets ne out if the way! Just because its a workers comp case they want to toss me out quickly. How will i figure out whats wrong with me if no one wants to help?

Does your employer have workers comp?
If so you probably should file a claim now before much more time passes.

We have a workers comp forum with tips & help on that.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum30.html
did you ever have any hand/arm/neck pain before this injury?

You might need to read on our thoracic outlet syndrome forum (TOS) for short.
Much of the info can apply to repetitive strain injuries also.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

TOS is not well known as well as no clear test or imaging to "prove" it.
Advanced PT's, or expert chiropractor should be able to help you.
But explore our TOS forum to see if the symptoms fit for you.


If it does and you pursue work comp claim, you will probably need a good comp atty to get best help.

workers comp insurance
 

Yes, they have workers comp insurance. My lawyer filed a claim months ago. Right after they let me see a doctor 4 months after i got hurt. The problem is, the claim adjuster wont approve anything the doctor needs done, and they wont even pay me compensation for lost time. And to top it off, i, being put thru all this and thanks to the state of georgia i cant ask for pain and suffering, i cant fight for anything but medical coverage and lost wages.

I know work comp is slow and delay is the name of the game for them...:(

Our TOS forum does have many self help things posted that may be very helpful so you can work on your own recovery without waiting on wc..

check out the useful sticky threads there..

Trigger point work
Sharon Butler stretches and fascia info
posture awareness
top rib mobilization

I assume someone has done xrays at the very least??
to check for any possible anatomical issues?