[Iamsooodonewiththis]

Hi,
I started having pain in my left forearm about 8 mos ago. It was just a little annoying at first, but continued to get worse. I tried resting it, but nothing seemed to help. The pain would come and go, seemingly randomly. Now it is so bad and constant I feel like I just can't stand it. I am short tempered at work - a problem when you are the boss, and short tempered with my kids and my husband - thank God, so far they have all been very understanding, but I don't want to live like this.

The pain got really bad in April after I finally went to see my pcp. Hard to believe, but he twisted my arm behind my back and said"does it hurt when I do this?" I almost came out of my skin. He told me I probably had an injury to the rotator cuff and that we should just wait for a few more weeks and see if the pain went away. If not he would give me a referral for physical therapy.

What a dope! I went home, did some online research and came up with my own theory. I was rear ended in a car accident a year and a half ago. I did not think I was injured, but I was thrust hard against the seatbelt harness, and my shoulder was sore for a couple of days. I bought a new car in September. I think the new car seatbelt was putting too much pressure on the bracheal plexus area. So I changed cars with my husband, who has no problem where the shoulder harness hits him.

Problem is my pain, after I figured this out, had really spiraled out of control. And, I lost so much mobility in my shoulder and arm. I can only lift my arm up about 6 inches from my side, and about cheast high going forward.

Since I figured this out in APril, I went to an acupuncture Dr. twice and that really broke up the muscle spasms. I went to a chiroproactor a few times after that, but did not notice any pain relief. Then I tried a theraeutic massage twice. While helpful, the pain came back within a week.

My theory is that the new car I got in September had a seatbelt harness that put too much pressure on my bracheal plexis area, aggravating my suptrascalpular nerve, which had sufferred trauma and had some scar tissue in the area when I had the car accident..

I had hoped that by changing cars, and not using the left strap on my bra, that I could keep pressure off that area and give that nerve time to calm the heck down. No such luck. I am taking Ibuprophin, using a heating pad when it gets really bad and I can't sleep, tigar balm, icyhot patches, biofreeze, capsian cream, tried the hypnosis chrinic pain relief sessions via the web - causle the pain is in our head - right? Okay I am desperate and am ready to scream.

I had an appointment with physical therapy yesterday. The two therapists that did the assessment confirmed to the best of their ability, without an mri, which my pcp thought was a waste of time, that it was not a rotator cuff injury, but a nerve problem, due to the radiating pain that shoots down my arm if Imove it wrong or stretch too far.

How do you cure nerve pain? No one seems to be able to give me a straight answer. I don't want to go on strong painkillers - I have a 45 minute commute to work and two boys to take care of.

ANyone know a good Dr. in West Michigan - preferably the Kalamazoo/BattleCreek area? I think I need a new PCP and a pain mgmt doc? On monday, I'm making an appointment with an accupunctuist. The one I was was in Dallas when I was there on a trip. So, I could use a recomendation if anyonone knows of a good one in this area as well.

Any and all advise is welcome. I want to get back to my sunny disposition, instead of feeling like everyone can just go to the blazes.

Pain sucks, lol Thank you in advace for your help!!!!

[agabor]

Sorry to hear you're going through this. Are you sure it's the suprascapular nerve? That one innervates your rotator cuff muscles (right by your shoulder blade). I got neuropathy in that nerve post-op and don't notice pain into my arm, except when my other nerves flare up...could it be your ulnar/medial/radial nerves maybe? They're all pretty close together in the brachial plexus.

As far as pain, I found that tea before bed can help (same with relaxing), I usually try chamomile or "sleepytime" tea.

[Jomar]

Did the PTs seem to be really good?
Are you going to get therapy from them or was it eval only?

If you never had any problems at all before , expert PT , if they take it slowly should be very helpful.
You probably have some adhesion/scar tissue/inflammation going on.

Were trigger points mentioned at all, did they check for those?
To fully resolve spasms , any trigger points need to be resolved first or you are just in a circle of pain & sx.

Did the chiro only do adjustments , or other types of pain relieving modalities?

My chiro did upper cervical adjustments , shoulder, wrist, elbow, etc , as well as regular adjusting and also used ultrasound, massage, LLLT (low level laser), If stim (inferential).
He really helped me the most in the long run.
But he did all those added therapies that otherwise I would have had to also go to a PT for. I did go to many PTs before finding this chiro.
Some are good and some not so much.
You have to find really good ones PTs , osteopaths, chiro, body worker which ever way you go, don't settle for average, find an outstanding treatment provider or a team.
Plus we have to do the home/self care as much as possible.
A few sessions a week isn't going to fix things with out the homework.

Check out the sticky threads at the top of this forum.

Explore the recent threads they are full of info also.

[tshadow]

Originally Posted by Iamsooodonewiththis

Hi,
I started having pain in my left forearm about 8 mos ago. It was just a little annoying at first, but continued to get worse. I tried resting it, but nothing seemed to help. The pain would come and go, seemingly randomly. Now it is so bad and constant I feel like I just can't stand it. I am short tempered at work - a problem when you are the boss, and short tempered with my kids and my husband - thank God, so far they have all been very understanding, but I don't want to live like this.

The pain got really bad in April after I finally went to see my pcp. Hard to believe, but he twisted my arm behind my back and said"does it hurt when I do this?" I almost came out of my skin. He told me I probably had an injury to the rotator cuff and that we should just wait for a few more weeks and see if the pain went away. If not he would give me a referral for physical therapy.

What a dope! I went home, did some online research and came up with my own theory. I was rear ended in a car accident a year and a half ago. I did not think I was injured, but I was thrust hard against the seatbelt harness, and my shoulder was sore for a couple of days. I bought a new car in September. I think the new car seatbelt was putting too much pressure on the bracheal plexus area. So I changed cars with my husband, who has no problem where the shoulder harness hits him.

Problem is my pain, after I figured this out, had really spiraled out of control. And, I lost so much mobility in my shoulder and arm. I can only lift my arm up about 6 inches from my side, and about cheast high going forward.

Since I figured this out in APril, I went to an acupuncture Dr. twice and that really broke up the muscle spasms. I went to a chiroproactor a few times after that, but did not notice any pain relief. Then I tried a theraeutic massage twice. While helpful, the pain came back within a week.

My theory is that the new car I got in September had a seatbelt harness that put too much pressure on my bracheal plexis area, aggravating my suptrascalpular nerve, which had sufferred trauma and had some scar tissue in the area when I had the car accident..

I had hoped that by changing cars, and not using the left strap on my bra, that I could keep pressure off that area and give that nerve time to calm the heck down. No such luck. I am taking Ibuprophin, using a heating pad when it gets really bad and I can't sleep, tigar balm, icyhot patches, biofreeze, capsian cream, tried the hypnosis chrinic pain relief sessions via the web - causle the pain is in our head - right? Okay I am desperate and am ready to scream.

I had an appointment with physical therapy yesterday. The two therapists that did the assessment confirmed to the best of their ability, without an mri, which my pcp thought was a waste of time, that it was not a rotator cuff injury, but a nerve problem, due to the radiating pain that shoots down my arm if Imove it wrong or stretch too far.

How do you cure nerve pain? No one seems to be able to give me a straight answer. I don't want to go on strong painkillers - I have a 45 minute commute to work and two boys to take care of.

ANyone know a good Dr. in West Michigan - preferably the Kalamazoo/BattleCreek area? I think I need a new PCP and a pain mgmt doc? On monday, I'm making an appointment with an accupunctuist. The one I was was in Dallas when I was there on a trip. So, I could use a recomendation if anyonone knows of a good one in this area as well.

Any and all advise is welcome. I want to get back to my sunny disposition, instead of feeling like everyone can just go to the blazes.

Pain sucks, lol Thank you in advace for your help!!!!

I hope you'll read my testing thread, especially where it talks about working and how work involves nerve problems that then pop up in our regular life, when they were actually responsible for it by the work functions. But, maybe not! Maybe your theory is correct also, for you, and it always helps to know why, what and then how to cure it or live with it.

Unfortunatly, I think you need a pain doc (specialist), holistic doc, internist, maybe a lot more, all working together for you. I did need surgery to make it slow down, but I am and never will be cured. Pain mgt. is very diffiicult, and you have to have an advocate like a family member to go with you and get a copy of EACH doctor report. I never want anyone called a drug addict, when drugs for pain is not addiction but treatment, and difficult at that.

God bless.

[nospam]

MRIs are not wastes of time. Theorizing without imaging and testing is reckless in my opinion. Don't put too mich trust in your PCP, see specialists.

My recommendation would be to see a neurologist, and possibly a orthopedist. You want to rule out other disorders before tackling TOS.