anyone have experience with referred shoulder ?pain

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

It may have been something I ate, but a couple days ago I got severe pain behind my right shoulder blade. My husband took me to urgent care last night to rule out gall bladder so it's not that, at least it didn't hurt when the doctor pressed under my ribs. I'm taking Motrin every 6 hours but it hurts like someone is biting me inside my back. So any ideas would be appreciated. Can't go see a chiropractor as my back surgeon hasn't OKed that yet.
Thanks,
Liz

 

[Dave M]

Based on a quick search, it appears there are a number of possibilities, but I'm sure you already knew that. I do believe, however, that the number of potentially serious issues is such that a chiropractor might not be the best next step.

It could be something as simple as a muscle problem that can be treated with a muscle relaxant. But please get this looked at very carefully and quickly just to be sure.

And let us know....

 

[Avery]

I recently found a great alternative to muscle relaxants, call "Icy Hot," available at most drug stores, you peel the adhesive off and stick the patch on, it heats up and cools off repeatedly for hours. I got great relief from it.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Thanks, Dave. Actually, I didn't know all these possible causes of pain. I am pretty sure it is referred pain from some digestive organ, because it is a sharp, sharp nerve pain that has radiated out and is affecting the whole shoulder and neck area now. I called my doctor, who, of course, isn't in today. The urgent care doctor seemed to think it was muscle spasm, but his exam was cursory and he spoke little English so our communication was difficult. Unfortunately, I have to go into work today to see my class and I go back to work Tuesday. My doctor's office told me to go ahead and take Vicodan along with the motrin, but say, compared to the pain after back surgery, this is not responding too well to pain meds. So, just keep me in prayers, I doubt that it is serious, probably a pinched nerve where the mid rib and spine meet, but it sure as heck hurts.
Liz

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Still wondering what is going on. The Icy Hot helped a little, but the inner pain persists to varying degress after going to acupuncture. Most medical books say gall bladder problems show up as pain in the abdomen, one says can show up as shoulder pain. I had left a message for my doctor and they said she would call, but I think her office staff never gives her messages. I will be in that area Monday, so I can go buy and see if she can squeeze me in between appts. I guess I would feel more reassured if they had done an ultrasound, just in case.
Liz

 

[caribbean]

Liz-

Just had my appendix taken out Friday night as emergency surgery. Am home doing nothing but trying to recover. I woke up Sat morning in the hospital with an intense pain in my right shoulder. Asked the Doc thinking that my arm had been in some strange position during the surgery. He said there is a nerve connected between the diaphram and the right shoulder. In my case, the surgery and anesthesia had effected the diaphram and thus the shoulder via that nerve. It is still hurting me this afternoon, almost more than the abdominal pain from the surgery. Don't know how this relates to your situation, but found it interesting information. I am alternating Lortab and Advil every two hours to control the pain which seems to be helping.

 

[fnewman]

You may be closer to right when you asked about strange arm positions. Arms often get put into strange configurations during surgery - sometimes to the point of some damage, because the patient can't really tell anyone that it hurts. The doctor may not have even noticed it and probably would be reluctant to admit that the situation even existed. Much easier to blame it on something else that seems to be 'normal'.

 

[Keitht]

The most likely cause of shoulder pain is simply strained ligament or muscle around that area. You don't even have to do anything particularly strenuous to cause problems. My shoulder blade area has been 'problematic' for years, ever since I came off a motor bike many moons ago. Just occasionally the shoulder will decide to remind me that all it not well.
The most painful one was at work when I bent to get a book out of a cabinet. I was stood sort of side on to the cabinet, leant down and just pulled the book out sideways. It wasn't a particularly big book either, just a decent size dictionary. The muscles went into spasm and I was in absolute agony. I literally couldn't move for about 5 minutes until it started to ease.
I still have to be careful, particularly in cold weather. It is just a dicky shoulder, not some sort of obscure and horrible disease creeping up on me and I suspect yours will prove to be the same. Worrying about the minute chance of it being something more isn't doing yourself any favours.

 

[Rose Pink]

Liz-

Just had my appendix taken out Friday night as emergency surgery. Am home doing nothing but trying to recover. I woke up Sat morning in the hospital with an intense pain in my right shoulder.

Was the surgery done by laparoscopy? My dd had her gall bladder removed a couple of months ago with that procedure. The surgeon explained that they pump gas into the abdominal cavity to help them visualize the area (or something like that) and that the gas will often cause shoulder pain. Sure enough, dd had shoulder pain for a few days. I guess it is a common occurance.

 

[Kay H]

I remember that after having abdominal surgery several years ago, I awoke with such sore shoulders that I asked the surgeon if someone knelt on my shoulders during surgery. He thought it was a dumb question but that's what it felt like. Went away by itself.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Well, update. It kept getting worse with no relief from Motrin and Vicodan so I called the Blue Shield 24 hour nurse line Sunday morning. After listening to the symptoms, she told me I should go to the ER to rule out anything serious. I spent Mother's Day at the hospital. They were very thorough and the ultimate answer is probably esophigitas, they said the esophagus was showing thickening at the opening to my stomach and was inflamed, thus the referred pain. Told me to stay off Motrin, my Celebrex they said was OK, gave me a prescription for a newer acid reducer and told me to go ahead and see my chiropractor and stay on the Vicodan as needed and follow up with my doctor. It's better today. I'm taking the Vicodan regularly, off the Motrin and the chiropractor was able to loosen some of the pinched nerve places. I see him again Thursday and I've been taking Prylosec till I can get the new prescription filled. I go back to work tomorrow after being off for 6 weeks from back surgery, so I'm very glad I feel better. The pain from this made the pain from back surgery feel like a hang nail.
Thanks for being there and helping with your thoughts and prayers and shared stories.
Liz

 

[caribbean]

Rose- Yes George used the scope to take it out. And yes they pumped in some kind of gas/air?? Still getting it out. HA HA I think you are right that it may have affected the diaphram and therefore the shoulder because of the nerve connection. It is basically gone now, 3 days. Just dealing with the abdominal pain now.

Liz - glad you got to the DR and got some answers. Sometime just not knowing is worse than having the answer. It was a difficult day for me sitting in the ER for 8 hours waiting on test results an answer. Once it was diagnosed, I was under the knife in about 90 minutes. GOOD LUCK !!