Monday, November 26, 2018

SHOULDER FIXED


Four years ago as I was going out to feed the birds, I slipped on a patch of ice and came down hard on my right forearm.  The force of the landing jammed my shoulder up around my ears and messed up that joint.

I have had shots and  therapy but refused the surgery. As a result, that shoulder has been really hurting for almost all of the 4 years. I had recovered full range of motion but one careless move could bring me to my knees with a pain which fortunately while relatively brief, would make me cry out and often curse colorfully. It was attention getting.

I got pretty adept at using my left arm for most things but I would occasionally forget as right is my dominant arm. No, I was not happy.  I knew I had to use it or it could become frozen but maybe I was using it wrong.

Back in May I wrote about my chiropractic miracle worker.  Well he really took me out of pain. As an update, no more back, hip or leg pain. Nothing, zero, nada. I think I love him.

At the time he wanted to work on my shoulder but what he did, did not seem to help so I figured this was a lifetime ailment. He did mention that when working on the computer I should keep my knees lower than my hips and adjust my keyboard and mouse so there was no reaching. I was to keep my elbow close to my ribs.

Well I was all ready doing that largely unintentionally but then I started thinking that maybe I should do all my reaching and lifting the same. Hey, what could I lose?

When I would hurt my shoulder before, I never really knew what I had done wrong to make the sharp pain resurface. So I tried making a conscious effort to keep my right elbow close to my body for all reaching and lifting. Soon it became a habit without my even thinking about it.

Then one day it dawned on me that I hadn't had an episode of knee buckling pain in quite a while. I rotated my arm and there was no pain.

I think what I had been doing before just kept aggravating the shoulder with improper usage and was not allowing it to heal. 

Do I reach out automatically like I use to for something? Nope.  Do I lift things extending my arm to the side once more? Nope. My right elbow is very comfortable by my rib or close to my body and will stay there. I no longer have to think about it.

Now this pain free mode has gone on for a couple of months. No surgery, just rest and no re-aggravation. I do believe it has healed. It wasn't an instant fix but it has been a lovely one.

As the old joke goes for those of us in our golden years: " If I woke up and nothing hurt, I'd think I was dead."

I have reached that painless point and am delighted I am still on the right side of the grass. No telling what tomorrow will bring but right now, nothing hurts. Ahhhhh.

Now I know some of my readers have been suffering with the same ailment or  know of someone who also has this problem. It often comes with aging.  All I can say is just try it. It sure can't hurt and the price is right.

47 comments :

  1. Great tip. My sister (aged 70) had a bad fall and is really suffering six months later. I'll tell her about this and hopefully it will help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Around My Kitchen Table,
      I really hope it works for her as it has me. She can still use the arm but keeping it close to the body really helped me.

      Delete
  2. I am glad to hear you are pain free.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Olga,
      Who knows what lies around the corner as age certainly likes to toy with us but am enjoying the respite. Thank you.

      Delete
  3. That's great news. I feel the same: I kept aggravating painful parts without realizing it, but for whatever reason right this minute I don't have any pain! Congratulations on keeping that shoulder joint in check. I think I would love that chiropractor too. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Djan,
      Thank you. He is a bit of a hottie which helps:)) I think re-injury affects those of us with a few years on our frames more.

      Delete
  4. Glad you found something that works. It's the unpredictability of when pain hits us that is so hard to deal with---at least for me. I took the surgery route with a similar shoulder issue and it was successful but a very long ordeal afterward of therapy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jean R,
      You are so right. It could hit like a gunshot out of the blue. I am so glad the surgery helped you. I thought about it but the long downtime made me deal with it on a daily basis.

      Delete
  5. That is an excellent result, pain free is good....REAL GOOD!

    Brings to mind another old joke. Man goes to a doctor,"Doc, my arm hurts when ever I do this" (raising his arm up high)

    Doctor, "Don't do that!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joeh,
      Thank you and yes it is GOOD.
      The best thing about old jokes is that the young have never heard them and the old can't remember them.

      Delete
  6. I'm glad you are without pain for now. What is wrong with the shoulder? Labrum tear? Rotator cuff tear?
    I had that surgery and so thankful I did. I give you credit, I could not live with the pain. Keep up the good work. No pain is a wonderful place to live Patti. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peggy,
      Thank you so much. As best as we could tell without an MRI, can't have one with a pacemaker, I had a torn rotator cuff. I didn't trust my Orthopedic doc nor could handle the down time so I toughed it out. It got better, just kept surprising me with those sharp pains.

      Delete
  7. Dear Patti, thanks so much for sharing this story and giving us this tip. I'll try it. I'm glad, too, to learn that you are not having that horrific pain. I know that kind of pain can bring us to our knees and tears will simply spurt from our eyes! Peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dee,
      Hope you get some relief with it. The pain was so disconcerting cause it seemed to come out of the blue. At home I could holler, in public I could only groan.

      Delete
    2. Patti, when I was in such great pain--back in late 2016 and into the first three months of 2017, I developed a whole repertoire of groans and moans--and imitating the cats, yowls and mews! Peace.

      Delete
  8. Glad that worked for you, Patti. I may suggest it to my brother who took a significant fall in July and completely tore his rotator cuff. He's going to have surgery, but I think post-surgically this might be a good thing for him to practice. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. robin,
      So sorry that your brother is suffering. It is a really painful condition and makes everyday activities a chore. Sometimes surgery is the only answer.Have him mention it to his doctor for after surgery.

      Delete
  9. Always good to know these possible answers to a pain free existence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fun60,
      For so many things there are. Just wish I had stumbled on this 4 years ago.

      Delete
  10. Sweet Patti I am so happy to hear this news. I know first hand about that shoulder pain. You did exactly what my orthopedic doctor told me to do and it took my shoulder around 4 years to heal. I still keep my elbows close to my ribs just in case. It became a habit. I hope you stay pain free sweet friend. Hugs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maggie,
      Thank you. It is so good to hear of another success story using the same method. It has only been a few months for me but I all ready feel it is habit. Let us both stay pain free.

      Delete
    2. I think mine would have healed much sooner had I not aggravated it so many times forgetting to hold my elbows to my ribs. I am with you on us both staying pain free. I had surgery on the other shoulder and don't want to go through that again. Hugs

      Delete
  11. I had a rotator cuff injury about 40 years ago. Didn't have surgery & I can't remember how it healed. I DO remember that it felt like a bolt of lightening in my shoulder!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran,
      That describes it perfectly. Not an ache or sore but a sharp stab. Bolt of lightening is perfect. So glad that is behind you.

      Delete
  12. Shoulder pain is the one thing I don't have, but thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda R,
      Be grateful and stay that way. You have enough problems with your back and hips.

      Delete
  13. I suffer from tension in my neck, upper back and shoulders. I'm going to try this to see if perhaps some of the tension is lessened. I'll try anything as I'm tired of living with constant pain.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eileen,
      Don't know if that will help but it can't hurt. Sounds like massage would be beneficial. I know the feeling about constant pain and hope you find relief.

      Delete
  14. I'd give anything for a miracle cure. I'll have to try this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbara,
      Give it time and I so hope it works for you like it did me and Maggie.

      Delete
  15. so you are not using the shoulder at all? Just using the arm from the elbow down? are you able to flap your elbows like chicken wings? Like in the "Chicken" dance? Perhaps now is the time to try gentle shoulder exercises to regain that use.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. River,
      No, I use my shoulder in full range, just keep my arm close to my body--not attached--but not putting undue stress on the joint.

      Delete
  16. I've read all the other comments now, so feel free to ignore what I just said. I've had a rotator cuff injury and it took a while to get better. I was told to use the arm as normally as I could, but WITHIN the pain free range, so it didn't freeze and then started on a range of movement exercises to gradually restore full use. Which I now have with an occasional aching day from over use but no real pain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. River,
      I had the same therapy as you in the beginning and as a result had free range of motion but when I tried to push, pull or lift with my arm stretched out to the side, I would get the knee buckling pain which was brief but attention getting.

      Delete
  17. No wonder you love the guy! So glad it's worked for you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Before I even finished reading this post I found I had changed my positioning in front of the computer, moving my knees back, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Annie
      He impressed me with how much we can hurt our bodies while at the computer. Can't hurt to be proactive.

      Delete
  19. Gee, thanks! I am practicing your "no-reaching" as I type now! Take care, and enjoy the new you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chip Butter,
      Thanks so much and I am doing my best. Funny how simple things can affect our lives.

      Delete
  20. I know what you mean, getting rid of pain is a wonderful thing! Congrats to you for making the effort and so happy that it worked out so well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Inger,
      Thank you. It has made a world of difference.

      Delete
  21. Yes, I too tore both rotator cuffs, and I too have become an expert in agony.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Glad to hear you’ve found what works to eliminate your pain. Sounds like Thanksgiving and. Christmas all rolled into one.

    ReplyDelete
  23. You are so right in saying that, IF we woke up without aches and pains, we'd think we were dead.... HA HA .. SO TRUE....

    Glad you are pain-free for the time being.. Hope it lasts... SO glad you found some relief....

    With me, it's the A Fib --and how the medications and OLD AGE have slowed me WAY DOWN.... I just don't have the energy I had even a year ago. I've had to cut way down on the Christmas Decorations for the first time... I also can't cook for large groups anymore--and the list goes on... BUT--it is what it is and I am slowly adjusting....

    About pain, my problem now is numbness in my thumbs and fingers (probably caused by a pinched nerve somewhere)...... GADS--what else?????? ha

    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete