Trapped Nerve in Neck/Shoulder/Arm

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migrantwing

Veteran
I have what I believe to be a trapped nerve, or possibly a frozen shoulder. The pain is in the top of my left shoulder and neck and also down my left arm. The arm pain feels like pins and needles or cramp, or similar to when your foot goes to sleep or a 'dead arm' you used to get from the school bully :smile: It is a dull, aching throb.

I did some DIY plumbing about a month ago (fitting new taps and flexi hoses to the bath) and spent a good few hours laying down and reaching/stretching with my left arm under the bath trying to get the blasted old taps undone. Then, a few weeks ago, I was a passenger in a car that slowed down quite sharply and I guess the jolt exacerbated what was already the start of the problem. Needless to say, it's stopped me from cycling for a while and I can't wait to get out again.

I have done various stretches and shoulder/arm rolls and the pain has pretty much gone. It's just when I go to bed and try and get comfortable that it kicks in again, as it does for the first few hours upon waking.

Just a heads up to you guys an' gals...make you sure you get some stretches in every day. It only takes 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on your posture, too! I got lazy and look what happened!!!!
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Welcome to my world, i need to do physio stretches every day , i wake up with tingling left hand that can last a few hours or it can be pain free for ages .
 

vickster

Legendary Member
@migrantwing have you seen a doctor and then a physio. Get a diagnosis and tailored exercise programme

I've got shoulder issues at the moment, seeing a specialist on Wednesday, having been referred from GP to physio to specialist (to be fair, the process is being facilitated by private heathcare)
Don't mess around if you suspect a trapped nerve (and try to modify how you lie on the arm at night. try to keep it straight rather than bent with hand near head)
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
The shoulder joint is like a ball joint, one round bone moves within the socket of another bone.If you stand with your arms outstretched and palms down and then turn your hands up you will experience this for yourself. Any kind of stiffness or pain in that movement is a problem but it sometimes has an easy solution like anti inflammatory drugs that might be worth a try. Beware any doctor who recommends cortisone injection.
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
You are jumping the gun there Vicky as I never mentioned surgery as the alternative:sad:
I have had cortisone injections in my shoulder and one out of three hit the spot. If you want me to suggest an alternative to someone who is guessing that the problem is something to do with the shoulder and someone who has correctly diagnosed the problem and knows how to fix it I can do that;)
Incidentally my shoulder was finally fixed by using Viox that enabled me to mobilise the joint and that is what fixed it.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Vioxx withdrawn as it killed rather a lot of patients

I don't understand the rest of your post, it's late!
 

martint235

Dog on a bike
Location
Welling
I had similar symptoms a couple of years ago which was eventually diagnosed as degeneration of the cervical discs (I think C6/C7). There weren't a lot of options given it was "just something that is happening" and was told eventually by the physio just to ensure I kept doing neck exercises particularly when out on the bike (although not while moving obviously). This did make the symptoms stop although they have just returned probably as a result of my returned distance cycling. Will have to start doing the exercises again.
 
OP
OP
migrantwing

migrantwing

Veteran
Not yet @vickster, I have been waiting for it to run its course and see if it subsides. If it's not gone by midweek then I'll book a doctors appointment.

I do get the odd click now and then when I oustretch my arms and rotate my palms upwards, as @ayceejay mentions, but not every time. I do a few backwards shoulder rolls and various stretches (head left and right, head forward and chin touching chest and also putting a towel or hands behind head and gently pulling head back) which do help quite a lot.

To be honest, today is the first day that I have woken up and not felt the same pain/stiffness/annoyance as I usually do. I'm just fed up of the dull throbbing and the occasional pins and needles like pain down my arm.

Again, this is on my left side. ALL of my injuries, from my youth to the present day; breaks, fractures, dislocations, dodgy knees, arm and wrist pain etc have been on my left side. Feel like an 89 year old, not a 39 year old :smile:
 
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vickster

Legendary Member
My shoulder clunks and grinds and 4 months on it's no better, even with 3 sessions of physioterrorism! I get a really sharp pain if I reach behind, to the front or sideways
 

vickster

Legendary Member
LOL!

Do you recall what happened or what you did to bring on your shoulder pain, or was it just 'one of those things'?
It's just come on, no injury that I can recall (rather surprisingly for me). I think part of it might be how I sleep (exactly how you shouldn't). It's been clunky for a while but it's never been so bad.
 
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