Typical bloke: probably needs to goto a doctor

[Rooster1]

My left arm.

When I stretch it out and slightly back, like you do when putting on clothes it hurts in the middle and upper joints!

It's been like it for a few weeks and I was hoping it would just go away and that I had probably simply pulled it.

Situations that hurt...
I have to be really careful when I am reaching for stuff in the back of the car - ouch
Reaching for the alarm clock this morning - ouch
Getting dressed, left arm - ouch.

What the blazes is going on.
I am 48.
I cycle daily.
I am right handed.

DOCTOR!!!

 

[ianrauk]

No one on here will know or is even a Doctor.
So make an appointment with your GP. You're getting to an age where you shouldn't just think or hope it would go away. Best to get checked out.

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

I'd definitely go to the docs like ianrauk says sounds like it needs checking out. Could be an old injury resurfaced, repetitive strain injury depending on your job type/activities you do on a regular basis?

 

[vickster]

as @ianrauk says, you need to see someone. GP, then sports physio. Or skip the GP and go straight to physio if you want it seen to quickly (£50 probably for assessment)

Shoulder tightness or possibly neck, get it seen to. And rest it properly, no cycling for a few weeks

You might actually find a proper sports massage or two does the trick, but see physio first

@meta lon what were your initial frozen shoulder symptoms? These sound familiar?

@Rooster1 if it is a FS...good luck

 

[Rooster1]

NOOOOOOO !!!! >>>>And rest it properly, no cycling for a few weeks

 

[vickster]

Go see sports physio today/tomorrow and see what s/he says

If it's a Frozen Shoulder starting, they can take 2+ years (!!) to resolve...do not ignore

 

[jay clock]

Sports physio in my view. GP not the best starting point.

 

[Rooster1]

OK. off to the docs guys - not now but tomorrow.

 

[vickster]

OK. off to the docs guys - not now but tomorrow.

See @jay clock reply...makes much more sense IMO even if you have to pay (do you have private HC? If so can usually self refer no problem)

Will you even get a GP appointment the day before Xmas close down as it's not an emergency?

 

[Rooster1]

See @jay clock reply...makes much more sense IMO even if you have to pay (do you have private HC? If so can usually self refer no problem)

Will you even get a GP appointment the day before Xmas close down as it's not an emergency?

Yes, surgery will be open and happy to see me. If not will try and go next week.

 

[vickster]

Good luck. They'll likely tell you to rest and take meds, whereas a physio will get hands on and give you the right exercises and stretches to do based on an accurate diagnosis

 

[Colin_P]

You know that Stretch Armstong, that is you that is. Doo-roo-roo-roo

 

[smutchin]

They'll likely tell you to rest and take meds

Not necessarily. I wanted to see the physio at the local practice to sort out my long-term knee problems, but you can't book appointments directly, you have to be referred by your GP. So I booked to see my GP, and he said he would refer me before I even got as far as asking. He didn't mention meds once.

Took a few weeks before I got to see the physio though, so if you want to get it sorted more urgently, you'll probably have to go private. I go to a local private practice for sports massage and thought about getting them to look at my knee but I didn't mind waiting to be seen on the NHS.

Physio hasn't mentioned meds either, but she has used acupuncture on my knee - I was a bit cynical about it at first but I've actually found it to be really effective pain relief, so I'm a convert.

 

[vickster]

What was your issue?

Don’t think my GP practice has Physio onsite. I’ve always been quoted 8-12 weeks wait on the NHS for local hospitals which is untenable if affecting work and thus go private (mostly through Bupa, sometimes self pay)

As much as my GP is excellent, I wouldn’t expect her to fix msk issues but to refer

I already take a bucket load of meds, so if I have pain that needs hands on treatment, Physio is the way I go

I’ve had a load of acupuncture (or dry needling), only ever seems to help back muscle spasm. Little effect on all the other joints I’ve had treated, shoulder, knee, leg, foot (inflammation, arthritis). But I’m always happy for a Physio to give it a go alongside deep tissue massage, ultrasound, taping etc

 

[smutchin]

What was your issue?

Well, the pain is in my knee (ITB/ACL) but I think the root cause(s) may be in my achilles, quads and lower back...

Don’t think my GP practice has Physio onsite. I’ve always been quoted 8-12 weeks wait on the NHS for local hospitals which is untenable if affecting work and thus go private (mostly through Bupa, sometimes self pay)

I appreciate I'm lucky to have a decent medical practice locally, with minor injuries clinic and physio. I wouldn't have been surprised if it had taken 8-12 weeks for the physio appointment to become available but I was lucky with that too!

I’ve had a load of acupuncture (or dry needling), only ever seems to help back muscle spasm. Little effect on all the other joints I’ve had treated, shoulder, knee, leg, foot (inflammation, arthritis). But I’m always happy for a Physio to give it a go alongside deep tissue massage, ultrasound, taping etc

Ultrasound didn't seem to have any effect for me. Massage helps.

Anyway, to get back on topic, physio definitely seems the way forward for the OP, it's just a question of how to go about getting that treatment... @Rooster1 hopefully your GP will refer you straight away and with luck you might get seen inside a few weeks. In the meantime, pain relief is probably the only real option.