I’ve had excruciating pain in my shoulder blades, on and off, for quite awhile. Yes, my shoulders hurt too, no doubt. The ‘stand out’ for me is really my shoulder blades (usually one at a time and I think my right side is usually the culprit). My PT says to “use it or lose it” and that I have to keep it moving no matter how badly it hurts or how sick I get to raise my arm(s) above my head. I can sit on couch to ease dizziness, balance issues, and nausea. Are these symptoms caused by pain? or independently having something so do raising my arms? Sheesh, don’t ask me – that’s for sure.
My grandma had shoulders replaced with artificial ball joint (one at a time) due to them freezing permanently and causing massive pain and disability. She always told me that she had arthritis. It was bad arthritis, obviously, I’d always thought. As bad as her ‘arthritis’ was, it didn’t seem to ‘mangle’ her hands as severely as I’ve seen in other people. I digress as I remember…. Anyway, my genetic doctor looked at me like I was crazy when I began to describe my grandmother’s ‘arthritis’. He did not partake of the ‘arthritis theory’ as an explanation for the ailments that I described with regards to my grandmother. I do believe she had arthritis as well as CTD (connective tissue disease).
For quite a long while, I’ve suspected that I was having issues with early arthritis. I took it in stride for sure and didn’t allow it to infringe on my life. I’m now much more overrun with ‘arthritis’ as well as a plethora of other major issues with my health. And, yes, I am well aware that I do, indeed, have arthritis. I am just not sure what percentage of my health issues to label as being a result of arthritis versus CTD, GI, heart, CFS, etc etc etc.
Chicken or the egg…..
In a nutshell, yes, I do have issues with my shoulders. I also have issues with fingers, wrists, knees, toes ankles, feet. My right knee is now worse than my left after having that infection in my right foot that no doctor would address properly for the longest times. Chronic inflammation in my R knee. Anyone tried Nopalea? It’s supposed to be a miracle for reducing inflammation. If I weren’t so darn sick that I can’t work, I’d have discretionary funds to put toward health food aka alternative ‘medicine’ types of products. AND to get to some of the micro-specialists who have an actual treatment protocol. Ugh.
I have no recommendation for an orthopedic surgeon. While I have been seen for dislocation injury, I have not had surgery by an actual orthopedic surgeon. I’ve had jaw surgery for a diff acute dislocation. Amazing surgeon – amazing! He’s highly specialized and only deals in the temporal mandibular joint.
Please share any information that you might discover through your journeys, Dr. Diana. My grandma ‘had it bad’ and I don’t want to ‘follow suit’. I can’t track my mom, she died of organ rupture when I was 1.