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What Causes Pain In The Shoulders While On Advil?
Question: Hi, Ive been having pain in my shoulder and arm muscle and under my armpit. i can feel it pretty much all day or until i take some advil or aspirin. Ive noticed it feels a bit better after i eat, which i though was odd. when i push or apply pressure on the areas that do hurt it feels better.
Brief Answer:
Seems like a muscular pain- advises given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at healthcaremagic.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
The pain you prescribe seems like a pain due to muscular origin especially because it is affected by touch and because advil and aspirine help.
For how long have you had this pain? Is it getting worse or is it stable or better with time? Is it always at the same area or does it change location? is it affected with arm movements? How strong is it from 1-10?
Do you think there was a certain event or movement that might have caused it, can you related the start of the pain to a certain weight lifting, certain arm movement or trauma? Sometimes patients do not identify any of these as the cause of pain but when they have any of these precipitating events it tells us for sure it is muscle related.
You also don't mention if you have any neurological signs like numbness or weakness in that arm, if that is the case still it might be not serious pain but needs more careful evaluation.
it is true that it is a bit odd it it better with eating, probably it has to do with relaxing after eating but no specific relation for any source of shoulder pain is related to eating.
To conclude i would say:
1. it seems very likely it is a muscular pain and having advil is a good idea, take it after food to not hurt your stomach
2. if you have any numbness or weakness on that arm or the pain is not improving in 2-3 weeks or there is any worsening than you will need to see a doctor and have a careful examination
3. having the answer to the questions asked above would be very helpful
I hope this gives some clarifications on your question but please feel free to write me in case more questions are related to this issue.
Kind regards
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Seems like a muscular pain- advises given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at healthcaremagic.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
The pain you prescribe seems like a pain due to muscular origin especially because it is affected by touch and because advil and aspirine help.
For how long have you had this pain? Is it getting worse or is it stable or better with time? Is it always at the same area or does it change location? is it affected with arm movements? How strong is it from 1-10?
Do you think there was a certain event or movement that might have caused it, can you related the start of the pain to a certain weight lifting, certain arm movement or trauma? Sometimes patients do not identify any of these as the cause of pain but when they have any of these precipitating events it tells us for sure it is muscle related.
You also don't mention if you have any neurological signs like numbness or weakness in that arm, if that is the case still it might be not serious pain but needs more careful evaluation.
it is true that it is a bit odd it it better with eating, probably it has to do with relaxing after eating but no specific relation for any source of shoulder pain is related to eating.
To conclude i would say:
1. it seems very likely it is a muscular pain and having advil is a good idea, take it after food to not hurt your stomach
2. if you have any numbness or weakness on that arm or the pain is not improving in 2-3 weeks or there is any worsening than you will need to see a doctor and have a careful examination
3. having the answer to the questions asked above would be very helpful
I hope this gives some clarifications on your question but please feel free to write me in case more questions are related to this issue.
Kind regards
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Been hurting for about 3 months now. gradually worsening.
always the same locations. back of shoulder and arm muscle.
no numbness that i have noticed as of yet,
I do lift cases of paper often but am reluctant to say that is the cause because i am right handed and this is my left shoulder.
Its is the worst at night while sleeping. i like sleeping on this side and can not or have to do so carefully. i would say 5-6 on a pai scale with 10 being worse.
always the same locations. back of shoulder and arm muscle.
no numbness that i have noticed as of yet,
I do lift cases of paper often but am reluctant to say that is the cause because i am right handed and this is my left shoulder.
Its is the worst at night while sleeping. i like sleeping on this side and can not or have to do so carefully. i would say 5-6 on a pai scale with 10 being worse.
Brief Answer:
It seems like rotator cuff pain- advises given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the answer to the questions, it is very helpful.
Shoulder pain that is worse at night is very likely due to rotator cuff- which is the ending of 4 shoulder muscles that come to the shoulder tip. That pain is much worse when lying on the shoulder that side.
The fact that pain is there for so long also goes well with this diagnosis.
You will need to see a physiotherapist that will check your muscles and give you the proper exercises to relax those and also to straighten the muscles that need to be straighten. A physiotherapist will also tell you which movements to avoid. Meanwhile taking Ibuprofen for pain will help with pain but might not heal it so physiotherapy is needed for long term results.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question but please feel free to write me in case more clarification is needed on this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
It seems like rotator cuff pain- advises given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the answer to the questions, it is very helpful.
Shoulder pain that is worse at night is very likely due to rotator cuff- which is the ending of 4 shoulder muscles that come to the shoulder tip. That pain is much worse when lying on the shoulder that side.
The fact that pain is there for so long also goes well with this diagnosis.
You will need to see a physiotherapist that will check your muscles and give you the proper exercises to relax those and also to straighten the muscles that need to be straighten. A physiotherapist will also tell you which movements to avoid. Meanwhile taking Ibuprofen for pain will help with pain but might not heal it so physiotherapy is needed for long term results.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question but please feel free to write me in case more clarification is needed on this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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