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Suggest Treatment For Damaged Shoulder Muscle

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Posted on Tue, 7 Apr 2015
Question: Had hurt my shoulder in the first week of FEB and can only bring my arm to shoulder hight to the side ... In front it hurts to bring it up but can bring it up over my head.

At the DR office I was told to baby it for the following six week and not to pick up anything over 10 LBS.

Six weeks has past and the pain seems to be getting worse and now have a new problem that am starting to get worried about.

For some reason now when making a fist I can't bring my wrist down to a 90' or even move it down at all, but I can bend it back. When I do bend it when at work the pain is so bad it drops me to the floor.

Am not sure if this is because Ive been not using my arm much or if this has to do with the shoulder pain getting worse.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
shoulder muscles,rotator cuff injury with nerve compression damage,arthrosc

Detailed Answer:
hi
it looks like that your shoulder muscle deltoid is damaged or and some injury to nerves at shoulder/axilary levels like median and ulnar to some extent that wrist canot be flexed.Unable to lift beyond 90 degree sideways is damage to lateral or outer part of deltoid muscle on upper and outer aspect of shoulder.The nerves run down to forearm and wrist and hand and much of the function of wrist flexion is by median nerve arising near shoulder.
Now it depends on impact injury for muscle injury and some traction injury to nerve or compression from swelling heamatoma in shoulder muscles nerve conduction got hampered later on
All this could be a part of rotator cuff injury or tear also
Diagnosis can be by physical examination by a shoulder surgeon/orthpedic surgeon, who may test for shoulder movements limitations for groups of muscles in flexion/extension/rotation etc
individual testing of nerves in upper arm and forearm
confirmation of location of injury is done by either MRI of shoulder or arthroscopy and nerve conduction electrical-physiology for nerve damage
The extent of damage is assessed and muscle cuff repair is undertaken arthroscopically or by open surgery.
For nerves,if confirmed complete damage repair by nerve graft and if partial damage then no surgery, leaving it to grow by itself over couple of months under coverage of physical therapy of wrist,elbow and shoulder electical stimulation of muscle-nerve by TENS etcby a neuro-physical therapist
Pain killers and anti-inflammatory medicines are given and after surgery some antibiotics,supportive medicines like methycobalamin for nerves recovery
so, consulation should be done earliest with a orthopedic sugeon
Best wishes,

Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (2 hours later)
Thank you for your great infornation.

Unfortunately as i am dealing with workmen compensation the process is very slow. At the moment I am just getting pills and told not to lift over 10 pounds at work.

I keep insisting there is a larger issue but as there is a lot of people that take advantage of the system I don't believe my words are being heard.

Any advice to get my doctor to send me to a surgeon or a specialist to look at my shoulder and now my wrist problem?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
request for referal to orthopedic doctor

Detailed Answer:
hi
thanks for the query
The wrist and shoulder problem, restricted movements, pain not subsiding with medications, nor recovery of movements after treatment being taken - calls for examination by a specialist orthopedic surgeon.
You may request for a referral with your present doctor as delay further may cause some difficult or permanent limitations and may become difficult to correct as fibrosis settles in shoulder
best wishes,
Regards,
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :1980

Answered : 448 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Damaged Shoulder Muscle

Brief Answer: shoulder muscles,rotator cuff injury with nerve compression damage,arthrosc Detailed Answer: hi it looks like that your shoulder muscle deltoid is damaged or and some injury to nerves at shoulder/axilary levels like median and ulnar to some extent that wrist canot be flexed.Unable to lift beyond 90 degree sideways is damage to lateral or outer part of deltoid muscle on upper and outer aspect of shoulder.The nerves run down to forearm and wrist and hand and much of the function of wrist flexion is by median nerve arising near shoulder. Now it depends on impact injury for muscle injury and some traction injury to nerve or compression from swelling heamatoma in shoulder muscles nerve conduction got hampered later on All this could be a part of rotator cuff injury or tear also Diagnosis can be by physical examination by a shoulder surgeon/orthpedic surgeon, who may test for shoulder movements limitations for groups of muscles in flexion/extension/rotation etc individual testing of nerves in upper arm and forearm confirmation of location of injury is done by either MRI of shoulder or arthroscopy and nerve conduction electrical-physiology for nerve damage The extent of damage is assessed and muscle cuff repair is undertaken arthroscopically or by open surgery. For nerves,if confirmed complete damage repair by nerve graft and if partial damage then no surgery, leaving it to grow by itself over couple of months under coverage of physical therapy of wrist,elbow and shoulder electical stimulation of muscle-nerve by TENS etcby a neuro-physical therapist Pain killers and anti-inflammatory medicines are given and after surgery some antibiotics,supportive medicines like methycobalamin for nerves recovery so, consulation should be done earliest with a orthopedic sugeon Best wishes, Regards,