My arm pain mystery is solved!

claircoult

Hi!

I've been to the doctors today and I've been diagnosed with bursitis in my shoulder. It's only taken them 10 weeks, 4 GP visits and an ultrasound to figure it out but they got there in the end.

Apparently the ultrasound showed thickening and inflamation of the bursa. I have no idea how it happened but from what I've read it could be a symptom of my reactive arthritis. What with me being an awkward so and so I can't have the usual treatments (physio always causes me more pain than it cures, steroids aggravate an eye condition and NSAIs irritate my stomach) so I've ended up with some ibuprofen gel. Fingers crossed it will help.

Clair

traluvie

Hi Clair,

Good to have a diagnosis at last, 10 weeks is not too long really, but long enough when you are on the recieving end i know..
Hopefully you may be able to control it a bit better now you know what it is..
Would hot and cold help??

dreamdaisy

At last! One question answered! That is good news Clair, I hope the gel helps to ease things, I really do. DD

barbara12

Hi Clair
Its good that you have a diagnoses at last, knowing what you are up against makes life easier, I hope the gel works for you, let us know how you get on, I have had an injection for bursitis of the hip, maybe you could ask about this.

frogmorton

HI Clair

glad you have a diagnosis at least, but so sorry treating the busitis will be so hard :sad:

Hugs for you and l hope that at least 'knowing' helps a little

Love

Toni xx

suzygirl

Hi Clair, glad you have had an answer, I had an injection into the joint to help mine, then was referred for physio.

I hope the gel helps.

claircoult

It's another thing ticked off the list at least. I can now take that information to my new rheumy. I've been reading about bursitis for some time, and whilst I don't like to diagnose myself it could possibly explain why I have joint pain in other areas like just below my knee on the inside and in my ankles and wrists.

I'm afraid I can't have the injections without risking my eye sight. I've had something called Central Serous Retinopathy. It causes bubbles of fluid to build up behind the retina which causes blurred vision. There is no treatment and it usually goes away on it's own but it can be triggered or made worse by steroids. If you have repeated bouts of CSR it can permamnently affect your eye sight so bearing that in mind I'd rather have a sore arm than lose my vision!

I declined the offer of physio as each time I've had it in the past it has always made me much, much worse. I know you have to put the effort but the physios I've seen are uncompromising slave drivers! When I sprained a ligamet in my ankle I was told to ice it for 25 minutes, 5 times a day (not a minute less!!!) and do a range of exercises 3 times a day that meant being on my feet for 15 minutes at a time. The physio wasn't interested that I can't stand for more than 5 minutes without keeling over and said I would have to do the exercises if I wanted it to heal. The ice regime was too much for me and caused severe pains in my ankle and there was no way I could do all the exercises so I phoned him up and he said I had to do them, so I told him I couldn't and he said he couldn't do anything for me then and cancelled my treatment.

Previous experiences have been similar, I put myself into a bad relapse doing 5 weeks of rehab physio when a pain clinic doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and I had to get fitter, so I'm always very cautious of physio. I still have full range on movement in my shoulder and I'm keeping moving without over doing it so hopefully the gell will take down the inflammation and ease the pain.

julie47

Hi clair

Atlast you know what the problem is and I hope the gel helps.

I have my fingers crossed

Juliepf x