What has caused this pain for more than 20 years?

[kwonitoy]

I had a similar pain in what I thought was my left arm muscle.

Does putting your arm on top of your head give relief?

In my case after the orthopedic doctor saw that he said I had an inflamed nerve going from my spine to my arm.

The nerve becomes inflamed after trauma and then continually irritates itself due to small opening in the spine that it passes through.

Was prescribed a dose of B complex vitamins B1-12 and had almost immediate relief that has lasted for the last 7 or so years

[Moonlover]

7 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

Did it ever occur to you that not everyone has the time to read the entire thread of an article? People read the main article and then scroll down to comment! 

 

If you had thought it through before replying to me instead of trying to a smart Alex, whatever the hell that means, you'd know that. 

When someone is asking a serious question about their health, it is better to make no comment rather than an ill-informed one. Your comment WAS ill-informed.

[simon43]

I don't think it's a nerve pinched in my neck (or similar). If I 'jarr' my arm or move it suddenly, the pain in the middle of my upper arm is so sharp that I cry out involuntarily! If I move my arm slowly, then no pain (except putting my arm behind my back or stretching out.  It could be a rotator cuff because if I turn over in my sleep I can get a sharp pain in my shoulder (no such pain in the daytime).

 

Yes I should really get a CT scan of my arm/shoulder.  That's not so easy to do here in north Laos...

[Moonlover]

12 hours ago, simon43 said:

I don't think it's a nerve pinched in my neck (or similar). If I 'jarr' my arm or move it suddenly, the pain in the middle of my upper arm is so sharp that I cry out involuntarily! If I move my arm slowly, then no pain (except putting my arm behind my back or stretching out.  It could be a rotator cuff because if I turn over in my sleep I can get a sharp pain in my shoulder (no such pain in the daytime).

 

Yes I should really get a CT scan of my arm/shoulder.  That's not so easy to do here in north Laos...

Your symptoms are very similar to mine, following my fall last year, right down to the pain manifesting in the middle of the upper arm. My injury was quite definitely  in the shoulder, I landed right on it and I couldn't move it at all for 2 or 3 weeks.

 

The shoulder joint is quite complex, as I'm sure you know. It sounds as if you have long term damage to a either a tendon, ligament or maybe a minor fracture that has healed badly leaving a bone spur. There are a number of nerves that run through the shoulder and the pain you feel in bicep of the upper arm is very likely to be 'referred pain' along one of those nerves. ( @pacovl46 please note) 

 

I've already hinted at a possible solution for your problem. Qigong is an ancient Chinese art which is fast becoming main stream in the west. Even professional sports persons have embraced it. I suggest that you visit this website. https://flowingzen.com/start-here/ and have a careful read. If what you read appeals to you, buy the book, it's quite cheap. If you would like any further guidance PM me and I can probably help.

 

And just a disclaimer, I am not a Qigong teacher, merely a student who has greatly benefitted from it and I have no financial tie to Flowing Zen. I pay my way, like everyone else.

 

Good luck.

[Sheryl]

bickering/flaming posts removed

[simon43]

Having considered all my symptoms and having consulted with the second-best doctor available (Dr Google, Sheryl being the best doctor of course!), I consider this to be a rotator cuff injury.  All the symptoms point to that.

 

I'm not keen to go down the surgery route.  I've had this injury for 20 years, (and regularly "refreshed" this injury every few years!).  I studied a website about physiotherapy exercises that I can do and I'll start these on a daily basis to strengthen my shoulder/injury region.  I don't expect to completely resolve the issue just with exercises, but so long as the pain is minor and I have reasonable movement of my arm, then I'm happy.

 

Reminder to self:  Stop lifting heavy radio antennas......