Dealing with Rotator Cuff Injury

[flhiker]

Well at least the smiley can raise his arm that high. Just curious if any of you have suffered with a rotator cuff injury and how did you deal with the pain when trying to sleep? I really did a number on my right shoulder and of course that's the side I sleep on. If I'm lucky to get 2 hours of sleep before waking up and popping a couple more Ibuprofen, then waiting 30 mins. before going back. Any help will be greatly appreciated

Hence the reason I'm posting at 2:30 in the a.m.

[ronaldhanko]

Sorry to hear about your injury - hope someone is able to help. I don't know much about it.

[RosieC]

Oh no, so sorry to hear that. Sorry I can't help, hope someone else can.

[Kelo]

It would be wrong, and illegal, for medical advice to be given out by anyone who isn't a doctor but the following link may help.

Rotator Cuff Injury Causes, Symptoms and Treatment by eMedicineHealth.com

I have terrible Tennis elbow in both arms and golfers elbow in my right arm too. I get cortisone with Marcaine to freeze my elbow every 3 months and lasting 3 months. Perhaps that might be an avenue you could enquire about. Don't just take the thoughts of one doctor either, get a second or third opinion. I had to until we got a doctor who used to work for the government and said that the belief that someone can only get 3 cortisone injections for tendon problems is wrong and badly understood. As long as the tendon isn't injected before the injection wears off it wont snap. Hope you get some relief. I never feel a thing until the 3 months is up and it is bliss; the sting of a coffee burn is an added terror I have to suffer when my elbow fails.

[Chris147]

Hello. I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. My grandmother tore her rotator cuff and had to have surgery to repair it. Sadly, she didn't get much sleep for about 3-4 weeks. She had it done on her left arm, and is a little luckier than you sadly. She sleeps on her right side so it wasn't much of a big deal for her. However, most nights she just sat up in her chair and tried to get some sleep. That way she didn't have the temptation to move around. Again, I'm sorry to hear that and you won't get much sleep for a while, but once the pain is gone you and you will be able to sleep like a baby.

Good luck

[Shirley]

flhiker, I've had experience with this (from golfing) and it was slow to heal. Just wanted to say that supporting your arm with a pillow does help for sleeping. Because my arm movement was limited for such a long time, I ended up with a frozen shoulder and required physio to get back to normal range. It's OK now though it still hurts a bit at times. Good luck!

[flhiker]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I'm in for a slow recovery and a lot of lost sleep.

[dounoharm]

i had a terrible time with mine....and finally time and therapy healed it....got to do those range of motion exercises religeously or you end up with a frozen joint....super 800mg motrin is what i took, but it did take some time, months to heal to the point of no pain.....gl with yours....therapy therapy therapy!

[Connie Star]

I developed a frozen shoulder a few years ago- not quite the same but the pain was awful and I had to result to stronger pain meds to sleep. I'm a side sleeper but I found the most comfy position was sleeping on my back slightly turned to the opposite side with a pillow under my shoulder blade and my forearm across my abdomen. Ice massage helps, too. Take a dixie type cup, fill it half way with water and freeze it. Then tear the top of the cup away, and voila you have an ice massager. Helps to have a significant other to do the massaging for you. My story had a happy ending eventually but not until I had to have surgery to release it. The rehab was tedious, but now the operated side is better than the other. For some great exercises, check out "The SPorts Medicine Patient Adviser by Pierre Rouzier, MD. It has a lot of good exercises for all sorts of injuries. Full disclosure- I am an MD and he is one of my colleagues.
I hope you get some relief soon!

[flhiker]

Thank you, Connie
I will look for that book. At least there is hope. LOL. The loss of sleep is worse then the pain.