Pinched nerve in shoulder and arm

[lray]

Has anyone suffered from a pinched nerve after their surgery? Specifically, mine seems to generate from my left shoulder blade, down my shoulder and then down my arm to the elbow. IT HURTS! I can't lift my arm very high and my range of motion is limited so that I can't attach my bra (frustrating!) This started about a month ago after I started physical therapy. (Some of the exercises they were having me do didn't seem right but who am I to question?) So now I'm back on the "pain scale" and having to take pain meds again. My PT said there's not much I can do other than rest the area and ice it. He has me stretching my neck slightly thinking that my neck may be causing it. I see my surgeon next month so if it's not better by then, maybe he has a clue.

I feel that this recovery has been 2 steps forward, 1 step back...

[golfnut]

Laurie,
I know your surgery was several months sooner than mine, but my surgeon, Dr. Lenke, is not wild about physical therapy unless it's the PT from his office who is really conservative. I have a few light weight arm exercises to do, but mainly he wants me walking a lot and doing some pool exercises. Dr. Lenke told me that "most physical therapist don't realize the magnitude of this surgery and do more harm than good." I've always liked to exercise and have almost begged for more to do, but I'm obeying! I think it's natural to think that "more" is better than "less" when it comes to physical therapy, but maybe that's not the case with scoliosis surgery.

Obviously, I don't know what's causing your pain and I hope you get it resolved.

[babyboomer16]

My surgery Oct 1st, 2010

Hi Iray, I had a revision surgery on Oct. 1st 2010. And besides some other bothersome issues, I have the shoulder pain in my right shoulder, and it is pain down to my elbo also. I am fused from pelvic to T2. My neck didn't hurt at first, but now it sound horrible and feels terrible if I barely turn a little bit. Or look up or down. So I am wondering if that whats going on with me ,is that I pinched something in my neck, causing the shoulder pain. My left shoulder hurts too. But not as bad. I just hope my neck isn't giving out too. I am having some issues with pelvic screws and I am bending again(when walking) ,which is why they did the revision surgery in the first place. I also went to physical surgery and they really poured it to me . I thought maybe a little too much. The PT told me he had never done anyone with as much metal in their spine. I have an appt. May 5th with the surgeon. It scares me . Hope there's some simple answers to these issues. Good Luck! And keep us posted. Boomer

[babyboomer16]

Hi Iray, I had a revision surgery on Oct. 1st 2010. And besides some other bothersome issues, I have the shoulder pain in my right shoulder, and it is pain down to my elbo also. I am fused from pelvic to T2. My neck didn't hurt at first, but now it sound horrible and feels terrible if I barely turn a little bit. Or look up or down. So I am wondering if that whats going on with me ,is that I pinched something in my neck, causing the shoulder pain. My left shoulder hurts too. But not as bad. I just hope my neck isn't giving out too. I am having some issues with pelvic screws and I am bending again(when walking) ,which is why they did the revision surgery in the first place. I also went to physical surgery and they really poured it to me . I thought maybe a little too much. The PT told me he had never done anyone with as much metal in their spine. I have an appt. May 5th with the surgeon. It scares me . Hope there's some simple answers to these issues. Good Luck! And keep us posted. Boomer

I meant I went to "physical therapy" not "surgery therapy!" My brain is slow when I am in pain! I hope the best for you.

[lray]

Dr. Lenke told me that "most physical therapist don't realize the magnitude of this surgery and do more harm than good."

Oh I wish that I had NOT gone to PT. My surgeon did hesitate to prescribe it to me but because of my neck problem, he agreed that I should have a few sessions. Needless to say, my neck is better, still not 100%, but the left shoulder blade/shoulder/arm REALLY HURTS! I have not been back to PT for a couple weeks & I see my surgeon tomorrow. I'm hoping that the PT didn't cause something to happen with a screw but this pain is not going away. Grrrrrr, I'm so mad because I was doing really well.

I can't lift my arm up or out without excrutiating pain like a knife is being jabbed into my arm. Now the pain has moved down to my hand. Darn it!

And to make matters worse, at least mentally, my employer made me go back out on disability. The reason is because when I returned, my surgeon had me restricted to not lifting more than 15 pounds. (I have a desk job so it shouldn't be an issue.) Well, they let me return under a light duty restriction for 60 days and if my surgeon still had me at this weight restriction at the end of 60 days, I had to go back out on disability. I wasn't tracking the days but last week with no warning, they called me at home one late afternoon and said my 60 days was up and I couldn't come back the next day! I didn't prepare for this, like I could before I left to have my surgery, so my desk is/was a mess!

I was/am so frustrated because I can't control any of this...the pain as well as my job situation. Now I'm hoping my employer won't be upset and not protect my job.

Well, tomorrow I will know more. If my surgeon removes my weight restriction then I can go back to work. But because of my nerve pain, he may not! I hope he can tell what's causing my pain so I can get back to normal. And I certainly hope that there isn't something serious going on that I will need to have additional surgery, not after what I went through the last time.

I'm so tired of complaining or commenting on my pain. I know my family is tired of hearing about it, I know my daughter is anxious too and keeps asking me if I will ever return to normal.

Hurray for my straight spine but the rest of this is just no fun...

[kennedy]

Laurie i don't even have a problem with the pinched nerve in my arm. most of the time in my lower back and in the shoulder blade on the right side some time the left side.

[Lilysaidwhat]

Geez, I must have lucked out completely. My PT is amazing, I've been with him for a year, and he is well-versed in adults with scoli and has several of us post-op. He's also had some (non-scoli) back surgery himself and 3 knee surgeries (from football), so maybe that's why he's particularly good?

I'm in PT three days a week and progressing very quickly. My bod's almost back, and I could probably go with tylenol once a day and that's it at this point (vice 10 pills per day pre-op). My range of motion is improving quickly, I'm gaining muscle back, etc. I did ask him today if I can do oblique work and he said no, not for at least another 6 months. He also was good enough to come to my home a few days after I was out of the hospital to see how I was doing. Excellent, smart guy.

[lray]

I have been diagnosed with frozen shoulder. My doctor is very unhappy that this happened as it is likely due to the physical therapy. He agreed that I should have been receiving PT by someone experienced with spinal surgery but I live almost an hour away from UC Davis. Soooooo, I received a steroid injection and I'm looking at a slow recovery. I'm very relieved though that I know what is going on. I am scheduled to have an MRI, however, as he wants to be sure this isn't due to a neck issue.

[Lilysaidwhat]

Well at least you know what it is now Laurie. I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope you improve rapidly!!! As for your job they should absolutely protect your job - but I don't know what your benefits look like.

Best of luck.

[lray]

I can say that for me, time heals all wounds! Looking back at my posts a couple months ago, I even feel sorry for myself. Anyway, I'm much better. My frozen shoulder is not as painful and I'm in the "thawing" stage of it. The pain is much less severe and my range of motion is getting back to normal. My MRI of a couple weeks ago shows that I have a disc bulge at C5-C6, probably due to my surgery but why, I don't know yet. So my frozen shoulder is better but my neck is causing me grief. So my PCP is referring me to another D.O. to try osteopathic manual manipulation. I'm done with PT, that didn't really help and probably caused the frozen shoulder. Still taking an anti-inflammatory and pain meds which really do help.

But I'm happy to report that I was able to ride a bicycle for the first time since my surgery! I've been afraid to as I'm so afraid of falling. But I rented an electric bicycle which helped me on some steep hills (I was visiting family in the mountains). It was a great vacation...able to wear my swimsuit without worrying about my back hump and wore clothing without that same feeling of "hope no one is looking at my back!"

Anyway, things are getting better! Yeah!