Tendonitis in right arm below shoulder blade

[JPacio]

Hi! My mother has been having pain due to tendonitis that has developed in her right arm, a few centimeters below her right shoulder blade. She has been suffering from the pain for about 7 months now and she finally started going to physical therapy for it about a month or so ago. I found out about it around August-September of 2006 and I started telling her about it. She told me that "doing more work with that arm will make it better," (i.e. cook and clean and wash dishes more) and I tried so hard to tell her that she needs to rest her arm, but she wouldn't listen, and still she really doesn't! I see her rubbing her arm frequently with her left hand and I ask her how she's doing, but she lies to me and says that she's doing better. In reality, she can't even raise her right arm higher than her head, and I am extremely worried and distressed for her, but she takes it lightly. I don't want her to suffer, and feel that she has to do it by herself. I want her pain to go away but I'm not sure what to do about it. I think she might be fed up with the stretching exercises as well because they show no results. Please help me!

Thanks!

John

[tmv]

I've heard that there are corticosteroid shots into the shoulder area that help very well. Along with either heat or ice-ask the dr which.

[jenmk]

I have the same problem in my right shoulder from sports act. in h.s.  i went to LOTS of phy. ther. and NONE of it helped that much.  i to got sick of going and feeling like i was wasting my time & money.  i ended having to decide on meds or being careful with that arm. i decided to take it easy. i'm sorry to say but the only way that is gonna feel better is with at home light stretching and taking it easy.  there will always be flare ups for no reason, weather, sleeping on that side, pick something up funny, etc, etc.  the pain will start to go away,not completly, maybe i just got used to it!  if the pain is severe go to the dr!!  i have a sling at home that i use when i have a bad shoulder day.  i use it mainly as a reminder that it hurts, "don't use me" type of thing, otherwise i get caught up in day to day life and the next thing i know i hurt it more!!  those days that it hurts, LET IT REST, it will feel better tom. and the dishes aren't gonna care!!  Hope she has more good days!!

[RoseofAmber]

Working it will not make it better if it's in pain.  I've had a lot of problems with a shoulder injury from archery and that's one thing that my physical therapy dr. drilled in my head.  If it's in pain, any stretching and working it will only cause more damage to already damaged tissue.  Simple things, like stretching the muscles in the neck gently or doing five wall push ups every other day will gently help the muscle structure around it.

On the herbal side of it, look up the benifits of flax seed oil, glucosimine sulfate and gelatin.  Gelatin if mixed right with water...you can't taste it and it works wonders for bone and cartlidge health.  The full affects should be seen in about a month with that.
~AmberRose