weak arm - rotator cuff injury? Phsio not working

[KAgantua]

A couple of years ago my right arm started to feel weak at certain positions and you would get numbness, and occasional pain.

Never really got a diagnosis but they think its a trapped nerve. Stretching and physio make a difference for a short while but it comes back...

Anyone dealt with this and got it fixed? Feel like the physio is mugging me off TBH.

[redrabbit29]

Similar to me actually, although last year I had 3 periods of agonising pain in my shoulder/neck area for absolutely no reason - as in, I hadn't fallen or done anything that I could think off.

March 2020 - bad pain for about 2 days and then gradually eased off after a month
June 2020 - same as above
September 2020 - the worst pain I've had for 3 days. Couldn't lie flat in bed, couldn't stand for more than about 10 seconds as the pressure in my arm felt horrendous.

I dialled 111 numerous times and saw my GP who continually fobbed me off.

The long story short was, after battling with the NHS referrals, I eventually got an MRI after about 4 months of waiting - by this point it had completely healed, although I was still getting a numb arm and still have a numb index finger.

The lead consultant says I had a C4/C5 Cervical Spondlytis in my upper neck area. Extremely common. It's basically a disc herniation. In my case I made a full recovery (other than numbness and a weak sensation) as the body dealt with the desk issue itself. I don't understand this but that's what he said.

I am going to the gym 2-3 times a week and doing weights. I think it's helping.
I also use a resistance band to stretch my arm right behind my back and over my shoulder and in all directions. It always feels a bit better after this so I am wondering whether it is tightness mixed with just a phsyically weakened shoulder due to the issues I had with my disk

[SlimJim16v]

It sounds like rotator cuff rather than a trapped nerve. Either damage causing weakness, or inflation of the supraspinatus catching as it moves between 2 bones.

You need a good private physio. I saw one that made it worse. Read up on it first, so you have some idea when you see someone.

If it's a trapped nerve, you need an osteopath.

[mybrainhurts]

Can you lift your arm higher than shoulder level?

If you can, it's not rotator cuff.

Took me 2 years to rectify mine without surgery and I'm getting pain again, a few years after recovery.

[KAgantua]

I am getting 'clicking' when I move my arm between certain positions with weakness and discomfort before the 'click'.

Physiotherapist thinks this is the nerve getting caught 'in its track'.

[SlimJim16v]

KAgantua said:

I am getting 'clicking' when I move my arm between certain positions with weakness and discomfort before the 'click'.

Physiotherapist thinks this is the nerve getting caught 'in its track'.

Possibly impingement. Your physio sounds useless, get a second opinion.

[wibble cb]

Mine was similar in that I had massive pain and limited mobility it was diagnosed as torn rotator cuff (wrong) early onset arthritis (wrong) then finally after an MRI- it’s frozen shoulder! Lots of exercises a bit oh physio , and a mere 2 yrs later, it’s back to 95% , no longer in burning pain!

[Bill]

SlimJim16v said:

KAgantua said:

I am getting 'clicking' when I move my arm between certain positions with weakness and discomfort before the 'click'.

Physiotherapist thinks this is the nerve getting caught 'in its track'.

Possibly impingement. Your physio sounds useless, get a second opinion.

Much as I don't like to dis a fellow member of the profession (Assuming they are actually a physio...), I agree. There are loads of structures that can cause clicking, pain and weakness around the shoulder and a nerve is pretty much bottom of the list of suspects.