Suggest Treatment For Pain In The Arm With Difficulty In Lifting Objects

Posted on Tue, 5 May 2015

Question: I am experiencing pain in upper right arm, difficult to lift at 90 degree angle. Pain goes into muscle in back and base of neck and pain up into my head from the base up

MRI shows moderate osteophyte complex at C3 foramal opening. I have previously had c4-5 and c5-6 fusions. The C4-5 performed last May.

Arm feels like it did when I had to have rotator cuff surgery of same arm about 31/2 yrs ago. The neurosurgeon I have been seeing said many times these don't bother people but me if it can be felt I will be the one to get it. We did an epidural 3weeks ago on Tues and it has not helped. I am seeing my fathers Neurosurgeon for another opinion next Monday. My question is can this osteophytes cause the extreme symptoms in head and neck. Making it difficult to turn to the right. I just don't want rotator cuff again

Answered by Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
You are likely to be having frozen shoulder.

Detailed Answer:

Hi
Thanks for your query

I'm Dr Sudhir Kumar

I have gone through your query and understand your concern. You are likely to be having frozen shoulder as you are having restrictions in movements of shoulder along with pain which radiates around shoulder. Its treatment is mobilisation excercises of shoulder and analgesic such as ibuprofen for pain relief. Vitamin B and C is helpful in recovery. You should consult local orthopedician for dististiguishing between frozen shoulder and due to ostoephytes. I think it due to frozen shoulder not due to your neck problem.

You can discuss with your doctor about it.

Hope your query get answered. If you have any clarification then I will be happy to help you.

Wishing you a good health.
Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Neel Kudchadkar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (59 minutes later)

I disagree. This isnt frozen shoulder. This has been going in since january. Frizen shoukder would mkt give pain in the head. Arm is used ii CAN life and move it just hurts. Oh well guess ill get info in a week

Answered by Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pain of frozen shoulder can go up to neck and even up to head.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome back
I think that it is frozen shoulder because you mentioned that you have difficulty in lifting arm above 90 degrees.If you have full range of movement of shoulder without much difficulty then it is unlikely to be frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulder pain goes in all directions front, back, towards neck and towards arm and even up to the back of head in some cases.
Another possibility is cevical spondylosis and ostoephytes causing the pain. I have already read your MRI report, but I would like to see your MRI of shoulder too, to differentiate between these and can tell also other possible causes of pain. Another thing that makes me think of frozen shoulder is the fact that even after epidural injection in the cervical spine, if it hasn't shown any improvement then mostly it is not due to a pinched nerve. However a physical examination will definitely tell me what it is exactly.
You can discuss with your doctor about it.
Everything else already discussed.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.

In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
https://www.bit.ly/askdrsudhirortho

Wishing you good health
Take care

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Pradeep Vitta