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Suggest Treatment For Right Shoulder Pain And Nausea

Posted on Tue, 10 Jan 2017

Question: I have had right shoulder pain for 5 days. Today the pain changed. While shopping, the pain became moderately severe and was centered in the middle of my upper arm in a band-like strip. I broke out in a cold sweat and this caused nausea. I ca not sleep tonight. The pain is severe no goes down my arm to my second and third fingers. Sweats and nausea from time to time. I can move my arm but it produces severe sharp pain from my shoulder joint to my fingers. My right hand feels cool. I am not sure what to do. I had a shot in the shoulder three months ago. It really helped until 5 days ago. No known injury. I do have mixed connective disorder and fibromyalgia.

Answered by Dr. Mahaveer Patil (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Seems to be a neuritic pain

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,

Thank you for posting the question.

I have gone through your question in detail.

Presently,the symptoms that you are experiencing seem to be arising out of a pinched nerve inside the cervical spine in neck.

Spinal nerves travel from the vertebra in the back,through neck into the arms and fingers.Any compression on these nerves causes radicular pain all along the upper limb upto the fingers.

If the compression is severe enough,then the whole extremity may feel cold and numb.

A cervical intervertebral disc prolapse is usually responsible for this type of nerve compression.

The shoulder injection that you had taken 5 months ago has nothing to do with present complaints.

Get a MRI of the neck done to confirm the diagnosis.

Till then take analgesic anti inflammatory tablets like tramadol,paracetamol etc.

Application of local gel and hot fomentation will help.
Do not lift anything heavy.Avoid taking pillow beneath your head while sleeping.

A rare possibility is a blockage in the blood vessel of the upper limb (Raynaud's phenomenon). This can be confirmed by doing a arterial doppler of the affected limb.

Do let me know the MRI reports once they are ready.

I hope the answer was useful.

Thank you.

Kind regards,.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy

Follow up: Dr. Mahaveer Patil (28 minutes later)

I have no pain in my neck or between my neck and shoulder. I cannot lift my arm without severe pain that drops my arm right back down. I cannot extend my arm to brush my hair or to even use my arm for normal activities of daily living. It is weak and sharp stabbing pain to the middle part of my upper arm. About 4 weeks ago I had very severe pain between my shoulder blades but worst toward the right side of my spine. But that sharp stabbing pain has resolved with cyclobenzaprine (flexeril) and anti inflammatories, heat, ice. I am not able to use my arm

Answered by Dr. Mahaveer Patil (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Query answered

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Welcome back.

If the shoulder movements are restricted to such an extent,then adhesive capsulitis (early frozen shoulder) needs a consideration.

This can be confirmed by an MRI of shoulder.

Agressive physiotherapy including active/passive shoulder exercises should get back the movements.

A local steroid injection shot in the shoulder region will be of help.

Thank you.

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

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar