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bobbywett

bobbywett

Joined
Jul 23, 2006
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:( Hi Folks,

I'm a little dishearted. This past Friday, I drove to the ER experencing unbearable pain in my right shoulder. After 5 hours and many x rays later I lost most mobility in my right arm. I'm scheduled for an MRI on Monday and am worried about the prognosis for my condition. I do a lot of hammer swinging at work in the service truck industry, ie. seating valves on cylinder heads. I am right handed and am just getting into bladesmithing. Is there anyone out there who has experenced a similar condition; if so how long did it last, how did you recover? Could I possibly forge knives with my left hand? I am scheduled to take the into to bladesmithing course in Texarkana in late April; however in all likelyhood I will have to postpone until later.

Thanks for your time,

Bob
 
Yea what Karl said! also if it's a bone spur, drink 2 8oz glasses of pure grapefruit juice :barf: 2x per day for 2 weeks. The acid will eat away that bonespur.:D My dad's old boss had the same problem with his hands, he couldnt make a fist, with what he didnt just about cry like a baby. He went to see every specialst in the state for it. And they all told him there wasnt anything they could do for him. He finally went and seen a old school doctor in his own town and he prescribed it. it worked but DO NOT DRINK IT FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS. It's too acidic and will start eating away other bone tissue.

anyway smoke and prayers sent for ya.

Jason
 
Be careful about the chiropractor. Get the MRI first. I was experiencing pain in my left shoulder, left arm, left hand, left elbow and numbness in two of my fingers on my left hand. It scared me to death. I went to the doctor first and then off to get an MRI. I had a bulging disc in my back that was pinching a nerve. I had to go to a physical therapist to get it fixed.

My chiropractor said he could have injured me permanently, if he had tried to adjust it. An out of line spine is something a chiropractor can fix. A seriously bulging disk with the symptoms you describe is something completely different. I can no longer have my neck adjusted because of my upper spine problem.

This is why chiropractors take x-rays. They look for conditions they can help, as well as conditions that they might hurt.

So, my suggestions is MRI first.
 
Facing something like this is scary. I've been there and have a pile of scars to show for it. I'm about to have a few more.

Be patient. Wait and see what the doctor comes up with. Don't go running off half cocked trying to fix it yourself. On Monday, they won't tell you much. Ask them to burn a copy of the MRI to disk for you. They will probably do it for free. That way, if you want a second opinion, you'll have the original MRI in your possession.

It could be a bone spur. Those can be fixed arthroscopically sometimes. They can't be fixed by grapefruit. Think about that one.

Whatever the doctor tells you to do, do it. You are paying him good money for his expertise, listen to him. Expect that you may lose a liitle work. Better a little now than a lot later. Your options may be simple exercises to surgery, but don't cry until you're hurt on this.

If surgery is required you will be able to swing a hammer just fine afterwards. But don't over do it. You'll damage yourself and lose more work.

I know just how hard it is waiting, but please, just be patient for a few days. My qualifications on this is a disability retirement because of ortho injuries. I've had both rotator cuffs repaired, my left knee fixed 3 times, the right twice, my neck fused, a multi level fusion in my low spine which partially didn't take and will be redone in May.

I still make knives, I forge, and I don't let it get me down. So again, just be patient.

I hope that helps.

Gene
 
Good luck. have a really bad back and had surgery on it. I have to resign myself to pain but that will not stop me from doing what I love. I have a power hammer and press and much of the grunt work in forging can be done with these. If you are real good it all can. Just take it easy and it will be waiting for you when you get to feeling better.
 
maybe you should get one of thoes whats it calld "Bandsaw bitch" but you would have to train it to swing a hammer. i have one that i`ve gotten to swing a 4 pounder, its my nabor ;)
 
A shoulder is a very complex piece of machinery with alot that can go wrong. You will know alot more after the MRI is done and interpreted. Until then be careful about the advise you get.

I work on chronic and acute injuries every day but only after I know what it is.
 
There are certain medications that grapefruit does not get along with; the anti-cholesterol statin drugs are one such example.

While there are numerous home therapies that can be of benefit in many situations, excesses like heavy over-acidification of the system should be approached cautiously.
 
Birddog4,

It wasn't wrasslin with sea creatures that stove me up so bad, it was working patrol boats offshore. That and the occasional "This isn't that heavy, I can do this without waiting for help." Yeah, that was stupid. That's how I trashed a knee and tore a rotator cuff, two separate incidents. At one point in my life I was rather a slow learner. My neck, back and knees were mostly from offshore patrol. It can get mighty sloppy out there and might take all day to find a place to hide from it. Of course, falling out of a truck while unloading it didn't help my rotator cuff or other knee, either.

We had a grab rail on the wheel house ceiling. We were headed out after a gill netter working a closed area and it was sloppy where we were. One crewman had a firm grip on the grab rail. We came off the back of a swell and he swore that he never let go of the rail but his knees touched the deck. Must have stretched his arm 12 inches or more.

I loved what I did. I had a 100 foot boat, half of California to patrol offshore, a fuel credit card and grocery money. Being the captain we went wherever I wanted. It was fun but ultimately I paid dearly for it.

Since that chapter in the book of my life is closed, the new one is making knives and I love that. I just have to cope with the limitations I have and go forward.

Nope, it wasn't wrasslin critters that did me in. Mostly that was just getting bit, pecked or kicked. Heck, it wasn't even the whale that tried to take me out to sea. Just getting beat up over a long time. Constant, chronic pain sucks and I won't say the drugs are that great. I'm really looking foreward to my next back surgery. Maybe that will finally quit hurting.

Gene
 
Gene, we share similar ailments.The hardest thing I ever learned was when it was time to sit down for a while.
 
Bob, You are on the right track to getting it solved, and ....YES.....it scares the HE!! out of you.
About ten years ago I noticed the insides of my right wrist was numb. Withing four hours I couldn't move my hand much at all. The arm started getting a dull pain feeling and was not working right by later that evening. I had gone home and taken a hot jacuzzi bath, loaded up on Ibuprofen, and laid down. Next stop was the ER. They did as with you - X-rays, tests, etc. Said they weren't sure ( at one point they thought I might have gotten a dose of cyanide at work), but it might be a spine/nerve involvement.They got me an appointment in a week with a specialist. I went to my Chiropractor the next day. He ran a full series of X-rays, and diagnosed a severely pinched nerve at the spine, right above my shoulder blade. With treatment and therapy, he had the hand working in three days. After two weeks, most all the feeling had returned. It took about six months to fully recover. The doctors at the ortho specialist said he was doing no harm , and to continue if it relieved the problem.They eventually diagnosed a pinched nerve, with 50% atrophy. With loosing about 20 pounds,working on my posture at work (that was the main cause), and some exercises, I have had no problems since. I haven't needed an adjustment in years.

I hope you will fare as well. Let the Docs make sure it is not more pathological and if it is OK with the Docs, find a good Chiropractor. (One problem is the HUGE number of Chiropractors that are virtually Quacks)

Prayers sent your way for a quick relief.
Stacy

With all due respect to the folks who swear by it, Drinking large quantities of grapefruit juice won't dissolve anything (except maybe the lining of your stomach), either bone or fat.As mentioned, grapefruit juice renders many medicines ineffective.
 
bobbywett said:
:( Hi Folks,

I'm a little dishearted. This past Friday, I drove to the ER experencing unbearable pain in my right shoulder. After 5 hours and many x rays later I lost most mobility in my right arm. I'm scheduled for an MRI on Monday and am worried about the prognosis for my condition. I do a lot of hammer swinging at work in the service truck industry, ie. seating valves on cylinder heads. I am right handed and am just getting into bladesmithing. Is there anyone out there who has experenced a similar condition; if so how long did it last, how did you recover? Could I possibly forge knives with my left hand? I am scheduled to take the into to bladesmithing course in Texarkana in late April; however in all likelyhood I will have to postpone until later.

Thanks for your time,

Bob
Click to expand...

Bob, sorry to read about the problems. It sounds like a pinched nerve to me (no, I'm not a Doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once :D). I do have to ask, though. Did they do a cardiac work up or check for stroke?

I don't mean to alarm, but as I do work in the medical field (Respiratory Therapist) I see a lot of folk who are afflicted with a good dose of denial.

Hopes and Prayers for ya.

Jim L.
 
Doesn't sound typical of a stroke or a MI. I'm sure they would have checked that route if they were concerned at the ER. Of course, there are always some real bad apples who can't tell their @$$ from a hole in the ground no matter where you go.

I'm a Physical Therapist working in the neuro rehab field, but I also work on shoulders on a daily basis.

Describe more details about the injury. Did you just wake up that way? Was there an injuring event? Are you experiencing numbness or tingling? Are your fingers cold? If so, which fingers specifially? Losing all mobility in the shoulder: is that because of weakness alone, or is the weakness because of pain?

There are a number of explanations for the symptoms you are having.

Could be an acute shoulder impingement irritating the rotator cuff tendons (could result from a bad effort, a bone spur off the acromion, etc).

Could be a pinched nerve at the C-spine or even high thoracic, or a thoracic outlet impingement.

Could be a central stenosis (pretty unlikely, because those typically present bilaterally).

Could be a torn rotator cuff (which, if partial, can be very painful, and very limiting in shoulder mobility until it heals or is repaired). But those usually require some injuring event.

Give me some more info, and I can take a pretty good guess. But it's hard to know for sure without getting my hands on the shoulder and performing some specific testing. I might be prejudice, but I'd be leary about a chiropracter until I knew more. Many are great practitioners and are the best at what they do (aligning the spine), but some aren't that great (as in any field), and can make things worse by just trying the off-the-shelf treatments that they may normally do.

Hope you get to feeling better real soon. Keep us informed.

--nathan
 
I am a Doctor and I say, see what your Medical Doctor says and don't pay attention to any other advice other than the one about getting a copy of the MRI for a second opinion as needed.

Once you know what's going on then ask questions.

I'm sure you're in good hands.

My bet is you'll do fine. I'm sure they (doctors) checked that your pulse was equal in strength in the right and left wrist? Wnen you write "I lost most mobility in my right arm"...if this means inability to move rather than pain with movement this is either vascular (rare) or a cervical nerve impingement (more common). I'm sure they looked at the pulses and a vascular event is hard to miss so this is likely a nerve issue. You didn't mention an injury so the plexus of nerves under the pectyoral muscles near the armpit aren't likely the problem. It's not your shoulder. Most likely the cervical nerve which is most commonly a ruptured disc or (depending on age wear and tear, the bone spur previously mentioned. Without a prior history of numbness or pain periodically I would think of a more sudden event such as a disc. If this is so...traction usually helps, steroids can be used (little contoversy), and time is your friend. Unlike strength loss in the legs from a nerve injury the arm tends to heal from this type of injury.

I wouldn't mind knowing by PM how things are going and what the results are. Good luck...but I'm sure you will do fine!
 
Sorry about your arm, hope it gets better.

I love grapefruit juice, I had some freshly squeezed juice the other day, sweet and delicious!
 
Had the MRI today and will find out results on Friday with my Doctor. Nathan,
I believe I could have pulled something...lifting a 70lb roll of rust inhibiting paper at work last Friday. Felt a little pull or twinge at the time, but nothing out of the ordinary for my work routine. That occured around 11:am Friday and 6:pm Friday intense pain began. The outside of my shoulder down to my bicep is numb, like on local anesthetic. I cannot lift my arm from the elbow up to the shoulder. Remaining movement is limited to forarm and hand. Slight numbness on underside of my forearm. Pain is minimal now( 3 out of 10), but during onset was the worst I've ever experenced (11 out of 10). I do a tremendous amount of hammering, installing yolk pins, core plugs, valve guides, and seating keepers in industrial grade cylinder heads. When I come home I forge knives, so there is great chance for injury. Jim. L, I was checked for a stroke and or heart attack and thankfully, those were not hte case. That was my initial concern as well. Deloid, perhaps the strain from earlier in the day injured the nerves near my armpit? Well, guess I'll learn a little more on Friday.

Thanks again everyone for the Thoughts, Ideas, and Prayers,

Let Ya know on Friday>
 
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