YES, my neck muscles are tight/restricted, always have been for that matter. Kath, I can't touch either shoulder with either ear haha Just always thought it was another symptom of sagging shoulders. I don't have very good rom in my neck either. So don't anyone plan on sneaking up behind me and saying boo!!!
I sleep on the right bpi side and try to roll to the left bpi side, but that shoulder is still having no weight on it, so I end up tossing a lot!! Could never sleep on my back or stomach. ALSO freezing in Michigan...............
muscle shortening in neck
Re: muscle shortening in neck
I have restricted range of motion on my neck... But can't match Tina since she is bi-lateral...
My arm and face are freezing here in NY along with many other body parts... the snow is still falling and where I live we are expecting it to snow into tomorrow...
I had a massage this past weekend and felt great for at least an hour... myofacial release on my back... but back to restricted motion I am right obpi but unless I lift my arms up I cannot touch my shoulder to my ears either... But who cares what do I want to do this for????? I would only look silly.... LOL...
Freezing snowed in... two sleeves on bpi arm... soft flannel on my face... I hate that my face gets cold when I sleep... also can't roll on left "unaffected side" cuz it is so affected it is almost always burning and stinging... whine... whine... whine... please pass the cheese Tina....and crackers I am through with my wine and will eat my time away...
Kath
My arm and face are freezing here in NY along with many other body parts... the snow is still falling and where I live we are expecting it to snow into tomorrow...
I had a massage this past weekend and felt great for at least an hour... myofacial release on my back... but back to restricted motion I am right obpi but unless I lift my arms up I cannot touch my shoulder to my ears either... But who cares what do I want to do this for????? I would only look silly.... LOL...
Freezing snowed in... two sleeves on bpi arm... soft flannel on my face... I hate that my face gets cold when I sleep... also can't roll on left "unaffected side" cuz it is so affected it is almost always burning and stinging... whine... whine... whine... please pass the cheese Tina....and crackers I am through with my wine and will eat my time away...
Kath
Re: muscle shortening in neck
Sorry for the delay in writing back; I've been quite busy lately. Doctors visits and regular routine of physical therapy on top of work wears me out during the weekdays.
Well I went to see the neurologist I was referred to this past Monday. What an experience that was! She got her MD in the Netherlands, so maybe the difference in cultures explains her bedside manner, I don't know. After hearing my story and examining the MRI results, she told me that she thought I had contracted a condition called Brachial Plexus Neuritis twelve years ago when my "good" arm stopped working so well overnight. A rotator cuff impingement (the original diagnosis by an orthopedic specialist back then) would not account for the weakness and muscle loss I have experienced. And the herniated disk which is currently causing me pain was not responsible for the loss oof function in my left arm either. She then went on to tell me other procedures I could have to confirm her diagnosis. When I asked if the effects could be reversed if this diagnosis proved correct, she said "Oh, no, not after twelve years!" and started LAUGHING hysterically! She thought I had been in a car accident, my neck is so twisted from the OBPI. She stated my herniated disk problem "was bound to happen sooner or later, as twisted as your neck is!" She then showed me all the MRI results, brought the rheumatologist in and explained her findings and conclusions to him, had me take off my shirt and T-shirt and gave me a physical examination consisting of measuring the strength of each area of both arms and shoulders. All the while she repeatedly made comments like "How interesting", "You had some injury there", and at one point even said "Neat!" when discovering one area of weakness. And she would continue to laugh at the most inappropriate times throughout the appointment. When the rheumatologist said there was no point in further tests if there was no possible therapeutic value, she said "What about for the sake of academic curiosity?" She concluded by telling me I was the most interesting case she had experienced in some time and said "You've made my day". I didn't bother telling her that, prior to changing directions in my career, I had studied psychology to the point of spending one year in a masters program in clinical psych, and that she was also an interesting study.
So now I have another opinion on my condition and more drugs and PT to attempt to help with the symptoms in my neck, but am back to square one as far as the arm limitations go. And on top of that, one more painful experience to add to my memory banks. I understand that in western medicine doctors are trained to maintain distance and theoretically need to view their patients dispassionately, but in my view this woman has a personality disorder. Her inappropriate affect reminded me of schizophrenic patients I worked with in my intern program during my senior year of undergraduate work in college many years ago. And although intellectually I realized it was her problem, not mine, it brought back vividly the pain I experienced as a child when I was constantly treated like a sideshow freak.
Bill
P.S. - Thanks for letting me vent; I'm better now!
Well I went to see the neurologist I was referred to this past Monday. What an experience that was! She got her MD in the Netherlands, so maybe the difference in cultures explains her bedside manner, I don't know. After hearing my story and examining the MRI results, she told me that she thought I had contracted a condition called Brachial Plexus Neuritis twelve years ago when my "good" arm stopped working so well overnight. A rotator cuff impingement (the original diagnosis by an orthopedic specialist back then) would not account for the weakness and muscle loss I have experienced. And the herniated disk which is currently causing me pain was not responsible for the loss oof function in my left arm either. She then went on to tell me other procedures I could have to confirm her diagnosis. When I asked if the effects could be reversed if this diagnosis proved correct, she said "Oh, no, not after twelve years!" and started LAUGHING hysterically! She thought I had been in a car accident, my neck is so twisted from the OBPI. She stated my herniated disk problem "was bound to happen sooner or later, as twisted as your neck is!" She then showed me all the MRI results, brought the rheumatologist in and explained her findings and conclusions to him, had me take off my shirt and T-shirt and gave me a physical examination consisting of measuring the strength of each area of both arms and shoulders. All the while she repeatedly made comments like "How interesting", "You had some injury there", and at one point even said "Neat!" when discovering one area of weakness. And she would continue to laugh at the most inappropriate times throughout the appointment. When the rheumatologist said there was no point in further tests if there was no possible therapeutic value, she said "What about for the sake of academic curiosity?" She concluded by telling me I was the most interesting case she had experienced in some time and said "You've made my day". I didn't bother telling her that, prior to changing directions in my career, I had studied psychology to the point of spending one year in a masters program in clinical psych, and that she was also an interesting study.
So now I have another opinion on my condition and more drugs and PT to attempt to help with the symptoms in my neck, but am back to square one as far as the arm limitations go. And on top of that, one more painful experience to add to my memory banks. I understand that in western medicine doctors are trained to maintain distance and theoretically need to view their patients dispassionately, but in my view this woman has a personality disorder. Her inappropriate affect reminded me of schizophrenic patients I worked with in my intern program during my senior year of undergraduate work in college many years ago. And although intellectually I realized it was her problem, not mine, it brought back vividly the pain I experienced as a child when I was constantly treated like a sideshow freak.
Bill
P.S. - Thanks for letting me vent; I'm better now!
Re: muscle shortening in neck
Bill
All I can say is I have experienced this type of callous treatment before at the hands of insensitive doctors. It never ceases to amaze me that with all the fine education many have, they do not have any people skills or sensitivity to a persons feelings... Just a little vent of my own...
I can only speak from my experiences - one rheumatologist thought is was so funny when I listed on my information sheet that I had Erb's Palsy... He just could not stop laughing.... two years later while taking a person who need transportation to him I got the nerve to tell him why I seemed familiar... he could not believe he did such a thing...well he could not believe it because I called him on it....
I find the hardest part of dealing with this information as we age and seeking proper medical care is in sensitive comments... I think it is because many professionals think we know everything about this injury and they really know very little so we present a challenge to them...
It has taken me three years to get anyone to pay attention to my over use on the left side and to realize that the left arm is painful... as for my neck the last x-ray I had taken I am still trying to get the doctor to call me back... and I had it done over a month ago... They seem to think because our initial injury is old that we don't need answers...
Sorry for the problem you had and the reminder of the past... venting is good... especially because we understand...
We really do need a good long range study.
Kath
All I can say is I have experienced this type of callous treatment before at the hands of insensitive doctors. It never ceases to amaze me that with all the fine education many have, they do not have any people skills or sensitivity to a persons feelings... Just a little vent of my own...
I can only speak from my experiences - one rheumatologist thought is was so funny when I listed on my information sheet that I had Erb's Palsy... He just could not stop laughing.... two years later while taking a person who need transportation to him I got the nerve to tell him why I seemed familiar... he could not believe he did such a thing...well he could not believe it because I called him on it....
I find the hardest part of dealing with this information as we age and seeking proper medical care is in sensitive comments... I think it is because many professionals think we know everything about this injury and they really know very little so we present a challenge to them...
It has taken me three years to get anyone to pay attention to my over use on the left side and to realize that the left arm is painful... as for my neck the last x-ray I had taken I am still trying to get the doctor to call me back... and I had it done over a month ago... They seem to think because our initial injury is old that we don't need answers...
Sorry for the problem you had and the reminder of the past... venting is good... especially because we understand...
We really do need a good long range study.
Kath