Really sore shoulder

So I noticed a slight pain in my right shoulder when I lift my arms over my head (which I sometimes have to do for work). I went to the doctor today and they took some x-rays. He tells me that I have a calcium build-up and gives me a cortisone injection. So far so good. Well after a bit of lunch I laid town for a nap (which I often do since it's my day off and I'm an old geezer). When I woke up it felt like my arm was going to fall off at the shoulder. I'm hoping that by moving the joint the pain will wear off and it will feel better tomorrow. Right now it hurts just to pick up a pair of sticks. Anyone else have experience with cortisone shots?

Sorry to hear this has happened.
Yes, very much been there, done that I'm afraid.
Shoulders are tricky- I've had two bouts of ACJ arthroplasty, where they carve out part of the bone to allow the tendon to slide more freely.
When I had the first one done the surgeon said "I guess I'll see you in 2 years for the second one."
He was wrong- it was 18 months.

This, of course, doesn't mean you are in the same position- the cortisone injections could sort it out for you.
If it is a tendon then be aware that they can take up to 3 months to calm down.
I was back drumming within in a month after both operations.

I've had some sore shoulder problems in the past too, but never went to the doctor for it. Luckily it got better for me after about 3-4 months.

I used to suffer with my shoulder between the ages of 18-21, I had a nasty accident on my push bike, the chain snapped and chucked me over the handlebars and I tore every muscle along my right collar bone so I had to rebuild the muscle.

You can do a few warmup and stretching. The Aussie pro we had in the cricket team this year showed me a good warmup for your rotator cuffs.

Failing that you can do light exercises to build the strength. Injuries are a bitch! Apart from the shoulder the worst one I had was doing a gig with a stitch inbetween my toes after a minor op. It was like playing bass drum with someone elses foot!

Well, I got through the night. I could only find one position to lay down where I wasn't in extreme pain. I guess it's the nature of cortisone shots to initially cause pain. No one told me that exercising my shoulder would reduce the pain factor. It's still a little sore but nothing like it was at 4 am.

I have a follow-up appointment in two months.

lsits said:

I have a follow-up appointment in two months.

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Following with great interest. My right shoulder has been in pain for 9-10 months now. Have yet to go in to get it checked - really hoping not to have to. Managing by stretching, sleeping in different positions, and re-positioned ride (lowered as low as it can go and play on the 9 o'clock side (read that suggestion somewhere, possibly in a separate thread here I think). Been playing a great deal the last 13 -14 months, believe I should have been stretching more earlier on over this period.

lsits said:

Well, I got through the night. I could only find one position to lay down where I wasn't in extreme pain. I guess it's the nature of cortisone shots to initially cause pain. No one told me that exercising my shoulder would reduce the pain factor. It's still a little sore but nothing like it was at 4 am.

I have a follow-up appointment in two months.

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It depends on what it is- with mine no amount of exercise would have resolved it as it was bone burrs rubbing against tendons and nerves.
I would just trust your doctors and do what they say.
I hope it resolves for you- it did for me.

lsits said:

So I noticed a slight pain in my right shoulder when I lift my arms over my head (which I sometimes have to do for work). I went to the doctor today and they took some x-rays. He tells me that I have a calcium build-up and gives me a cortisone injection. So far so good. Well after a bit of lunch I laid town for a nap (which I often do since it's my day off and I'm an old geezer). When I woke up it felt like my arm was going to fall off at the shoulder. I'm hoping that by moving the joint the pain will wear off and it will feel better tomorrow. Right now it hurts just to pick up a pair of sticks. Anyone else have experience with cortisone shots?

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Yeah, where in your shoulder?

Drumming can be a debilitating endeavor, it does need to be balanced with exercise, stretching, cardio etc.

My shoulder feels much better today. I get better range of motion. I guess that the cortisone takes a couple of days to work. In my case the doctor recommended stretching and limbering up before any physical activity. Since there are all sorts of shoulder injuries it just makes sense to have a doctor look at it before taking an course of action. Wouldn't want to make it worse.

lsits said:

My shoulder feels much better today. I get better range of motion. I guess that the cortisone takes a couple of days to work. In my case the doctor recommended stretching and limbering up before any physical activity. Since there are all sorts of shoulder injuries it just makes sense to have a doctor look at it before taking an course of action. Wouldn't want to make it worse.

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Aren't the needles they use in cortisone shots something like 1/16" to 1/8" wide? I have heard that they are HUGE needles. Your muscle was probably in a lot of pain just from jabbing a needle of that size in to it.

Anyway, your pain will probably be a lot less for the next 6 months or so, but will come back. Unfortunately, the shoulder is one of those joints that just does not heal itself. The rotator cuff is a finicky bastard of a compound joint that is both a blessing and a curse. Just about everyone I know has some sort of shoulder problem. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law both had rotator cuff surgery a year ago. A contractor I work with is going under the knife in a week to get his shoulder operated on. Our office manager just got back this week from having rotator cuff surgery and she is in a sling for the next couple months where she can't use her arm, or even her hand (doctor's orders), to do anything. Literally nothing. She types with one hand, washes her hand(s) with one hand, does everything with one hand. My boss has two torn rotator cuffs from old college injuries and is living through the pain right now.

I have a bum right shoulder that I live on an almost daily basis with either a constant dull ache or shooting pain depending on how I move it or what I try to lift with it. Fortunately, for typical use, and even lifting things (just not over my head) it doesn't give me any shooting pains. I'm not at a point where I need to talk with a doctor about it, but I fear that 10 years from now, I will probably be going in to get some sort of surgery.