If I was a horse, they would shoot me...
So for the last 2 weeks or so, I've had some slight pain in my left arm. Normally it only hurt when I would move it like a chicken flapping its wing. Since I don't usually do that - I wasn't so concerned, Yesterday, however, the pain began to spread throughout my entire arm and neck, even when I was standing still. (Something I do quite well.)
After whining about it a bit too much, my wife suggested I go through emergency and have it checked out. To be honest, I was a bit embarrassed, but the pain was getting pretty bad so I figured it was worth the 100 dollar copay. (Thank you UHC for raising your rates.)
A good four hours later I finally got to see the doctor and get diagnosed. Turns out I have a strained rotator cuff. This was the first I've ever heard of a rotator cuff. I would have guessed that was an airplane or car part before I would have thought it was in me.
So I'm in a sling now - and of course it is my left arm. I'm discovering just how bad I write with my right hand. At least I'm on some nice drugs though. In the last thirty minutes the pain has left and I've got warm fuzies all over now.
Comments
sounds like a repetative xbox injury ;)
# Posted By Malcolm Hawker
| 1/17/06 8:06 AM
Or its swinging your arm round and round like a rotor that has done it. You need to oil your joints before doing things like that!
Ow, man! Get better soon!
# Posted By Joe Rinehart
| 1/17/06 8:36 AM
Wait until the bank starts rejecting your checks because your signature doesn't match !!! <grin>
# Posted By Brian King
| 1/17/06 8:48 AM
Ray,
Sorry to say this, but you are an idiot. Don't you know that that is a TEXTBOOK sign of a heart attack. Do yourself the favor and read some medical journals once in awhile. You were LUCKY that it was a strain in your rotator cuff, LUCKY!!!! This is the classic example of people being embarrassed and unwilling to pay copays to get medical attention. What you just did in your post is tell the world that your life isn't worth a $100 dollars, because you had to think about it. Next time, I hope you'll get yourself to a doctor first and debate about the money after. When it comes to your health, there is no price.
Now that I yelled at you, let me offer you some advice... start streching a couple minutes every hour you are on the computer. Esspecially strech you back and arms. Rotate your shoulders and wrists every 30 minutes. Also do eye excerises to prevent headaches and eyestrain.
We'er all programmers here but that doesn't mean that we have to fit the sterotype of wearing glasses, having CTS and being as fat as pigs.
BTW, sorry for calling you an idiot. I've had many friends over the years pass away because they did exactly what you did, wait to get medical attention.
Sorry to say this, but you are an idiot. Don't you know that that is a TEXTBOOK sign of a heart attack. Do yourself the favor and read some medical journals once in awhile. You were LUCKY that it was a strain in your rotator cuff, LUCKY!!!! This is the classic example of people being embarrassed and unwilling to pay copays to get medical attention. What you just did in your post is tell the world that your life isn't worth a $100 dollars, because you had to think about it. Next time, I hope you'll get yourself to a doctor first and debate about the money after. When it comes to your health, there is no price.
Now that I yelled at you, let me offer you some advice... start streching a couple minutes every hour you are on the computer. Esspecially strech you back and arms. Rotate your shoulders and wrists every 30 minutes. Also do eye excerises to prevent headaches and eyestrain.
We'er all programmers here but that doesn't mean that we have to fit the sterotype of wearing glasses, having CTS and being as fat as pigs.
BTW, sorry for calling you an idiot. I've had many friends over the years pass away because they did exactly what you did, wait to get medical attention.
# Posted By Tony Petruzzi
| 1/17/06 8:48 AM
Geeze Tony, how do you really feel? ;) It may not have been clear - but when this started, it was quite small and felt just like a simple muscle strain. Therefore I knew it wasn't a heart attack.
# Posted By Raymond Camden
| 1/17/06 8:54 AM
I wrecked my shoulder last year snowboarding, and one of the issues was that I severely bruised all the tendons and muscles that make up the rotator cuff (the rotator cuff is really a group of tendons and muscles, not just one). I, too, was in a sling for six weeks and I can feel your pain, both literally and figuratively. It's amazing how much goes in to lifting your arm and what losing that ability can do! Anyway, enjoy the drugs and take your time getting back (if you can). Aggravating the cuff (which I did) will only set you back even more.
# Posted By Dave Carabetta
| 1/17/06 9:37 AM
Hey Ray -- sorry to hear about your injury but glad that it's not RSI. Also, sorry to hear about what this Rabid person is doing with your blog software -- IMHO it's very unethical.
# Posted By Aral Balkan
| 1/17/06 10:16 AM
Gee would it be the 90lb godchild that you picked up not
to long ago?
to long ago?
# Posted By Stacy Faucheaux
| 1/17/06 10:59 AM
Heh, I'm going to have to tease him. ;)
# Posted By Raymond Camden
| 1/17/06 11:08 AM
I know a guy who got a similar injury from... another activity. Gave him carpal tunnel in his left wrist too! ;-)
# Posted By Nick Collins
| 1/17/06 11:33 AM
i have the problem from too many swings with the driver at ridiculous speeds. its an injury that really NEVER will go away. the rotator cuff has caused many a football quarterback to basically go away. READ: Chad Pennington.
anyway, if the doc didnt tell you to do this, this helps...
1. stand facing the wall (make your nose about 6-10 inches away) and put your hand on the wall.
2. then, like a spider, WALK your hand up the wall, until the arm is fully extended upwards.
this really helps stretch things out, and strengthen things up a bit, and if you do it enough, your problems might subside. it worked for me. and i abuse the HECK outta my rotator cuff on a daily basis in the summertime!
tw
anyway, if the doc didnt tell you to do this, this helps...
1. stand facing the wall (make your nose about 6-10 inches away) and put your hand on the wall.
2. then, like a spider, WALK your hand up the wall, until the arm is fully extended upwards.
this really helps stretch things out, and strengthen things up a bit, and if you do it enough, your problems might subside. it worked for me. and i abuse the HECK outta my rotator cuff on a daily basis in the summertime!
tw
# Posted By tony of the weeg clan
| 1/17/06 2:05 PM
Hope you feel better soon, Ray.
# Posted By Damien
| 1/17/06 4:04 PM
I think we may have the same problem. Except I didn't bother with the sling, just took a couple days off work and rested it. I blamed it on the way I sit in my computer chair. I lean to my left quite a bit on arm rests, in addition to the soccer I played and some weight lifting, my shoulder was a MESS a couple of weekends ago. I am almost positive I weakened my shoulder by leaning on it too much. Incidentely, I had just played a week straight of CIV IV, and was of course leaning on that shoulder for 1 week straight ... and it has brought me to now: always feeling like I have an incredibly weak shoulder. Bad posture sucks. Hope you get better.
# Posted By noname
| 1/18/06 7:41 AM
Thank goodness I live in a country with "free" healthcare! Big up the NHS (National Health Service) where you can walk into A&E for free (okay, so you might have to wait 6 hours, but it's still free)!!
In any case, hope the arm gets better Ray!
In any case, hope the arm gets better Ray!
# Posted By Niklas RIchardson
| 1/18/06 8:25 AM
Niklas - I paid and _still_ spent close to 6 hours there. ;)
# Posted By Raymond Camden
| 1/18/06 10:21 AM
I strained my rotator cuff 1st week of Feb. Didnt know it was that, thought it was the A/C joint. Well, 1 month later it hurts worse. Naprosyn helps, but it takes 2-3 months before you feel better. Good luck.
# Posted By John
| 3/3/06 3:21 PM
hey, just found your blog through a "strained rotator cuff" search. i recently screwed up my shoulder, and six days have passed. yeah, it's better, but it's still a bit sore.
it sounds like you did the same thing as me and have the same symptoms as me, only way worse, because at no point did i feel i needed to go to a hospital. but i wanted to ask how long before you were ok. so how long before you were ok? just looking for a timetable. thanks.
it sounds like you did the same thing as me and have the same symptoms as me, only way worse, because at no point did i feel i needed to go to a hospital. but i wanted to ask how long before you were ok. so how long before you were ok? just looking for a timetable. thanks.
I honestly don't remember. I don't think it was more than 3-4 days though. Remember though that I'm a fat nerd, so it's not like I needed a lot of strength to return to normal.
# Posted By Raymond Camden
| 8/3/07 10:26 PM