Question about injured shoulder.

Hi.

It was the end of December or the beginning of January when I hurt my shoulder / ribs.

I was sitting at my computer and my upstairs neighbors were making all kinds of noise. I banged on the ceiling with my fist and felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and armpit area. It faded and I didn’t think too much about it.

A few days later the constant ache in my shoulder and ribs just about drove me crazy! I had normal range of motion and moving my arm didn’t increase or decrease the pain. After a week it was affecting every aspect of my life. I couldn’t even think straight. I don’t have medical insurance so I couldn’t see a doctor. A few days later my girlfriend convinced me to go to the emergency room.

I told the ER doctor the truth except the fact it had been almost two weeks since the injury. He said there was some swelling but didn’t seem too concerned. He gave me a pain pill prescription and told me to make an appointment with my doctor. (This is about what I expected.)

Fast forward to July, 9th. It still hurts but not all the time just if I lift anything too heavy or use the arm shoulder area for a long stretch of time. I have 3 or 4 black and blue streaks on my ribs on that side and beneath my armpit is slightly swollen.

I still don’t have medical insurance. My job doesn’t offer employee medical and the state denies me coverage.
So I don’t know what to do. It’s obviously not healing on its own.

Do you guys know what I may have injured?

Does it sound similar to any injury you may have had or know somebody who may have experienced a similar injury?
I think it’s a shoulder thing but at times it hurts all the way down my ribs almost to my hip.

Just looking for some help.
Thanks.

I'm no doctor, but anytime there is painful swelling in the armpit area, I am inclined to think of the lymph nodes being swollen and irritated.

You could have an underlying infection. Unfortunately, a blood test is the only way to determine what it is.

You may have irritated them when you punched the ceiling. The fact that it continues and you have some colored streaks on your ribs doesn't square with your account of how you became injured, so there has to be something else going on.

Either bite the bullet and see a doc, or use an herbal antimicrobial such as Samento (available on Amazon) and see if it gets better.

Personally, I would march into the ER and demand a few blood tests. Yes you will get some bills later on, but I don't think this is anything to play around with. JMHO.

Get better soon!

I had the same thing but it was just from softly throwing a ball. I just raised my arms a bit unusually and boom a flood of pain from bicep to rib. It could be a overextended ligament and pulled muscles and it depends on how old you are, obviously the older you are the longer it takes to recover but a couple of months for recovery seems too much... Have you done stretching exercises even if it hurts to do so?

reply to post by cavalryscout


Ooops - posted twice???

reply to post by cavalryscout


May I suggest moving your query here Health forum

You will probably have more success there due to the calibre of individuals who frequent that particular forum

Hope you have some positive feedback from it - sorry I'm not a Doc

reply to post by star in a jar


It's on the left side. If I bend/stretch to the right it feels really tight not too painful but enough to get my attention.

I've had a couple buddies mention I may have tore some ligaments.

My main thing is I don't want to do anything to make it worse.

Thanks.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


My mom was really worried about my lungs. I am a smoker and had a bad cold at the same time.

It's something to mention to the doctor if I can ever afford to see one.

reply to post by Sublimecraft


Thanks. I'll check it out. I didn't know there was a health forum I should have looked closer.

reply to post by cavalryscout


Take something to reduce swelling... Even now, with my injury gone after a couple of months I can still feel a residual 'ghost' of the pain. The body isn't used to sudden, unusual movements, like hammering on something above your head (the ceiling) but like setting a broken bone, it won't get better until its set back in place, something stretching exercises can do to prevent future injuries. There's a right way and wrong way for stretching so be careful...

Best of luck and may the pain go away!!

Ripped muscles generally heal in a few day, broken bones take about 6 weeks, ligaments and tendon can 6 months to 2 years to heal. If it is taking a long time then possible some ligament damage and just need to take it easy to limit further damage until it heals. Building up some of the muscles around the area can help take some of the stress off, but need to be careful with what types of exercises. If you do see anyone then a physiotherapist might help.

reply to post by kwakakev


Thanks for the info.

I tore a muscle in my calf a few years back. It took about 3 months and then if I twisted that leg it hurt for about 6 months.

reply to post by cavalryscout


Pretend you're gonna hitch hike. Make a fist, and extend your thumb. Arm out straight...or as far as it will go. With the affected shoulder of course.

Now...slowly rotate your arm and hand into a thumbs down position.

How far can you go before the pain starts to get worse? Or does it?

Also...how far down your ribs is the bruising? Can you count the number of ribs from your armpit down to where the bruising is.

Still having pain from December is possible. I can't imagine a lasting bruise for that long...unless it keeps tearing small bits as you go. Is the bruising uniform? Or does it seem to have different colors to it? Like blue and yellowing?