Steriod injection...ouchhhhhh

[Michael]

I went to my appointment with an orthopedic Surgeon who reccomended to me by my physician. I went in b/c my arm had been hurting for about the past 2-3 months, nothing severe. It was about a 3-4 on the pain scale and it did NOT always hurt. I take pain medication for back, so it also really worried me that the pain was breaking through my meds.

So, I get into the doctor's office. He walks in wearing about what I am wearing, casual clothes with NO white coat. :D He proceeds to do quite a few tests with my arm by moving it around. It actually hurt my neck and back more than anything. He states he is going to give me an injection into my shoulder.

I thought no big deal, I do not like shots, but how bad could it be? It hurt so bad I actually used profanity. And I do NOT cuss. It felt like someome was hammering a nail into my shoulder. It did give me a great deal of pain relief, but I do not know if I could ever get another shot?

Is this normal?

[Mark N]

Michael, it is common and I have often wondered at how much pain we go through to have a chance at some pain relief. It is good you are getting some relief from the injection but only you can decide if it is worth the pain of the injection. Nothing wrong with not getting the injection if it is too painful for the amount of pain relief you get.

[Kathi49]

Michael,

I had a shoulder injection done about a year ago and I DO have cervical spine problems. But this was actually coming from my shoulder and it was inflamed. My spinal PM did the same thing; moved my arm around; bent it slightly back and that is WHEN it replicated the same pain I had been having. But when he said he would "try to be as easy as he could", I thought, oh boy, he has never really said things like that before even with the spinal injections. So I figured it would hurt and bad! But he must have used a lot of numbing medication. And it seemed like he went very slow. But it really didn't hurt at all considering what he had said previously. And, the best part...it worked! :) Oops, and I should add I had had xrays done previously by my Ortho doc. And there were no obvious problems so I suppose just inflammation in the joint.

I hope this gives you relief; I haven't needed another shot since. :)

And don't feel bad about cussing LOL! I did the same thing not too long ago when having an EMG done. And really, I don't cuss either...but I did that time! :eek: Thank goodness it was just one expletive because I could have said more and didn't. But the doc understood...she knew I wasn't really cussing AT her.

[lobelsteve]

No procedure except discography should cause pain.

Docs have closets full of lidocaine/bupivacaine and should use it freely.

If a patient hurts too much during a procedure, their doc is doing something wrong.

[Michael]

I have been a member of this board for...at least 4 years. I have just started coming back b/c of pain in my shoulder that I have never had before, my pain has always been in my back and neck from my motorcycle accident.

Kathi- I was told by the specialist that my pain was also from inflammation. His explanation was arthritis. My extremities do NOT hurt and this is the first pain I have had, unexplained at least, since my accident about 10 years ago. I disagree with his Dx and will be going back in for an MRI this coming Tuesday. I believe my shoulder is related to my fall on the ice roughly 4 months ago, I fell hard and broke a rib. Thanks for your input.

Steve- I have had trigger point injections in the past, they did not hurt anything like this recent shot. The only anesthetic I received was a spray, right when he was sticking the needle in. I will not have it done that way again. I was and still am very angry with this doctor, b/c I think he put me through a lot of pain for no reason. I agree with what you said, he could have numbed my shoulder up!

Mark- I do have a compassionate physician for my meds, but I do not want to increase anything. I have been stable for years now. I cannot imagine what it would have been like if I was not on meds?

Thanks for your all's input.

One quick question! Is the steroidal shot I received considered a trigger point injection? I think it is, just not 100% sure

BTY- He was in and out of my exam room for the appointment faster than it takes just to see my regular physican. He didn't say a word when he was done, just left!

[Kathi49]

Michael,

I'll let Dr. Steve answer that one. :) But I don't THINK it is considered a trigger point injection. And I should have added something else too. I could have sworn I had a torn rotator cuff at the time. But since the injection I have had a bone scan not to be confused with bone density scan. And there IS arthritis in my shoulders. But I can't tell you exactly the spot...it just shows up as black globs or dots. :eek::) Besides those pics are teeny tiny to me and I just can't tell the precise spot.

Anyway, I don't know what is up with those ortho docs and I do have a good one. He is one of the best ortho surgeons around but his focus or speciality is hips and knees. Anyway, he did a shot in my bursa (hip) once and used that spray too. And that shot hurt! But...maybe because the bursa is right there he figured...over with fast. I don't really know for sure. But I will say when that needle went in...my other leg just kicked out. Not from nerves or anything; just a reaction because it hurt! :eek::)