Injury - Left Shoulder - Tendinitis

It have been almost 3 months now, those that have followed my Facebook's update, will know that I have this injury on my left shoulder. Although I started seeking medical treatment only in July this year, but the pain has been there or started since sometime last year. The reasons why I seriously need medical attention is because not only the pain is affecting my sleep at night, the pain is also had restricted my arm's movement very badly. The pain will become so sever that I could wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep properly again, this had badly affected how I work in office, worse is when I realise how sleepy I was when I was driving and it could lead me to lost of concentration, and that's very dangerous when driving.

The pain also caused my left shoulder's muscle to became very stiff, I can hardly lift my arm without experience burning sensation kind pain on my shoulder, I can't stretch my left arm like I used to, the pain can easily cause a pain so freaking sharp that can get me into shock for a brief moment. When I realised how my daily activities are very much limited by this pain that refused to go away and gotten worse. I know it's time to seek proper medical attention.

First consultation, the doctor only asked me to attempt to move or lift my left arm, without touching or feel my left shoulder, when he saw that I can hardly move my left arm, he concluded that I probably suffering from 'Frozen Shoulder', or commonly known as '五十肩' in Chinese, a condition that usually experienced by women instead of men. But to be safe, he also decided that I would go for a ultra-sound scan and X-ray to determine if there are any possible tear on the tendon, while at the same time, I would also commence the physical therapy on my left shoulder, which the doctor explains that physical therapy is really the main means to heal my left shoulder, and it's a process that may take up to two years, depends on individual recovery progress.

At the ultra-sound scanning session, it was discovered that I do have some inflammation on my shoulder, and some 'liquid' was detected, but there was no tear nor any other more serious injury detected.

At the next medical review, the doctor (different from the first) explained that it's a condition that is known as Tendinitis, an inflammation on a tendon. He further assured that there was no serious injury or tear detected by both ultra-sound scanning or X-ray. So he said my condition is not the 'Frozen Shoulder' in the direct sense, though have similar symptoms but mine limitation of movement was caused by the pain. He also decided that he will give me a Steroids injection in hope the Steroids will help to stop the inflammation. The pain resulted from the Steroids injection took almost a week to subside, during this period, I can hardly move my left at all, much less having a good night sleep again.

After few rounds of physical therapy sessions, which are all torturing sessions for me, I would always walk out of the physical therapy clinic with a sore and painful shoulder, but I know my left arm can move slightly better each time, so in a way, the torturing sessions were worth it. Right now, my left arm can move a bit more and less restrictive, but still unable to move as freely as it used to be, and if I push the movement a little more, the sharp and burning like sensation pain will still be there to haunt me. But at least, I can move my left arm and shoulder a little more.

Today was the second review by the doctor, again, different doctor from the first and second consultations, the doctor confirmed that it's tendinitis and there was no tear in my muscles, tendons or bone. He was glad to see some improvement but he was a little apprehensive when I told him that the pain-killer medicine given to me seem helpless to reduce the pain. However, he still gives me the pain-killer to take and add on a pain relief cream for me to rub. However, one of the pain-killer will cause drowsiness, so he advised it's best to take only at night even though that medicine supposed to be taken 3 times a day. But he did advise that he will not give me another Steroids injection cause it might be harmful if given too much. So he strongly suggest that I continue my physical therapy session and try my best not to have too long a interval break between each therapy session (I skipped my last session last week due to work commitment!), once a week is just about the minimum I should have.

Honestly, with this injury or inflammation condition on my left shoulder, it has caused much inconveniences in my daily life and daily routine. Imagine I would have difficulties in wearing my clothes or uniform, and I certain need help to remove my uniform when I reach home. It's really frustrating that I needed help and assistance for such simple task. I can't scratch my back with my left arm, when I drive and whenever I change gear I will experience the pain on my shoulder. It is still affecting my sleep at night but it's lesser now.

I don't know how many more months that I will have to endure this before I can have my normal life back, more importantly, my left arm can move freely again, no more pain, can carry heavy stuff again. I seriously hope that I don't have to wait for 2 years to see this day coming.

With this, it's medication time.