Trapped nerve

[Wyvern]

Since rather overdoing some gardening last weekend I have been suffering from a pain in my shoulder and across my back. When I have tried to play it gets worst and I get pins and needles down my left arm. I have only been able to play a couple minutes at a time before the pain gets too much. Pain killers seem to have little effect.

I have been to the doctor who said it is a trapped nerve in my neck and has given me some anti-inflammatory tablets (Diclofenac) which should (he says) right it within couple weeks.

However, I have got Wagner Gotterdammerung to play this weekend which I really don't want to miss (the opportunity may never come again).

Has anyone experience of similar, or got any ideas for what I might do to speed my recovery, or limit the pain to play?

Many thanks for any help!

[Wyvern]

Also, quit gardening.

One piece of advice I am happy to follow! I always did hate it and now if it disrupts something important...

Did the doctor say anything about chiropractic, stretches, or deep tissue massage? Since he gave you some drugs, I imagine he didn't. I've never been to a chiropractor, but I know people who feel they can be very effective. If it's a pinched nerve from muscle overuse, often icing will help reduce inflammation and may release the nerve.

No, the doctor said nothing about a chiropractor, but I will try contacting one myself tomorrow anyway.

For, the ice - worth a try. Out will come the bag of frozen peas from the freezer!

Thanks for those ideas.

[iiipopes]

I now know what's exactly wrong with the world and the answer for all humanity: after we grow out of infancy, none of us get enough whirled peas!

[windshieldbug]

I know what helps me in times like that...

[Dr. Dave]

Hi Jonathan,

I can help you -- your symptoms do sound like you have a nerve entrapment or impingement. I'm an Oral Surgeon and last year, I suffered similar or worse symptoms than what you describe, after I strained and compressed one of the vertebrae (at the C6 level) in my neck -- I had burning, pain and numbness from my shoulder blade, to my shoulder, then down my arm, it was awful!

Although I'm a surgeon, I'm an advocate of non-surgical treatment for musculoskeletal and neuromuscular injuries whenever possible. Of course, take anti-inflammatory pain relievers, use ice and do conservative physical therapy for the acute pain -- but this in and of itself is not going to release an entraped nerve.

I live in the San Diego area and when my problem occurred, I sought and received Active Release Therapy (ART) treatment from someone certified in ART in San Diego. This is not a well known type of physical and pain therapy (most Physicians are not aware of it) but it should be well known because IT WORKS.

ART originated in the US and a number of practitioners are Chiropracters but some are also physical therapists, and athletic trainers. The treatment seems similar to types of deep muscle work and it can hurt -- but that's actually a good thing, because while the ART therapist is working on you, they will be trying to reproduce your symptoms and when that happens, it means they have isolated the source of the problem and can then effectively treat it.

ART does what the name says, it helps release the nerve entrapment and when that happens, your get relief from your symptoms, Sometimes a significant amount of relief is achieved in just 1-2 visits (treatment is usually 20-40 minutes per visit) and in some cases, you need treatment once a week for a number of weeks or even months. The goal of ART is to eliminate the problem as quickly as possible and not to have you dependent on treatment(s) indefinitely. It took me 4-5 months of treatment 2-3 times/month, but I'm now symptom free.

Lucky for you, there are ART certified therapists in England and here is a link (from the ART website) of 5 ART certified providers in England: http://www.activerelease.com/providerSe ... 8&strCity=

As long as you are healthy and have received a physical examination and diagnosis from your physician, my advice is that you should head straight to the ART therapist closest to you, and start getting better. The cost for ART treatment here in San Diego is about $50 for a 20 minute treatment and $90 for a 40 minute treatment. Here in the U.S., ART may not covered by insurance, but it's well worth the out of pocket cost to get better.

I hope this is helpful and I hope you get rid of this problem, using ART.

Dave

Dr. David Rolf

[Gongadin]

I have been suffering from a pain in my shoulder and across my back. When I have tried to play it gets worst and I get pins and needles down my left arm. I have only been able to play a couple minutes at a time before the pain gets too much. Pain killers seem to have little effect.

Hmm....my experience with a Mammoth sousaphone exactly!

[RyanSchultz]

I personally find ice, hot baths, and advil to be helpful.

[Wyvern]

Well, thanks to the good services of a chiropractor, I managed to play Wagner this weekend!

He said he could not entirely cure me in two days, but he did get the pain down sufficient that I could play with no more than some discomfort.

Ice, I also found excellent at temporary killing the pain, while 'Flexall 454' pain relieving gel (supplied by the chiropractor) helped to do so while I was playing.

Last Wednesday when I posted I was rather desperate, so thanks for the good advice. I would now highly recommend the help of a chiropractor in this situation.