Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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towne75 03/11/2015

Hi everyone,

I have been struggling with my shoulders lately. It's the strangest thing, but my shoulder will get a little pang one day, and the next day - I can't move my arm away from my body at all. I go to PT and they get it moving again (although it is excruciating pain when they do), and in a few days it's back to normal, but then the other one will do the same thing. This has happened 3-4 times in the past month or so. Anyone else have this? I am trying to strengthen the muscles that support, but makes it hard when I can't move them! Frustrated!

Amy

towne75 03/11/2015

RASally, I did have an ultrasound of the left shoulder last summer, as it kept coming back only on the left at that point in time. The result was tendonitis and bursitis. I have not done a cortisone injection only because the pain resolves usually within a few days. Would cortisone maybe keep the inflammation from coming back? Might be worth pursuing if that's the case.........

2leftfeet 03/11/2015

A little over 2 years ago, I had something like you are talking about. I had physical therapy, and finally got a shot. It helped a great deal - until about 3 weeks ago.

This time, it was 'only' pain, could move the arm. Also, this time, there is also pain between my shoulder and my elbow. Had another shot. It helped 50%. I had an MRI, it showed bursitis and tendonitis. I am going through physical therapy twice a week, and have exercises. It is 90% better.

coaltrain 03/11/2015

Yep - the RA compounded with Bursitis for me.

magienoire 03/22/2015

Yes I had this several times prior to RA diagnosis. Each time it got worse and lasted longer. Don't try to wait it out -- get a cortisone injection.

CanadianRA 03/23/2015

I've have the same thing here. It also happens in my wrists and thumb joints. I'll go weeks in insane pain and not able to use these parts of my body. The one time I went to the ER (after 3 weeks of not being able to lift my right arm) I was told it was tendinitis. This was before I was given my RA diagnosis. By the time they did an Ultrasound (6 weeks after it started) there was nothing to see. The Vimovo I was prescribed by the ER doc did the trick. I still get crazy stabbing pains regardless but I'm only on week 4 of my Plaquenil.. So we'll see. Take care.

RetiredNow1 03/23/2015

Yes, been there. I have bursitis and/or tendinitis that seems to be almost constant to one degree or another. But the really bad flares like you describe are awful. I can't imagine PT. Heat or ice are the treatment of choice, but prednisone when it is a full fledge flare and the joint is useless and extremely painful. Fortunately, MTX and Humira seems to hold the severe ones at bay. I can only hope they continue to work.

2scicrazed 03/25/2015

I remember cycling from one shoulder to the other and back again.never had good luck with injectibles, but oral prednisone helped tremendously. For a few years I had a standing prescription for a hundred 1mg prednisone. I could go up to 4 mg per day and then slowly go back down to 1 mg per day. Any more than 4mg and I was supposed to call rheumy. Usually 2-3 mg worked to unlock the shoulder and bring the flare now

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