The limbo of limbs

[serinde]

And lo, did the shoulder specialist say unto me, after manipulating my arms into various pretzel shapes: "I really don't think this is a torn muscle, it's just wrenched and inflamed, so I would like to hold off on any intrusive procedures while we try some supervised physical therapy." (Supervised, because I told him I'd tried the sheet of exercises Dr. Condon had given me, and even without using actual weights my shoulder would hurt like holy Ned for a day and a half after.) They're going to perform insurance genuflexions and call me in a few days to tell me where I should go for further & regular pretzelification; and then I have a follow-up appointment in a month whereat, if no progress, then MRIs and similar mechanical fun.

So, yay for no surgery. Boo for no solid answers. AGHGKGKGHKGKGHGH for no aikido.

Also, I need an icon of Gir captioned "Yay! We're doomed!". Will dredge fanwank communities tomorrow. Or later. Or someday.

Comments

[tactisle.livejournal.com]

I'm not exactly authorized to say anything to a doctor's opinion, so yer hereby ordered to take this with a grain of salt and imagine me without my Massage Therapy hat on...

...but in my experience, many orthopedists seem to be prone to this excluded-middle thinking, where they look at something and decide "Surgery/no-surgery" and basically throw the no-surgery people to the PTs for further evaluation while they go play golf. On the other hand, a course with a physical therapist can be very helpful, since PTs are often better versed in myology/kinesiology than most doctors, and know how to talk to MDs once they've seen your shoulder in, er, action.

There is -no- difference between "torn" and "wrenched/inflamed", unless "torn" means "2nd/3rd-degree strain" and "wrenched" means "1st-degree". (Again, "surgery or no surgery?") But even a 1st-degree strain can wreak holy hell with a joint, especially if it's in the tendon.

To say nothing of crap like tendinitis and bursitis -- if I had to guess from what you've said without pretzelling your arm myself, I'd be careful not to rule out bursitis. But again, if you let a PT play with it for a while, they might be able to narrow it down for the doc.

I hope you get what your shoulder needs, and soon!

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

(I should disclaim that he may not have literally said "wrenched". It could have been "strained". Me = paraphraser.)

Though, indeed, if that be so, what should they be doing? I mean, what is there between surgery => phys. therapy => take two aspirin and wait for it to go away?

[tactisle.livejournal.com]

Hm, good point. Physical Therapy probably -is- the best course of action, since a PT can use their experience working with you to figure out what kind of motion makes it feel worse, better, etc., and report back to the doc.

Then they can figure out whether it needs surgery, or a cortisone shot, or immobilization for n weeks, or move it around a lot but don't lift anything with it, or "just time".

Sorry to growl at der strawman there. *sheepish grin*