A Case Study in Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a terrible affliction which can cause decentralized pain. Recently the Huffington Post published a first-person account of living with fibromyalgia, including some harrowing descriptions of what it was like to endure this disease before it had a name:

“I would get a lot of pain, and try not to do things that would make the pain worse. People would yell at me and say, ‘Oh, come on, you can do it.’ So I tried playing tennis, and sooner or later, I pulled something in my shoulder and my elbow.

The pain got worse and worse, and in 1978, I had my first operation on my elbow.

Then the other elbow went. Then the other shoulder. And then the groin.

After each surgery, I did nothing. No movement, no physical therapy. So during ‘recovery’, my condition just got worse.

It is a worthy article to read if you want to recognize yourself or a loved one in these accounts. And it is also a strong message in favor of seeking early diagnosis, and not being satisfied with useless diagnoses until you actually see results. As the author emphasizes:

One tip Marshall has for people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia is that they understand this is probably for the rest of their lives. And so, putting off getting to it isn’t going to buy you anything.

To learn more about how to combat wrist pain, shoulder pain, and elbow pain in San Diego, please contact the San Diego Orthopedic Surgeon site here today.

How to Treat Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff injuries are some of the most common injuries in sports medicine. This joint is inherently dynamic and vulnerable to instability, especially given the stresses we place on it in a variety of activities.

Tearing, trauma, overuse and stress can all lead to the agony of rotator cuff pain. As the tendons rip or strain, the pain can spread across the shoulder and down your arm, preventing you from doing simple things like eating and typing.

Treatments for rotator cuff injuries can range from rest and therapy to steroid injections and surgery, including both arthroscopic and open shoulder surgery. One recent innovation, interscalene block, may be indicated as well:

A technique called interscalene block is often used to manage pain both during and after surgery. Prior to surgery, numbing medication is delivered through a catheter to the group of nerves that control movement and sensation in the upper extremities, allowing for lighter anesthesia during the operation. Continued for a couple days after surgery, it also helps patients through the worst cycle of post-surgical pain, decreasing or eliminating the need for narcotic painkillers.

The only way to determine which kind of rotator cuff injury you have is to visit a San Diego orthopedist and get a full workup. Your shoulder pain doctor will ask about work and play history, as well as any injuries and family history of that could predispose you to this sort of pain.

Get started by contacting AOSM here today.