pain relief advice please

sunman00

I did my usual 5x5 yesterday which included some one arm rows, I didn't engage my back properly, did some too loose & strained my left scapula a bit, enough pain to make you sit up & notice but not where you think you've done much damage.
then I had to collect a parcel from a delivery centre, turned out to be a solid concrete circular base for a bird house for the garden, I'm guessing 25-30kg, I carried it home, roughly 1/2 mile without pausing or stopping.
during the evening the shoulder pain spread to the right side of the spine as well, felt like a boxer had hit me between the shoulder blades & kind of winded me.
I woke up in the night & the pain is nothing short of insane, I can't stand up straight as it's both painful & literally stops me breathing. I can get there in the end, pause for breath & stoop a bit, and then move, VERY SLOWLY.
my wife rubbed some ibuprofen gel into it this morning, & i'm warming a beanie bag in the microwave oven to heat it a bit, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do, or shouldn't do?
anyone have experience of this? or helpful tips to a speedy recovery? thank you.

timg760

i'd see a doctor right away; pain that spreads is not good.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I don't want to step on SideSteel and Sara's toes but my advice would be to see a doctor and don't do any exercise until you do. As whoever you speak to on the phone what they want you to do in the meantime-- mine recommended alternating ice and heat when I hurt my back.

AglaeaC

The ibuprofen might not work enough, since the damage seems so wide spread. My primary guess is lots of microtearing of soft tissues and possibly some other stuff going on too involving ligaments. When I carry heavy stuff the wrong way and get a shoulder that hurts like hell, I need to take an ibuprofen pill to work from the inside, not skin, so that might help. I would see a doctor, if you're the least bit unsure about what is going on.

macybean

Rest (seriously, rest. Only gentle movements/stretching), ice (20 minutes at least 4 times a day, but more often will help) and ibuprofen. After 48 hours, alternate icing with a heat pack. If you develop severe symptoms or are not improving after a few days, get in to see your doctor. Pretty much standard advice we give in the ED, but without the co-pay! Oh, and expect to be more sore tomorrow. Feel better!

sunman00

thank you folks, I have (self) diagnosed that I've torn or inflamed my left Rhomboid muscle, I found some very helpful stretch routines online & by last night was pretty comfortable. Macy, you're right, I'm sore again this morning, not as bad as yesterday & it's localised to the left side, so I'll do the same stretches, ice it regularly & rub the ibuprofen gel in again.
It's resolved a slight dilemma I was having about going to a local gym after Christmas to get some proper lifting technique training, the guy trains a pro level Rugby Union team & has been trying to get me to go along, so that's my new years goal set.