Ouch! Pain in my left front shoulder...

luhluhlaura
luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey, I need you guys' wisdom!

I hope I'm posting this in the correct forum.

Lately, I've been getting a strange pain. It's like a dull ache in my left front shoulder...like, close to the fold of my armpit, but above it a bit. The pain will radiate throughout my shoulder and down my upper arm.

It's not an intense pain, but it's definitely become bad enough to be annoying at times. It seems to be slightly worse AFTER working out, but little to no discomfort DURING a workout.

At first I was thinking it must be sore from the weight that it bears from carrying my schoolbag, but I probably carry that thing around for less than 15 minutes a day! The only other thing I can think of is the possibility of improper form when exercising, or simply sleeping in the wrong position...

And even stranger, it's ONLY in my left shoulder, even though I work each arm equally as hard (and most arm exercises I do work both arms at once).

So my question is, has anyone had a similar problem? What ended up causing it?
I would really like to shed some light on this issue--I don't want to set myself up for injury!


For the record, I'm young (20), of a healthy weight and BMI, and in good health.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    Please see a doctor. Left arm/shoulder pain could be heart issues.
  • LeslieMDoyle
    LeslieMDoyle Posts: 162 Member
    Are you lifting at all? Free weights? Machines?
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    Sounds like stabilizer muscles around the joint there, I have shoulder pain in the front upper part of my right shoulder and a few weeks ago it was brutally painful, my advice is to go see a chiropractor to get an assessment on it if you can afford it, if not then try ice/heat alternating them for 10-15 mins see if that helps any. There are a lot of exercises to help strengthen those muscles but without being properly assessed it would not be advisable to just throw advice around.
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
    I had problems with pains in my shoulder and had to lay off the weights for a couple weeks. The pain died down but it still pops back up during workouts so I just take it easy on shoulder days.. Could have been from poor form if you do weights, overtraining, or like you said the school bag.
  • Earthmom2018
    Earthmom2018 Posts: 5 Member
    Best to get it checked out by a Dr. Sometimes pain can be the refracted from another area of the body. Heart issues in women can come in all kinds of sneaky ways. So check it out with the Dr. and If ok try rubbing caster oil on it and cover with plastic. Got that from Dr. Oz. Good Luck!
  • minnesota_deere
    minnesota_deere Posts: 232 Member
    Hey, I need you guys' wisdom!

    I hope I'm posting this in the correct forum.

    Lately, I've been getting a strange pain. It's like a dull ache in my left front shoulder...like, close to the fold of my armpit, but above it a bit. The pain will radiate throughout my shoulder and down my upper arm.

    It's not an intense pain, but it's definitely become bad enough to be annoying at times. It seems to be slightly worse AFTER working out, but little to no discomfort DURING a workout.

    At first I was thinking it must be sore from the weight that it bears from carrying my schoolbag, but I probably carry that thing around for less than 15 minutes a day! The only other thing I can think of is the possibility of improper form when exercising, or simply sleeping in the wrong position...

    And even stranger, it's ONLY in my left shoulder, even though I work each arm equally as hard (and most arm exercises I do work both arms at once).

    So my question is, has anyone had a similar problem? What ended up causing it?
    I would really like to shed some light on this issue--I don't want to set myself up for injury!


    For the record, I'm young (20), of a healthy weight and BMI, and in good health.

    I get that from carrying my 10 month old (20lbs), i know its from her, becuase i switched to the other arm and the pain went away in about 4 days, but than the other arm hurt, its weird it pulls out on my shoulder. it hurts even more right after my run, but not during until i reach about mile 5. switch sides with your bag once and see, i bet it is your bag. i do a yoga pose called eagle pose. seems to stretch it out really good.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    rotary cuff tear??...I had the same pain, but in my right shoulder, ended up having surgery!!...that was 1 year ago.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    Could be bursitis, from the location of the pain.
    Could also be rotator cuff muscle imbalance that's causing impingement. Or impingement from poor technique.


    Either way, go get it checked out by a physiotherapist. Shoulders are something that do better with if caught early.
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
    cmriverside-- yes, I've heard that. I haven't considered that as an option though because it tends to be associated with heart attack, and...well, the likelihood of me having a heart attack at 20 is slim.

    leslie-- I mainly using light free weights and bodyweight exercises--I have a weak upper body and am trying to build strength so that's why I wonder if improper form could be the issue---but like I said, I work the other shoulder just the same, and no issues there!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Sounds like stabilizer muscles around the joint there, I have shoulder pain in the front upper part of my right shoulder and a few weeks ago it was brutally painful, my advice is to go see a chiropractor to get an assessment on it if you can afford it, if not then try ice/heat alternating them for 10-15 mins see if that helps any. There are a lot of exercises to help strengthen those muscles but without being properly assessed it would not be advisable to just throw advice around.


    This!
    After you get this fixed please google "packing the shoulders" for working out.
    It till save you a lot of pain and heartache!
  • darkmouzy
    darkmouzy Posts: 227 Member
    You may have trigger points my dear! see a RMT :)
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
    You may have trigger points my dear! see a RMT :)

    What's an RMT?
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    Please consult a doctor or orthopedic specialist. They're going to have a lot more actual insight to what is causing the pain, what the pain is, and what to do about it. All any of us can do is guess and give you treatments based on the guess which could not only be inaccurate, but make the pain worse.

    I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but don't ever consult the internet about medical issues. If it really hurts, at least talk to your doctor over the phone and see if it's necessary you go see them or someone else or if they can give you your answer right then.
  • alecta337
    alecta337 Posts: 622 Member
    See if you can go to a physical therapist, i have right shoulder pain and I see one. It started in the front of my shoulder and now its migrated to the muscles along the edge of my shoulder blade. My physical therapist is helping me stabilize my shoulder joint with shoulder strengthening exercises.
  • Love2HikeMT
    Love2HikeMT Posts: 42
    Sounds like a rotator cuff strain and/or injury to me. This can happen to anyone at any age. My suggestion is to apply ice...ICE...yes, ICE...and rest it for a week or two. Then, begin exercises ~ slowly. If you have persistent problems, please see an orthopedic surgeon for evaluation.
  • JersryGirl31
    JersryGirl31 Posts: 167
    The radiating pain down your arm suggests a nerve. I had bone spurs in my shoulder that eventually needed surgery. The therapist told me it can be caused by lifting weights above your shoulder. House painters tend to get it from lifting paint cans. If you are lifting, make sure you are doing it correctly.

    An orthopedist can evaluate any damage and suggest or prescribe therapy that will strengthen your muscles.
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
    Thanks for the insight, everyone!
    I'm concerned that it may be a nerve, as janlapinski said. :(
    I try my best to have proper form but I don't have a mirror in my room so when I do arm exercises in my JM videos, there's a possibility I'm lifting the weights too high or the wrong way...

    I'll make an appointment to see my doctor.
    However, to get referred to a specialist takes weeks to months to go through on my insurance...

    So until then, I guess I should lay off my arm exercises :sad:
  • hkulbacki
    hkulbacki Posts: 187 Member
    And even stranger, it's ONLY in my left shoulder, even though I work each arm equally as hard (and most arm exercises I do work both arms at once).

    So my question is, has anyone had a similar problem? What ended up causing it?
    I would really like to shed some light on this issue--I don't want to set myself up for injury!

    You may think you work both arms equally, but if there is any mis-alignment or more natural strength in one than the other, they will be doing slightly different amounts of work.

    I was getting severe pain in my lower right back any time I was on my bike for more 18-25 miles. You'd think I'd be pedaling a bike evenly with both legs...? A very thorough bike fitting and a few chiropractic adjustments and I had a pain-free 50 mile ride this weekend.
  • JersryGirl31
    JersryGirl31 Posts: 167
    Anti inflammatory medicines can help.( Advil, Aspirin, etc.) They decrease the pain and the inflammation that can be pressing on a nerve. Your regular doctor can also help. Mine gave me easy exercises to do at home until I saw a specialist who sent me to a therapist. If you catch it soon enough, therapy might be enough. Insurance tends to only approve surgery after therapy hasn't worked.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    There is a pectoral tendon that joins into the upper arm, last year I tore mine. Yours might be strained or something, layoff chest and bicep exercises until it heals.
  • bigswedeman
    bigswedeman Posts: 139 Member
    There are four muscles involved with your rotator cuff... I am currently dealing with an injury to the muslce on the top. Any of the four can be easily injured and become inflamed, or torn. Mine has been bothering me since last August and I've been seeing a physiotherapist for a few months.

    It's a dull ache that seems to almost never go away. Don't do anything above your shoulder, and go see a doc just to be sure.
  • tgzerozone
    tgzerozone Posts: 160
    Does it hurt more working with your arms above your head, brushing your hair etc. Then probably rotator cuff.,
  • MKloste
    MKloste Posts: 56 Member
    If it last more then a few days I would definitely consult with a doctor. Like somebody said above it could be a tear or even a strain in your rotary cuff muscles (there are 4 of them) and those are not something to mess around with, especially if you need surgrey. My mother in law tore part of her rotary cuff last year while lefting a file box at work and had to have surgrey 2x on it because the first time scar tissue started forming almost immediately and so they had to go back in and repair it and then they started her on physical therapy almost immediately so that scar tissue wouldn't form again and halt the healing process.

    Last week my shoulder was bothering me really bad and it would go down into my arm muscle and it was right after I had started doing resistance exercise with the resistance band and exercise ball and luckily it went away after about 3.5 days but it had be worried at first because I thought for sure it was my rotary cuff (which maybe it was and it was just a pulled muscle) but I was not about to play around with it in case it was a tear.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    First: Doctor
    I had something similar, I think my chiro called it bursitis or rotary cuff inflammation. Lay of the shoulder exercises for a while, and ice it.
    Once it gets better, learn proper form, and avoid exercises that aggravate it. Mine came from swimming, and improper form doing shoulder exercises.

    Face pulls are a good exercise to strengthen the muscles.
    Rear delt flies (on the pec fly machine) also work great.
    Very light muscle delt flies with dumbbells are good too.
  • echomadrid
    echomadrid Posts: 1 Member
    I actually just seen a Dr today for the exact location of pain. Mine has been going on about 4-5 months. They said Bicipital Tendinitis & Rotator Cuff Syndrome. So, now I get physical therapy and cortisone shots.
  • lewdug
    lewdug Posts: 17
    One thing that a lot of people don't know about pain is that it often radiates from the source. Just because you feel it near or in your arm doesn't mean that's where the problem is. Like it was said before, you could have an issue with pain because of heart issues. You also need to remember that there are lymph nodes there, so there could be inflammation going on in the lymph nodes, which could mean anything from infection to lymphoma. My mother also had pain that radiated from her breast cancer all the way to her shoulder and caused her excruciating pain, though her breast never hurt, ever. So, in short, you really, really should see a doctor, just to make sure, especially if it doesn't clear up after a few days or so. The fact that it's only on one side is worrying if you work both sides equally hard. Yes, you could have pulled something, but it could be something more serious.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    What does your routine look like in the gym?

    I agree with neoterrar. See a doctor and have them check things out.


    Then lots of upper back work as he suggested. I got some of the resistance tubes and started doing face pulls, and rear delt flys and things got much better. A strong back makes a huge difference all around your body.

    For now see a doc and rest it for a week.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I was trying to find this video the other day for you and couldn't find it but I finally ran across it again. Take a look.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lnqtibxboo
  • tinkermommc
    tinkermommc Posts: 558 Member
    Do you ever throw your backpack just over one shoulder when in a rush? Is it that one? I did. And had the same problem. Doctor told me to switch to a rolling backpack and the pain was gone in a week. Granted I felt like an old lady pulling around my backpack but at least I didn't feel like one :-)

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