Type 1 Upper Arm and shoulder shooting pains

[danbobpat]

Hi. I’ve been diabetic type 1 for 28 years now and I’ve started getting pains in my right upper arm near the tricep and shoulder muscle but the pain can be shooting pains right down to my hands. I’m struggling to use my right arm to pick things up and even put a t shirt on. My fingers do ache, especially my index finger on the right hand. Does anyone know if this is neuropathy symptoms and if there is any medicine available or physio / exercises that could be done.

Many thanks

Stay safe

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

How is & has been your general BG managment?

Unfortunately, nobody can diagnose on the forum. You should see your GP. Appreciated at this time it's probably difficult.

However, a few years back. Painful weak & stiffness putting on clothing, picking stuff up was fine to a degree but anything heavy i could not lift my right arm past my waist I had something similar? My shoulder, arm, wrist & mud didgit muscles would give out attempting it.
My I was referred by GP for an X-ray (looking for osteoarthritis?) which came up fine.
Then sent to Physio for a few sessions. They said that was a "frozen shoulder?" Given a few exercises.

All seems back to normal now..

Best wishes.

 

[There is no Spoon]

physio / exercises that could be done.

Hi Dan from your description it sounds like it could be a herniated disk in your neck pushing on the a spinal nerve causing your condition. I have had this a couple of times and everything you describe fits my symptoms which leads me to think this could be true for you,

• Quick test lift your right arm over your head place the bicep against your ear, drop the rest of the arm flat against your head.
• Next grab your right wrist with your left hand and pull down NOT to hard.

IF this eases the pain at all it is likely to be a pinched nerve, sleeping on your back will help with the pain.

Below is a diagram which illustrates every thing you ave described right down to your pain in your index finger. This is not to say that a pinched nerve could not still be serious and you need to check it out with your doctor, just to be o the safe side.

Hope that helps.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi. I’ve been diabetic type 1 for 28 years now and I’ve started getting pains in my right upper arm near the tricep and shoulder muscle but the pain can be shooting pains right down to my hands. I’m struggling to use my right arm to pick things up and even put a t shirt on. My fingers do ache, especially my index finger on the right hand. Does anyone know if this is neuropathy symptoms and if there is any medicine available or physio / exercises that could be done.

Many thanks

Stay safe

I would contact your doc.
They may not want you turning up for an appointment at the moment, but you can likely have a telephone consult, which will give them enough information to decide on the next step - whatever that may be.

Hopefully it will be a simple case of eliminating all sorts of things, and putting your mind at rest with a treatment and solution.

 

[type two paul]

Hi Dan from your description it sounds like it could be a herniated disk in your neck pushing on the a spinal nerve causing your condition. I have had this a couple of times and everything you describe fits my symptoms which leads me to think this could be true for you,

• Quick test lift your right arm over your head place the bicep against your ear, drop the rest of the arm flat against your head.
• Next grab your right wrist with your left hand and pull down NOT to hard.

IF this eases the pain at all it is likely to be a pinched nerve, sleeping on your back will help with the pain.

Below is a diagram which illustrates every thing you ave described right down to your pain in your index finger. This is not to say that a pinched nerve could not still be serious and you need to check it out with your doctor, just to be o the safe side.

Hope that helps.

I think I have this too but mine is a numbness in my left little finger. I agree, I think it is from my neck area and is a kind of referred pain. I have neuropathy in my feet but I really don't think this is part of the neuropathy and feels more like you describe. I get a dull nerve pain down the inside of my left arm and kind of feels like it's hanging of by a nerve (only way I can describe it). Also it has weakened and I know this for certain as I play classical guitar and a few months back I tried to do a barre chord with the left hand index and I couldn't squeeze enough on the strings. I have never had an issue doing this in 20 years. Did your condition eventually go? Thanks for the info.

 

[type two paul]

Hi. I’ve been diabetic type 1 for 28 years now and I’ve started getting pains in my right upper arm near the tricep and shoulder muscle but the pain can be shooting pains right down to my hands. I’m struggling to use my right arm to pick things up and even put a t shirt on. My fingers do ache, especially my index finger on the right hand. Does anyone know if this is neuropathy symptoms and if there is any medicine available or physio / exercises that could be done.

Many thanks

Stay safe

Please keep us posted if you find a solution. I too have this and need to see a doc but have put it off esp. with COVID situation. Hope you get the help and cure.

 

[type two paul]

Hi,

How is & has been your general BG managment?

Unfortunately, nobody can diagnose on the forum. You should see your GP. Appreciated at this time it's probably difficult.

However, a few years back. Painful weak & stiffness putting on clothing, picking stuff up was fine to a degree but anything heavy i could not lift my right arm past my waist I had something similar? My shoulder, arm, wrist & mud didgit muscles would give out attempting it.
My I was referred by GP for an X-ray (looking for osteoarthritis?) which came up fine.
Then sent to Physio for a few sessions. They said that was a "frozen shoulder?" Given a few exercises.

All seems back to normal now..

Best wishes.

Can you recall what exercises you were recommended by physio?

 

[Jaylee]

Can you recall what exercises you were recommended by physio?

Hi Paul,

Yep, I has sessions at my local surgery& was given an exercise sheet involving "floor barre" exercises lying face down with arms out stretched with some up right stretching using a belt behind my back? Plus a couple of other techniques..

However, this was tailored for me.
I would recomend proffessional consultation diagnosis for anyone else.

 

[type two paul]

Hi Paul,

Yep, I has sessions at my local surgery& was given an exercise sheet involving "floor barre" exercises lying face down with arms out stretched with some up right stretching using a belt behind my back? Plus a couple of other techniques..

However, this was tailored for me.
I would recomend proffessional consultation diagnosis for anyone else.

Thanks Jaylee.

 

[There is no Spoon]

. Did your condition eventually go? Thanks for the info.

Hi Paul,
Like a sprained ankle it eventually heal itself. I think I had some anti inflammatory from the Doctor but cant remember for sure but, that sounds about right but I did have it for over 9 months as I thought it would "sort it's self out" I was wrong.

I know now is a scary time to be visiting the Dr's and may of us don't want to waist there time with something we think is trivial, there are other people out there who's need are more urgent. This condition is cause by a slipped disk in your neck that is not trivial. You should get it checked out. There is no way you can judge how sever your condition by yourself.

Worst case scenario for this is a truly frightening and highly invasive surgical procedure. Best case some aspirin and attention to your posture. You mention playing guitar we all pick up bad habits look at your self in the mirror and see if you can improve your posture. If your head is tilted down to look at the strings for a prolonged period this can place pressure on the slipped disk, adopting an awareness of the activities which cause additional pressure on your neck can help to increase recovery time.

I hope it all works out fine for you but go see a Doctor.

 

[type two paul]

Hi Paul,
Like a sprained ankle it eventually heal itself. I think I had some anti inflammatory from the Doctor but cant remember for sure but, that sounds about right but I did have it for over 9 months as I thought it would "sort it's self out" I was wrong.

I know now is a scary time to be visiting the Dr's and may of us don't want to waist there time with something we think is trivial, there are other people out there who's need are more urgent. This condition is cause by a slipped disk in your neck that is not trivial. You should get it checked out. There is no way you can judge how sever your condition by yourself.

Worst case scenario for this is a truly frightening and highly invasive surgical procedure. Best case some aspirin and attention to your posture. You mention playing guitar we all pick up bad habits look at your self in the mirror and see if you can improve your posture. If your head is tilted down to look at the strings for a prolonged period this can place pressure on the slipped disk, adopting an awareness of the activities which cause additional pressure on your neck can help to increase recovery time.

I hope it all works out fine for you but go see a Doctor.

Thanks Spoon. Yes, I will book an appointment TBH I hadn't played the guitar for ages so don't think it was posture of guitar, so not sure what caused it. I often just pick the guitar up and just play and, like I say, the reality hit when I could not squeeze the neck on a barre chord. Also, I noticed I couldn't hold a fork with strength when I cut into something like meat. The index finger kind of collapses. It's a bit worrying TBH. I hope the original poster gets help too. It sounds so similar.