Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 1/8/2008

Question
Hi there,
My husband has had a pain in his left shoulder for the last 5 weeks, he
thought he caught a chill as he works outside.  The pain woke him up over
Christmas in the early hours of the morning and went from his shoulder
under his left arm and through to his chest.  No pain down the arm though.  
We went to a local doctor as we were on hols at the time and he seemed to
think it was muscular skeletal.  He gave him an injection to help the pain, anti
inflammatory tablets and cream.  It doesn't seem to be easing up.  It does
seem to ease off during the day once the muscle is warm but sleeping during
the night and early mornings is extremely painful for him, he has to make a
real effort to get out of the bed.  Any advise would be appreciated.

Answer
Penny,

Thank you for your question. Based on the information you provided, it's possible that your husband has developed a myofascial trigger point in his shoulder. A chiropractor skilled in trigger point therapy may be able to help. Acupuncture and massage therapist are also options. However, it would require a proper examination to determine the cause of your husband's pain, and if his pain is in fact due to a musculoskeletal cause.

If your husband does not experience relief of his symptoms with conservative care, he may require additional evaluation, such as an x-ray or MRI scan.

I hope that this response has been helpful to you.