# Pain in teres minor (shoulder area) anyone?



## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

At least I think it is according to medical diagrams. I've been having trouble raising my left arm, reaching back with it, reaching across my chest, and extending my left arm straight out for about a month now. Is this rotator cuff? I think it may be arthritic in nature, but not sure. I don't recall injuring it at all. It seems to have just developed with normal movements. No problem with right shoulder movements. Anyone have this? Can you offer any suggestions?


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## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Hi there Moulage. I have something similar to what you have except mine is in my right shoulder. I have problems lifting and get a lot of pain in my shoulder, arms and elbow area. Scratching my back is impossible and that has been for quite sometime.My chiropractor thinks it's connected to my back, neck muscles. He has me doing shoulder rolls and the other thing I do is I put my left hand on the muscle on my right shoulder and move my hand back and forth over that muscle (massaging it). Not sure if it's the same problem Moulage, but maybe you can get hubby to give you a nice shoulder massage.


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Not sure, but it sounds like it could be rotator cuff. Sometimes you don't have to injure it to cause it to tear. Sometimes it happens slowly over months or several years until it finally tears. It might only be a small tear. Or.....you could have some fluid build up in there instead of a tear. I'd see the Doc if I were you.My oldest son has similar symptoms and is in a lot of pain. But he hurt himself in a biking accident the end of July. The MRI showed a possible hair like tear in the cuff itself, plus he has fluid build up and a piece of broken upper arm bone floatin' around causing a lot of friction. If it doesn't get better within the next month from doing gentle exercises, the Doc wants to scope it. And no health insurance! Yikes!


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Thanks weener and Feisty. I love massages, but sometimes it is hard to pin hubby down long enough to give me a decent one. I used to be able to undo my bra by reaching back. Now I have to first pull the sucker up over my boobs, then take the straps down, and finally twist it around to unclasp it. Oh, well, I guess there are worse things in life!Sorry about your son and insurance problems Feisty. We've been on and off with these problems with our sons. This year they are both back in school, which helps. The oldest one is 25 now though, and is purchasing his own through the university. However, he just had to get his car fixed, so we've had to bail him out in the long run. What are the exercises your son does?I think I might have to see the chriropracter. He usually is better at getting rid of my symptoms than a doc who will probably just prescribe pills that will upset my gut. I was wondering if I should see the rheumy though. Probably a waste of time, but at least I might have it on record since I haven't seen anyone for fibro problems in 10yrs. I hope you are both doing better. Lord knows you've both been through enough lately.M.


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2003)

You might want to run that question by a physical therapist. They are pretty familiar with anatomy and which types of pain are caused by which problems.Most of my back pain has been fairly well controlled over the years with routine visits to the chiropractor.I experience some of what you are describing in my right arm, but I know it to be work-related as in tendonitis.It's also possible my shoulder is a bit rotated as I notice it doesn't fall as it should during dance technique.For me, the only thing that provides immediate relief is resting my arm.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

I have a lot of intermittant pain in my right shoulder, but a doctor told me it was tendonitis, like Evie's. Plus it was years ago that I got it, long before I had all these current health issues. It is a real pain when your shoulder is out of commission. Sometimes I'll use an immobilizer when my pain gets bad, I also have to make a weird pillow contraption when I sleep so I don't put extra strain on it. Don't know if those things would help you or not?


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Thanks ET and MM for your input. I'd like to rest it, but you know how that is. How will anything get done around here? I just took 3wks off my subbing job and this week I was hoping to go back. I don't know what I will do at this point.I wanted to join a low-impact dance aerobics class through church too. I figure my fellow church members would be more understanding if I had to sit out sometimes. Of course if I joined a group of complete strangers, maybe they couldn't care less if I had to sit out.







An immobilizer sounds like the only way I would be able to rest it. Some movements are just so automatic. I would definitely have to take it out and exercise it somewhat though, or it will get stiff and frozen. I just wish I knew what exercises would be beneficial and which ones would just make it worse. M.


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