Seriously hurt shoulder. Need some advice!

[Hello Kitty FTW]

I've put a serious kink in my shoulder/neck area handling a Savannah about 3 days ago. Despite Bengay, pain patches, and the hubby massage, I'm still in serious pain and am not able to turn my head side to side. I took one day off, rescehduled 4 appts., and just relaxed, and the kink seems to have stiffened rather than loosened, and when I work I actually don't feel pain.

What are my options here?

Do I go to a massage therapist? A doctor, chiropractor, or what exactly to get this kink out? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[mylady]

I had something simlar, don't know how it happened, but I could not turn my head without dearing pain and my one arm I could not raise very high. I had plans to go to the doctor but it was Sunday before the appointment the following week. This may sound strange to some or off the wall, but at church they offered a healing prayer to anyone needing it and I went up. During the prayer all the pain went away and never came back. cancelled my doctors appointment too. Don't know if that is an option you would want to try, but I was totally amazed at how it worked for me.

[4Sibes]

When I did something very similar years back...I started w/ my Dr. and being a small town kinda fella...he was able to X-Ray to rule out anything really serious....
He prescribed muscle relaxers (because he felt that muscle spasms that resulted from the injury were the source of the intense pain and limited mobility), anti-inflammatory (Flexaril was still on the market) and gave me a lecture about icing instead of heat on an "injury" like that.
That's the only time I've ever taken muscle relaxers in my life..but after the icing, and 48 hours...it felt a little better, and I then started w/ a chiropractor for several weeks.

Sorry HKitty...I know how painful that can be, and mine took a while to come back around.

[itstnme]

I've put a serious kink in my shoulder/neck area handling a Savannah about 3 days ago. Despite Bengay, pain patches, and the hubby massage,...be greatly appreciated!

My first answer is always, "I need a massage" it doesn't always help but it makes me a lot less stressed about what is wrong! Sorry you got hurt, try looking up some basic physical therapy stretches while you are waiting to get in.
Kathy

[grooming goddess]

acupuncture, acupuncture, acupuncture and some yoga

[SwissNChow]

You need to go to a chiropractor for a set of x-rays to see what is out of alignment and get things back in order. Many chiropractors do the first evaluation for free. You need to be careful as not all chiropractors are created equal. Many just focus on releiving pain, but the good ones focus on actually solving the problem. My chiropractor is phenominal...that's my suggestion.

[Helly]

I'd try a chiropractor first. And I'd also do hot/cold compresses and some kind of anti-inflammatory medication; aspirin, ibuprofen, or if you want to go the natural route, willow bark or grape seed extract. You can also use passiflora and valerian to relax sore muscles.

The best way to do a hot/cold compress is to soak a towel in hot water, wring it out, and wrap a bag of frozen peas or corn in it. Put it on the sore spot, so that it starts out hot and gradually cools down. The important thing to remember is start out with heat and ALWAYS end with cold.

[Helly]

acupuncture, acupuncture, acupuncture and some yoga

Neither of which does anything to resolve or correct what's wrong. You have to have a diagnosis before you treat. Accupuncture and yoga won't do a darned thing to correct a ruptured disc or spinal subluxation. Believe me, I've been there.

[DBT]

you need x-rays first ,chiro second....

unless like me ,you had those same symptoms ,went for x-rays ,and found you have fractured C2 & C3 ,so best to put off the chiro for a while lol!!!!
once my fractures had healed and settled ,my chiro became my best friend. Several years on,i still live with symptoms ever day.Some days are better than others.
How does one break their neck and not really know it,thinking you've just 'got a knot'......grooming an obese Eng.Cocker! that how

be careful out there! you only get one neck,and remember that its attached to the rest of your spine.

[puppy love]

Get an appt with your Chiropractor. He will do x-rays before he begins any adjustments. I love my chiropractor, he keeps me working painfree! I get monthly adjustments and if I have a flare-up, I go more frequently until he gets the problem adjusted.

[Moonpiepoodlz]

either way, go to the dr.!
I had a similar injury about 12 years ago--couldn't even move my right shoulder, couldn't raise my arm, couldn't lift anything. I didn't go to the dr. thinking it'd heal on its own; roughly 6 weeks later!
I'm now dealing with some major arthritis in that shoulder and on those long days of grooming I'm popping advil or whatever I can my hands on left and right to keep the pain a little more bearable.
Don't mess with it and again, go to the dr.!

[caninecrazy]

I feel your pain, my back goes out a couple a times a year. Well, only once this year yeah! Last February I pinched a nerve in my neck and ended up going to the chiropractor 2 to 3 times a week for 4 weeks. They also had me ice it as much as possible. The icing did help quite a bit. They sold ice packs that freeze really fast and fit on the body nicely. I still have a numb right and may never regain the feeling there again. I also went in for massages they at least relax you and I found it hurt less when I was active as well. I guess the body tends to stiffen up when we don't use it.
Seriously, good luck, it is no fun. Hope you feel better sson.

[Helly]

you need x-rays first ,chiro second....

unless like me ,you had those same symptoms ,went for x-rays ,and found you have fractured C2 & C3 ,so best to put off the chiro for a while lol!!!!
.

I've never been to a chiropractor that doesn't take radiographs before adjusting a new patient, or after an established patient has a sudden change in symptoms, or has an accident. Again, you can't fix a problem unless you know what it is.

If your chiro does, I'd be thinking about finding a new chiropractor.

[PuppyFluffer]

A good chiropracter is worth their weight in gold imho. I went in with a dislocated vertebrae and sacrowhaddayacallit, one leg a full 2" shorter than the other. The pain was simply unbelievable & cost me almost a month of work. He made me feel better after my first appointment, and 12 appts later I was better and stronger than I was before the injury.

I call him Dr. Feelgood!

[Briarpatch]

If it's getting better, the Chrio may be a good choice. If it is getting worse or staying the same, see your regular MD and have an MRI done to rule out disc problems--they don't show up on an x-ray. I just had my second spinal (neck) surgery the day after Thanksgiving, and if I'd have gone to a chiro and not had the MRI, I could very well have done serious nerve damage (not saying that's what's wrong with you)...just be careful.