I've read through numerous articles on other sites and I've read through the threads on here but I can't find a definitive answer to this question because there are conflicting answers. When you have a chronic shoulder ligament injury (i.e. not one that has just occurred, but one that you have had for several months/years), do you apply ice to reduce inflammation and take anti-inflammatory drugs, which is supposed to help the shoulder heal quicker, OR do you take hot showers, and use chemical rubs that heat the skin to help recovery? Both have been recommended, but I can't see how both can be right? If someone knows the answer, I'd very much appreciate it. Thanks David
THE ANSWER Self-Care A minor injury often heals on its own if you take care of it. If you think you've injured your rotator cuff (shoulder), try these steps: · Rest your shoulder. Stop doing what caused the pain and try to avoid painful movements. Limit heavy lifting or overhead activity for 4 to 7 days until your shoulder starts to feel better. · Apply ice and heat. Putting ice on your shoulder helps reduce inflammation and pain. Use a cold pack, a bag of frozen vegetables or a towel filled with ice cubes for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Do this every couple of hours the first 1 to 2 days. After about 2 or 3 days, when the pain and inflammation have improved, hot packs or a heating pad may help relax tightened and sore muscles. Limit heat applications to 20 minutes. · Take pain relievers. Over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), may help reduce pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen (Tylenol and generics) may help relieve pain. Follow label directions and stop taking the drugs when the pain improves. · Keep your muscles limber. After 1 or 2 days, do some gentle exercises to keep your shoulder muscles limber. Total inactivity can cause stiff joints. In addition, favoring your shoulder for a long period of time can lead to frozen shoulder, a condition where your shoulder becomes so stiff you can barely move it. Once your injury heals and you have good range of motion in your shoulder, continue exercising. Daily shoulder stretches and a balanced shoulder strengthening program can help prevent a recurrence of your injury. In addition, daily exercises can help prevent an injury if you use your rotator cuff often. Your doctor or a physical therapist can help you plan an exercise routine. Source: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis4.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I recently experienced an slight injury in my shoulders from Doing wheights and badminton .. i did 3-4 exercises that i should not have done and did them excessively (Upright Rows) and (Wide Grip Bench Press) and playing badminton in the last 2 months slowly degraded my shoulder into injury :crying: What i hear most is that You first ICE the shoulder ...after the injury ..and then later you heat it what i did was use ice every night for a whole week (probly a bit much) - for the fallowing 2 weeks i used heat everyday - i still feel some pain on and off right now so i'm not sure what the situation is... but the longer i rest it the less i feel the pain and the more i can do my normal badminton swing w/out feeling any discomfort or strain. also just before i finish a shower i run the water really hot and just let it run on my bad shoulder for about 5 mins ---------------------------- Before and After you Play i have heard also that if one is worried about injury that it is a good idea to heat the shoulder before you start your warmup .. use a hotpack before you play .. i've been doing this in the car on the way to the gym - then after i play once i get home i ice the shoulder (i've heard that if you have tendinitis you are required to do this to prevent further injury) and regardless of whether i have this injury or not after this year i'm going to ice my shoulder after every time i play - Baseball pitchers do this as it apparently speeds up the healing process.. so i think i'm going to do it too
yea thats basically what i said also you might want to take anti inflamatory drugs .. aspirin/tylenol etc.. make sure you take the right stuff though you may want to do some quick research on this... most webpages i've found tell you what you should take and i think it might even be a good idea to try not to think about your injury....i think your mind plays a part in the healing process... i notice that if i worry alot about my injury it begins to feel worse, i wont feel pain all week but the day i play badminton my arm starts to hurt because i'm worrying that it will ..and when i make myself Not think about it or think positive about the injury the pain is less or i dont notice it at all. think positive... i know this probly sounds funny but there are medical findings to prove that the mind plays a role in healing the body.
reply Thanks for the great info. Just one thing, doesn't the use of NSAIDs and similar drugs have a long term effect on your stomach wall? Is it alright to use for a few days only? David
Hi David Someone close to me had problems like this - she was told that the NSAIDS shouldn't cause a problem if they are taken on a full stomach, but I don't think PROLONGED use of it is advisable
Both can be right and 'wrong'. People vary in response to treatments. In this situation, option one may not work for you, but option two does. It may be the reverse for me if I had the same injuries. And in this situation, I am referring to the chronic injuries. As for NSAIDs, a few days is not long term - long term is a few months to years. Stomach problems they can cause are ulcers. Other side effects are exacerbation of asthma, bleeding problems, kidney damage. If you are otherwise fit and well, you'd be pretty unlikely to have those other problems The new class of antiinflammatories are COX2 antagonists. I think they are mostly on prescription only. Less ulcer problems, exacerbation of asthma problem is as yet undefined(to my knowledge), possibly same effect on kidneys as NSAIDs, bleeding problems theoretically less likely. Cost more as well.
I only heard that in the news after I wrote the above MSD have pulled Vioxx from the market and lost a considerable amount in market capitalisation.
The withdrawal was on the news over here this morning also. A representative was saying it had been withdrawn for commercial reasons rather than regulatory reasons. (and that it increased the risk of heart attack and stroke)
