Thanks @Frank Sanoica You are absolutely right. I should have added the disclaimer that I am not a medical professional nor do I have any financial interest in the manufacture of any supplements. However I do have a Masters degree in Public Health Research, and I thoroughly research all the supplements that I consider taking. Milk Thistle is recommended to people undergoing chemotherapy, diabetics, alcoholics, those with hepatitis, or people who need to take a lot of pain relief tablets, etc in order to help protect the liver. I take it. I recommend people always do their own research, though, and be very hard to convince! There is so much dangerous nonsense out there, one must be very careful indeed! I always consult ConsumerLab.com - which independently conducts research on supplements and reveals which products do not meet manufacturers' claims. Many popular brands of vitamins and supplements can be selling much weaker/much stronger doses than claimed on their labels, or even not containing the ingredient at all! The FDA does not test these things. Many are contaminated with other drugs, fungus/mold, or other material. ConsumerLab posts warnings and recalls, as well. It is worth the cost of the subscription to know which supplements to avoid! (eg Over 30% of turmeric/curcumin products fail their testing.) http:/www.consumerlab.com
Frank.. Lots of info in the posts above mine which unfortunately I don't have the patience to read them all.. Let me tell you about arthritis.. I am loaded with it.. That is why I have had some joint replacements to date due to the fact I played hockey in the mid 50's and I was semi-pro (left winger) for the Quebec Citadels in Quebec City.. I was a very aggressive player (rough) and in those days there weren't any pads for protection.. No helmet, shoulder pads, hip pads, elbow pads... Just knee pads and hockey gloves.. That's all.. Naturally I developed arthritis which I am suffering with today.. I was put on Arthrotec, which is an anti-inflammatory pill for years.. Eventually the joints became bone on bone and there wasn't any choice but to replace the joints which was done.. Arthritis is all over the body and an anti-inflammatory seems to be the answer, perhaps not for everyone, but for me at least.. The joints I had replaced were due to injuries (hockey) more than arthritis.. Arthrotec works pretty fast like in about 4 or so days, and then no more pain at all from inflamed joints in your body.. No side effects at all, just relief.. There are other brands such as Celebrex, Meloxicam, Voltaren, and many more that I can't think of and they all work very well.. Your doctor is the only person that can prescribe the proper anti-inflammatory for you.. I am NOT a doctor but I am only telling you what works for me.. Now, I think some of those pills could be a bit pricey to which I don't know, as we up in Canada have health care, which covers the cost of ANY prescription, regardless of what it is, and regardless the length of time you take it.. In my opinion, you get what you pay for.. The over the counter drugs just are not potent enough to do the trick.. Obviously you have tried almost everything and you still are in severe pain.. Herbs are something else.. I know nothing about them at all so I won't comment on them but I think they might work if taken early in the problem and they could take a long time to work on the problem.. Now is the time you want relief and not another experiment of something.. Pain killers are another thing.. They will kill the pain on the spur of the moment but one cannot live with them for the rest of your life.. You must get to the root of the problem to cure the problem.. Like I said, I am NOT a doctor but I am only telling you what works for me.. My shoulder is bone on bone and after injections, there isn't any other option than to replace it..
@Steve North I cannot thank you enough for your generous post. I am overwhelmed by the fact that, unlike your description of early in life hard usage, my current pain status erupted fairly quickly, though I had had shoulder pain of minor consequence for decades. Over a month's time, I am almost incapacitated, never having realized before how very important shoulder function is to everyday activities. I now must keep my elbow "glued" to my side to avoid very real pain, almost, but not quite, excruciating. Just this afternoon, a question of malfunctioning of our evaporative cooler required that I lift and remove one of the pad carriers. Only the right arm can be used, I exerted, thinking nothing of the pain, and now, many hours later, can barely type this response without grimacing in pain. Still, I thank my lucky stars I am still able to walk with my wife, our favorite Riverwalk, 3 miles, along the Colorado, with only the pain of the weight of my arms hanging down. I walk without foot, ankle, knee, or hip pain. This I am grateful for. Frank
Frank.. Your situation with the shoulder won't heal itself.. The sooner you get professional help the sooner your pain will be attended to.. The longer you wait, the worse it will eventually get.. Your lifestyle and quality of life is vitally important.. You just can't afford to wait any longer.. Any of the over-the-counter drugs that are available won't cut it.. Proper medication is what you need.. Just a suggestion:------- Have you thought of getting a sling for your arm temporarily.. It isn't the answer but it will keep you from using it too much..
I have to agree with Steve on this, @Frank Sanoica. Please go to the Doctor, even if you then choose not to do anything they advise. You will still have the final say, you will still be in control of the situation. But you do not want to lose the use of that arm, and you are courting that danger now.
Frank from my personal experience some 7 years ago I got an arthritic like pain in my knee when and seen a doctor who gave me a shot leaving the office feeling good. To make a long story short it started from one doctor to another pain starting in one knee and ended in both shoulders both hips and that knee. This took place over one year. Getting to a point of needing help to get into a taxi to see the doctors. The last doctor was a surgeon and his advice after x-rays was surgery on the shoulder I asked how will that fix the knee and he said we will have to do surgery there next. I walk out of his office and found my own cure. Ultrasound showed it was inflammation and using anti inflammation medicine fixed my own problem. Changing my diet and learning about nutrition I have never been ill again.
I also agree that it seems like the best thing to do is to go and see a doctor so they can tell you what is causing the pain. If it is only in the shoulder, it might be something else besides arthritis that is causing it, and there might be something else that they can do to help you besides just loading you down with pain pills. In any case, Like @Augusta Heathbourne says, you always still have the choice of how you deal with the problem. It is possible that this is a form of gout maybe (which usually strikes in the toe, but not always), and if it is that, then some allopurinol or other gout medicine will make a world of difference. I have gout occasionally, which settles in my foot or ankle on either side, sometimes even moving from one leg to the other, but a day or two of taking the allopuinol at night should have the gout under control, and gone. When I have a gout attack, it feels like my ankle/foot is broke, and hurts so bad that I can't even walk without crutches, and your description of the shoulder pain seems similar, @Frank Sanoica . http://www.livestrong.com/article/192452-effects-of-gout-on-the-shoulder/
Hello All, (waving going on). @Frank Sanoica, I recently found out that there are more than a 100 different types of arthritis. So, listen to your friends here, and head for the doctor. With a blood test he can at least give you an idea of what kind of arthritis you are dealing with. With that you and he can gear a treatment therapy to your form of the disease. As an accountant, I developed shoulder pain in both shoulders. It got to a point that I couldn't do anything in the position required to set at a desk. This went on until my friend @Yvonne Smith convinced me to purchase an iPad. Since I can rest it in my lap, and even recline when I need to, it allows me to keep my elbows close to my body, and now my shoulders are no long in a stressed position. Since I've had surgery on both feet, knees and hands, and the relief was so short lived that now I'm not interested in anymore surgeries for arthritis. Around here, you can see commercials touting spinal surgery almost every hour, and I admit I'm almost ready to try it, but my doctors say I'm not a candidate for it. My point is that there are doctors out there that will operate on you, weather you need it or not. So get more than one opinion if you can.
@Martin Alonzo I have news, but first, how can we counter Martin's contention that surgery was not necessary? Today this morning, while driving over to Laughlin, where my wife had stayed , my bad shoulder, the right one, suddenly showed signs of allowing movement of the steering wheel, pain free, even though the action involved lifting and lowering my elbow, which normally causes intense pain. I became aware of a sensation whereby some muscle activity usually present, was absent. It dawned on me: muscle spasm of muscles attached to, and involved in moving the shoulder joint. I've had muscle spasm problems in the past, in my back, many years ago. I recall that the more one tried to ignore the spasm, the worse it became. Maybe shoulders, too? The curative drug then, almost 40 years ago, was Flexiril, Cyclobenzaprine. It helped miraculously! Researched vigorously, Mayo Clinic talks about muscle spasm related to chronic neck and shoulder pain caused by arthritic deterioration as being successfully treated with anti-spasmodics. Flexiril is still prescribed, despite better choices being available. One of the best, I believe, is Robaxin (Methocarbomal). An order of the stuff is on the way. The 'Net is littered with medical-help sites, and, if you're not aware, many sell prescription drugs. How can they do this? They employ licensed doctors who perform on-line examinations consisting of pointed questioning regarding the potential "patient's" condition, then either OK the prescription, or deny it, never having seen the patient in person. Ethical? I dunno. Legal? Presumably. I'm basing my self-diagnosis on this: minor shoulder pain for many years now, then, sudden, excruciating pain not attributable to the arthritic condition present. If this scheme fails, it will assuredly be off to the doctor for me. I truly appreciate all the helpful advice, history of personal similar problems, and the obvious concern expressed, given this old bastard's reluctance to move and respond in ways more typically socially acceptable. My wife thinks I am rebellious! Ha! Frank
Well, FWIW, today my supplements arrived. A combination capsule of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine Sulfate, another of Bromelain, a third of Turmeric. I will report any effects encountered. Frank
For finger pain, I still swear by my baton. For shoulder pain, I don't know. I think the idea is to keep moving, isn't it? I don't know, though. I am sure that my arthritis isn't as bad as what a lot of people have to deal with and, at some point, forcing painful joints to move might not be the best thing to do. Looking at how well Cosequin (glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate supplement) works for one of my cats, I have to believe that there's value in it for people as well. If I don't keep adding Cosequin to her food each day, she has a hard time walking up the stairs, and is afraid to jump down from a table. With the Cosequin, she's no kitten but she runs around the house chasing Ella often.
I found this smoothie drink that is specifically supposed to help with arthritis, and it does have both turmeric and pineapple (bromelain) as part of the ingredients. It also has fresh carrots for vitamin A, banana for potassium, ginger, and cinnamon, which is supposed to help with arthritis. I just made some today in the Vitamix blender, and it is delicious ! ! I added fresh coconut and some kefir to mine, and no hemp seeds, since I do not have any of those; but I think that flax or chia might work just as well. In any case, here is the video with the instructions for making this drink, and maybe it will also help you, @Frank Sanoica.
Yes, I'm curious also. I'm still taking a prescription pain med, ibuprofen on a daily basis for my osteoarthritis pain in shoulder. If any kind of vitamin supplement would stop the nagging/achy pain I get, would definitely take it.