shoulder injury

Published Nov 14, 2007

352 Posts

I'm not sure if this is the best forum for this, but here goes. I injured my left shoulder recently. I'm not sure what I did. It started hurting when I was lifting weights a couple months ago. I had injured my right shoulder in the past, so I did what I did then, stopped doing pressing movements. It started to get better, then I don't know if a pulling movement flared it up or something I did at work. I work at a factory right now while I look for a nursing job (no luck so far). I use my shoulders a lot a work. I went to the doctor about 3 weeks ago. He thought it was bursitis and gave me a cortisone shot. It felt better for a couple days, then got worse. Especially after going to a rehab session that the doc recommended. I got a cortisone shot in my other shoulder in the past and it cleared it up. Well, I tried to work though it for awhile, but the pain got unbearable. I finally told the foreman at work and filled out a report. I worked another week, trying to use my right arm as much as I could), but the pain got worse. I told him again and we went up to the office. They said to have it looked at and gave me a workers comp packet. So I went to urgent care over the weekend. That doc said it was a torn rotator cuff because I cannot raised my arm to the side now and the x-ray showed some calcification. Work called and told me the WC was denied because I went to the doctor on my own at first. The doc did write me off work for the week, but I have to see the other doc again to try to at least get some disability for this week. I have an app. with a specialist on mon., but I know I can't afford an MRI. Any advice of what I can do besides rest, heat and ice? I hope its not serious and I need surgery. Now I'm worried I won't be able to get a nursing job with this injury (if someone calls me back).