painful shoulders

[shrew]

hi Mick has maintained his weight but hes gone thin in arms , mainly at top and his shouldets are quite bony. He sleeps on his side and he can turn over but shoulders feel sore in bed, i assume because bony. any tips?

[Ellie]

Hi Shrew,

Sorry to hear about Mick's shoulders - it's too easy for pressure areas to develop and advance to sores but the good thing is that he can move to relieve the pressure.

Given that Mick's OT is so good, it's no harm to tell her what's happening. It may be that he needs a pressure relief mattress of some kind and it depends on his risk of pressure sores as to which mattress is best for him.

Maybe a memory foam topper or an "egg box" foam topper would suffice for now but the OT will advise.

My shoulders are also skin & bone but I cannot move, so I have an alternating air mattress. My first mattress was the egg box type (so called as it looks the inside of an egg box) and it was good for me at one stage.

Hope he gets sorted, and fast, as I said pressure sores can creep up on you...

Love Ellie.

[shrew]

thanks Ellie, no sores but just feel sore. we have a normal mattress with topper on so at weekend me and my son in law put the foam topper underneath n the mattress on top. it feels comfy enough for him . I wondered whether to try a thin pillow for now

[Deb]

Hi Shrew,

Sorry Mick has painful shoulders because there is enough to cope with. I have a bad shoulder. I am not sure if it's because I am using it to lift me up to transfer or I don't turn enough in bed. I can turn but I have to lift my legs with my hands to do so.

I bought a cushion off Amazon. Its memory foam and it goes between my bony knees and it seems to relieve the pressure off my neck and shoulders, when I am lying on my side.I don't know if that would help Mick but it is really comfortable.

Best wishes to you both
Love Debbie x

[Alicia]

I have a very bad problem with my shoulder last June. It was a disaster. The doctor prescribed me some pills and they helped. So maybe it makes sence to show up to doctor?

[shrew]

thanks everyone. its both shoulders. he’s goin to try a thin pillow tonight

[Sueb]

Hi Shrew

Steve has a problem with his shoulders, he had a rotator cuff injury and he still gets pain with it, then with loss of muscle it can be painful. He has two thin pillows in a upside down V that sit just on his shoulders, enough just to slightly lift them. Mostly it works. He also takes oramorph and some times paracetamol. Hope you can sort something it’s often trial and error.

Sue

[shrew]

thanks , hes also emailed his nurse , she might have some suggestions

[Guest]

I put a pillow at each side from under my shoulder down for my arms to rest on. no more pain in shoulders elbows or hands

[Guest]

hello good source of fat is extra-virgin olive oil but don't cook with it Cook with plain Olive Oil ,it also appears to have been made for the top layer of skin have no idea why.

[Kayleigh]

Hi Shrew,

Hopefully Mick was able to get a good night's sleep using the extra pillow to support his shoulders. He might be straining the muscles in his shoulders when he sits himself up in bed - his nurse (or OT) might be able to provide him with a profile bed (as well as a suitable mattress and pillow) to make him more comfortable and support his back etc while sitting up.

I hope you are getting enough sleep and rest, as well.

Best wishes to you and Mick,
Kayleigh x

[Terry]

I put a pillow at each side from under my shoulder down for my arms to rest on. no more pain in shoulders elbows or hands

I do like a thin cushion under a arm as well, it just feels more comfortable and also helps relax hands.

Love Terry

[shrew]

thanks everyone, he didnt get on with a thin pillow. he emailed his MND nurse and she rang him at lunch. She said she would speak to his neurologist who might instruct his gp to provide a prescription. no pain during day just when he lies on his side? he didnt sleep well last night

[Guest]

I can't sleep on my back, only on my side. No idea why its started, but it a pain in the bum having to
turn over in bed god knows how many times a night!.

[Terry]

Hi Mick;

I used to have to turn every maximum of two hours because of hip and shoulder pain but that seems to have changed now for the better.

I can't sleep on my back to start off with now normally because I seem to choke as soon as I start to sleep but after a couple of hours on my side and can then move onto my back.

Hope you get something sorted.

Love Terry