Chronic shoulder pain? Consider a steroid injection.

[Ellie]

Like many people with ALS, I get bad pain in the muscles around my shoulder blades and, because the pain can gradually creep up on us, often we don’t realise how bad it is until it’s gone.

I've mentioned steroid injections before but, having had an injection recently, I think this miracle in a syringe deserves a thread of its own

I wasn’t sleeping well due to pain in the wizen muscles around one of my shoulder blades and was taking more and more NSAIDs with limited success, so I decided enough was enough and that i needed the “S”.

The GP duly arrived and injected Prednisolone (the steroid) into the back of the shoulder joint and, wonder of wonders, 18hrs later, the entire scapula area was pain free 😲 It should last for a few months.

Having shoulders which are mere skin and bone makes for easy and precise needle access 😏

I know not everybody will want a steroid injection nor be suitable for one, but they're available and work well for chronic pain in certain muscle groups.

Something to consider and not only for shoulder pain. xx

[AngieCanuck]

This is so good to know. My shoulders ache a lot, so I’ll definitely ask at my next ALS clinic visit

[Deb]

As always, thank you for the top tip Ellie. I often have a painful neck/ shoulder and tend to use heat packs and painkillers ( with the usual side effects) I'm definitely going to ask about steroid injections.

Hope you continue to be pain free in yours xx🤗😘

[Piglet]

Ellie so pleased the steroid injection has helped. There’s nothing worse than constant pain xx

[TinyLady]

Ellie - my left shoulder is a total nightmare. I had an x-ray on it a few weeks ago and need to summon up the energy to go back to the GP for next steps. You have given me a much needed poke as the pain is awful and interrupts my sleep too.

Glad yours is helped so much by the injection xx

[Claireflo]

So pleased that the injection has helped and that you'll be free of shoulder pain for a few months x

[SAMMY88]

That's great Ellie, so pleased this has worked for you xx