Left Shoulder&Neck Pain 3.5 Months PostOp

I am a 41 year old female living in Ontario, Canada, and I got my pacemaker implanted 3.5 months ago (electrical signals in my heart didn't always work, so my heart would stop pumping and I would pass out). Because I didn't lift my arm for the 6-8 weeks after surgery, my arm and shoulder were very sore when I did start lifting. I find that first thing in the morning I have full range of movement with my left arm and hardly no pain at all. Then as the day goes on, I lose this range of movement and there is a lot of pain in my neck and across the back of my shoulder. Changing position during sleep wakes me because of the pain and I cannot sleep on the left side at all. The type of bra I wear definitely affects the amount of pain I have, but I haven't figured out which style or feature of the bra is best yet.
I was thinking on trying some Physiotherapy or Massage Therapy. Can anyone here help me out with some advice. I really would like to return to a normal life soon.

8 Comments

I would get into my GP ASAP

by janetinak - 2012-01-11 10:01:24

& get an opinion & ask about PT which may include massage. I am very fond of water exercises in a warm pool & would look for a PT office that has that also. The doc needs to specify an order fpr PT with aqua-therapy so it will pay correctly. I find the warm water & exercises that PT will teach you to do may very well improve the situation. Not sure why it is OK in the AM & gets worse but I bet youd doc & Pt will figure it out. By the way I am not a PT :-).

Let us know how it goes,

Janet

Shoulder pain

by ElectricFrank - 2012-01-12 01:01:50

Shoulder and neck pain can be slow to resolve with or without a pacemaker. As you mentioned it started as a result of keeping your shoulder immobile after the implant. It seems that most docs don't suggest gentle movements after the implant and cause patients a lot of pain.

The PT idea is a good one.

frank

PT

by sln - 2012-01-12 08:01:35

I ended up with frozen shoulder after my implant; I had quite a bit of pain with movement and I couldn't raise my arm very far or reach behind my back. Physical therapy completely took care of the problem and now my flexibility and strength in my left shoulder and arm are totally back to normal. One thing that's different in your case, though, is that your range of motion is fine in the morning, so perhaps it's more of a muscle issue for you. However, having a PT check it out could definitely be worth it.

Thank you for all the responses

by t-bee - 2012-01-12 11:01:14

I have an appointment with a PT on Jan 24th. She comes highly recommended, so well worth the 12 day wait.

I'm kinda scared to try massage therapy. I have done it prior to the pm implant, but things are so different now. I don't really touch the pacemaker let alone let someone else even get near it and maybe accidentally touch it. How fragile are the lead connections going into the pm? Could I accidentally disconnect them by massaging the muscle around it?

Massages

by Pookie - 2012-01-13 01:01:47

I've been getting them as I too have issues with my neck and shoulder (same side as pacemaker) and the massages have made the world of difference for me.

Just tell them you have a pacer - you'll do just fine.

If you know of anyone with a hot tub - that's another great thing, so much so, my hubby & I bought one:)

Certainly sounds like you had/have Frozen Shoulder.

If you go for a massage, they will go nowhere near your pacer, tell them what you want and don't want:) Your leads will be just fine, eh?

(I'm Canadian too - Nova Scotia)

Pookie

Fellow Ontarioan

by golfgirl - 2012-01-16 01:01:26

I had my PM implanted last Feb. 2011, after a horrible car accident in Jan. of that year. I not only was told not to use my arm up over my head, but had trouble just getting in and out of bed for about 2 weeks, just to use the bathroom. I think that was more from the accident than the actual surgery for the PM. However, I did not use my arm for at least 4 weeks, as advised by doctors, and it is now Jan. of the next year, almost 1 year to the day, and I am still seeing a chiropractor once a week, massage therapist once a week, and up until about 3 weeks ago, was seeing a physio therapist. Since money has run out from the insurance company for therapy, I no longer see the Physiotherapist, but when I did for the shoulders, it was not so much what they did, but the exercised they gave me, which I did faithfully every day. I was still having problems in both shoulders and upper arms, but mostly on the right (PM is on the left) so I saw my Dr. again who sent me for a ultrasound, as I cannot have an MRI. They found a torn router cuff, torn ligaments, hence the pain. How it happened, is unexplained, possibly from the accident, and just did not find it until 7 months later, ???? Anyhow, my chiropractor has a massage therapist in his office and he recommended him. I was initially against it because years earlier I had been to a massage therapist for migraines, went one time, left with a migraine from hell, that lasted 4 days and I never went back. I was so afraid of this happening again. My last headache was Mar. 12, 2010 that is due to seeing the chiropractor who has managed to do something to my twisted neck, straightened it out, so I no longer have migraines. I did not like chiropractors either, I might add. However, Michael, my massage therapist has been a God send. He is gentle with a firm hand, he gets every spot that bothers me, and he doesn't go near the "spot" where the PM is. He knows about it, and he is amazing. I have never felt so wonderful than after seeing him and experiencing the massage he does on my arms, shoulders and upper back. I highly recommend it for anyone. Good Luck with getting some resolution to your pain. I feel for you. As for clothes, I cannot wear a bra either, the straps bother the PM site, so I have reverted to wearing a sports bra, or yoga bra, I bought mine at Walmart, they are like a bra without the hooks, tee shirt material. I also rotate applying ice and heat to the shoulder area. The pharmacies sell a microwave bag for shoulders and neck, and that helps me daily.

Update

by t-bee - 2012-03-05 09:03:36

Well I have been doing PT and Massage for over a month now. It does improve with the massages (2x/week), but a few days later it is back to its agonizing state (especially the tension in the muscle attached to the bone at the base of my skull). Applying heat seems to make it even worse.
I'm not sure what else to try besides a Doctor's appointment. Another trip to Kingston (an hours drive). I know that this can't stay this way. I feel like an invalid by the end of the day and I still have to go home and care for my 2 year old.
Any thoughts?

All Better

by t-bee - 2013-09-19 12:09:33

An old post I know, but thought I would update. It may help someone reading through old posts looking for an answer. I got a cortisone shot in my shoulder to relieve the pain. I faithfully continued my massage therapy. Had them massage into the armpit where most of the tightness was. Now my shoulder and neck are right back to where it was pre-pacer-implant. 100% cured.

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