NEWS ARTICLE FOUND ON SHOULDER/NECK PAIN AFTER PM

For anyone getting a Pacemaker here is an article I found! Why don't the doctors have a plan in place for PT after the PM procedure so this does not happen to people (LIKE ME)! I am in PT now and hopefully it will relieve my pain! If anyone has any other news to share, please do!

The number of pacemaker implants done per year now exceeds 1.5 million done around the world.
They are currently mostly implanted subcutaneously in the subclavicular fossa using transvenous leads.
The shift from epicardial systems (how they used to implant them) to transvenous systems inserted into a subcutaneous pocket (What I had done ) has been accompanied by shorter surgical times and less complications.
However, now other problems remain...
An overlooked complication of device implantation is shoulder pain and disability in the first year after implantation of the pacemaker. This condition can be incapacitating to some individuals..
In one study of 50 patients, 60% of individuals reported still having shoulder problems 3 months after having the procedure done."

The article further stated that PTherapy done after surgery is a good solution for relieving the pain.

2 Comments

Another option

by Theknotguy - 2014-03-30 05:03:46

I had the pain too. I've answered other posts about the pain from the PM.

My solution was to get a licensed massage therapist. I went for three sessions, one per month, for three months. My pain went away.

The licensed therapist didn't go anywhere near the PM pocket and managed to get rid of all my sore spots.

Theknotguy

Shoulder/neck pain

by xhiker - 2014-04-13 09:04:04

I just joined this forum and this is the first time I heard anything about shoulder and neck pain. My pacemaker was put in Nov, 2013 and I have been bothered with this pretty much from day 1. The pain spreads from my shoulder , up my neck to the base of my skull. Quite uncomfortable.

You know you're wired when...

You invested in the Energizer battery company.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.