Did Shoulder Pain Pump Cause Deterioration?

Like many patients who were given shoulder pain pumps following shoulder surgery, Denice S. is not sure if she is suffering complications from the pump. She says she still has mobility in her shoulder, but she does have some problems and wonders what she should do to determine if she will have future shoulder issues.

"There is a lot of clicking and popping in my shoulder," Denice says. "I still have mobility in my arm, but I don't think my arm is as strong as it was. I don't know the exact prescription that was in my pain pump, or if that makes a difference. I know the doctor told me it was a numbing medication. I'm concerned, because the articles [at LawyersandSettlements.com] mentioned deterioration from the pain pump. That is my main concern: what can I do to be evaluated?

"I've had some soreness. Following the surgery it took a long time for me to get some mobility. I can put my hand over my head, but in terms of strength—I don't know if I've lost strength. The pain is hard to tell. The shoulder is less painful than it was before the surgery—I had severe pain prior to my surgery, so it's a different kind of situation. Before the surgery, I couldn't lie on my left side. I could not lift my arm up because it was so bad. So they did arthroscopic surgery for a bone spur.

"Now, I have severe clicking and popping every time I move my arm. My right arm doesn't click and pop, just my left; the one I had the surgery on. I'm concerned that I should be evaluated for this situation to ensure I don't end up with a serious problem. I'm not really in pain, but I'm the kind of person who takes a lot of pain before I do something about it.

"The doctor put the pain pump in following the surgery and didn't give me anything to take orally. All I had was the pain pump. Afterwards, my shoulder was extremely sore and then, within a few months, the clicking started. I remember thinking, 'Should it be doing that?' I just live with the clicking and popping—unless there's severe pain, I ignore what's going on. The shoulder makes a big popping sound that is right in the area where I had the surgery. I don't know why it would do that."

Patients are investigating possible problems with shoulder pain pumps, alleging the pumps have caused serious damage to their shoulders. This damage is known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL). Symptoms of PAGCL include very limited mobility, weakness in the affected shoulder and arm and pain in the shoulder. Popping, clicking and grinding in the shoulder are also symptoms of PAGCL.

Did Shoulder Pain Pump Cause Deterioration?

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