Oh, look, they finally found time for my therapy! I’ve been on sick leave for almost a month now, waiting for every possible medical examination to figure out what the hell is wrong with my arm. And now, we’re finally starting the treatment! The problem? They STILL don’t really know what’s wrong.
One doctor says it looks like an inflamed nerve. Another says my shoulder bone isn’t sitting where it should. A third says it’s swollen from a fall. So… which one is it?! Since they weren’t sure, I had two choices: wait at least another week for an answer or go to a private doctor. I said, “nope, I’m done waiting,” and paid for the private doctor because this pain is driving me insane.
Now, I was a little annoyed because I walked in, and the doctor just asked, “What’s wrong?” I explained, he lifted my arms...“Does this hurt?”...grabbed my other arm...“Does this hurt?”...pressed around a bit, then we talked for five minutes. And that was it. I mean… 150 euros for a 10-minute session?! But hey, I chose to go private, so I won’t complain. Especially since my insurance will refund me 50%. And let’s be real, when I hear what people in other countries have to pay for medical care, I can only be grateful that my therapy is free. So yeah, I’ll shut up and be happy I even have this option.
So, what’s actually wrong with my arm?
I had to use freaking Google Translate because I don’t understand Latin or German medical terms. So, first, I translated everything into Slovenian… and guess what? I still didn’t understand it. 😆 Like always, I sent all my papers to my doctor friend, who explained it to me in simple terms. Then, I tried translating it into English, and when I asked her if I did it correctly, she was like, “Yeah, I think it’s alright.” 😂
My fancy diagnosis in simple terms
Insertion tendinopathy of the right deltoid muscle – my tendon (that connects my shoulder muscle to the bone) is irritated or damaged. Moving my arm? Pain. Lots of pain.
Myofascial overload in the shoulder and neck area – my shoulder and neck muscles are overworked and super tense. (Oh yes, definitely!)
Relative shoulder elevation – my shoulder is sitting slightly higher than normal. (Wait, what?!)
Basically, my shoulder and neck are tired, stiff, and in pain. So, I need rest, stretching, strengthening exercises, and physiotherapy to recover.
and what’s the plan now?
The doctor explained everything (or at least tried to), and I got my treatment plan. At first, these medical terms made me nervous, but once I translated everything, I realized it’s not that scary. Here’s what’s happening:
Physiotherapy (a.k.a. what they’ll do to me)
Ultrasound therapy – Uses sound waves to reduce pain and inflammation. (This actually feels really nice!)
Iontophoresis with salicylate – Fancy way of saying they’ll push pain meds into my skin with a mild electric current. (Weird but kinda cool.)
EHG & TM – Some other techniques to help my muscles. (I think this means physiotherapy and massage? Honestly, not sure, but I’ll find out next week!)
Things I can do at home:
Local cooling – Ice packs to reduce swelling.
Voltaren Emulgel – Pain-relief gel I already use a lot for my back.
Curd compresses – Apparently, yogurt helps inflammation? (Yeah… no thanks. Yogurt is too expensive for that. 😂)
Seractil – Anti-inflammatory pills. (Told them these didn’t help before, but they insisted. And surprise, surprise, still not helping.)
If nothing improves, they might give me an injection directly into the painful area. (Honestly, I expected this to be the first step, but nooo, they don’t like using cortisone too much. I don’t care, just give me something that works! But yeah… I have to wait.)
In 14 days, I have a follow-up check-up to see if I’m getting better.
I know, I know...being home sounds great, but honestly, I’d rather be pain-free, working, and finally fixing up my apartment. But instead, I’m stuck reading books all day. 😅
So, that’s the update for now! Let’s see if this treatment actually helps. Stay tuned for next week’s episode of “Will my shoulder ever work again?” 😂
“My body is experiencing technical difficulties right now” - unknown
With love, 