Got a medical question? Let me stretch my brain.

Originally Posted by Cenookie

First of all thanks, a couple months ago I was helping a friend move furniture when I felt what I can only describe as a warming sensation and pain in my shoulder. I immediately lost strength in my shoulder. In fact I wasn't able to put my truck in gear to drive home. My shoulder only hurts when I move it a certain way. And at night in bed it's not a pain like in the muscle, but more of an ache. I can massage it and fell no sore spots, but move it a certain way and PAIN.

Move it which way? How about holding arm straight down at side with palm facing forward. As you rotate the shoulder up to the side (like a properly on a plane, spinning), and then over the top until you touch the opposite shoulder with your thumb (with elbow over head. Does that hurt? Maybe reaching behind your back to scratch your back with your knuckles. Does that hurt? How about holding elbows tight to side and then rotating forearms outwards. Does that hurt?

I am presuming right off the bat that you may be dealing with a rotator cuff injury. However the differential diagnosis (its the concept of "a list that contains every diagnosis that a particular condition could be"...things only get struck off the list when they can no longer possibly explain the situation) would also include a biceps tendon rupture (but I think you would describe the situation differently).

And by the way....Tom might have worms. That might explain the itch.

[Opusfxd]

I'll give this a shot. It feels like I have a NASCAR restrictor plate in my adam's apple area. Sometimes it gets constricted and restricts my breathing. Whether it's going up the stairs, running a few miles, riding the bike it feels like I could be fine if I could only get enough air into my lungs past this constriction. BTW, thanks to sleep apnea I have no uvula, tonsils and my sinuses have been reamed out. I also have incredibly active sinuses. Any guesses?

Originally Posted by Opusfxd

NASCAR restrictor plate???

I haven't a foggiest regarding what that is. We don't have any real NASCAR in Canada so I don't even recognize the reference.

That being said, it sounds like you have something obstructing the area. Well, that wasn't all that helpful right? This could either be because of anatomical masses (but seeing you have had an ENT-ream-out-job, then I doubt that), or it could be due to secretions (sinus related). Another potential might be due to a cyst of some sort, maybe a thyroid cyst (or enlarged thyroid), or possibly a pharyngeal branchial cyst (remnant of a gill slit...believe it or not).

A simple physical exam (maybe with some simple blood work) might give you some answers.