Ibuprofen For Shoulder Pain

[237SJ]

I`ve got a bad shoulder which has been getting worse and worse and is now agony in certain positions. A nurse friend said I should hit it with a couple of weeks of NSAID drugs. I favour Naproxen but if I take high doses, I think Ibuprofen would be gentler on the stomach. So what should I take - 600mg? 400mg? And how many times per day? Would it be better to take 600mg twice or 400mg three times?

[Sqad]

237SJ...you know my opinion on the dosage of ibuprofen.

600mgms.......accepted on the continent where one can buy 600mgms over the counter.

The frequency will depend upon the response of the pain to your tablets, but 600mgms every 4 hours during the day would be acceptable, although 600mgms every 6 hours, if necessary, would be preferable.

Only take the tablets if you have pain.

[237SJ]

Thanks. The doctor wants me to have physio which I will do but I`m not sure it will work. I want a decent shot of cortisone but he said something about "guidelines" (I know what you think about those). In any case, if I do have cortisone he said it will be ultrasound guided which sounds like a good idea. I have been taking the odd tablet for it but I want to hit it with a sustained dose to try to get the inflammation down. It`s becoming restrictive - I can`t swim, can`t get my bra strap done up, even taking coat off is difficult. I think I`ll go for 600mg 6 hourly (won`t start today due to Cava drinking at friend`s place tonight)

[Sqad]

Well......perhaps I could help with your bra strap?

[237SJ]

Why did I know you would say that?

[Sqad]

;-)

[slaney]

Sqad and I differ on the optimum single dose of Ibuprofen for pain.
There is ceiling effect for some analgesics above which one gets no better pain relief, but merely an increase in side effects. For Ibuprofen this is 400mg (usually three times a day)
There is a case for giving a higher dose as an anti-inflammatory in arthritis, both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but this should be done under medical supervision; as sometimes a GP will add a gastro-protective drug.


There is at least one Spanish doctor who doesn't think 600mg Ibuprofen tablets are a good idea...
http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/22531/ibuprofen-doses-of-600mg-too-large-and-not-effective-says-hospital-in-asturias

[Sqad]

slaney...as you mentioned to me yesterday in a thread........not all Drs agree.

[slaney]

True sqad, but the fact that there is a ceiling level for Ibuprofen is not generally disputed.

[berniecuddles]

do you have a frozen shoulder 237sj?

[anneasquith]

I think we should take medication as per instructions via gp/literature .

[237SJ]

Thanks for the further answers and the link. I usually only take one tablet when needed but I have just taken 2 x 200mg so that I could do some gardening and it has helped quite a lot. I think, therefore, that I will take 400mg 3 times a day. I have just had a look at my Naproxen bottle and they are 220mg tablets. The Ibuprofen bottle says that the dosage is 1 or 2 tablets but the Naproxen bottle says the dosage is 1 tablet (both bottles bought in the US). Does that mean that Naproxen is more effective than Ibuprofen? Bernie - no, I don`t think I have a frozen shoulder. I can move it but it hurts like hell in some positions.

[rsvp]

Have had similar 237SJ - my advice is don't push it by using it in a position which causes pain, use ice and warmth alternatively and take Ibruprofen in a dose that works. I went down the physio, cortiszone blah, blah blah route and still ended up having an op. No trouble since, it's been fine. I strongly believe if it hurts don't use it and keep in mind, even if pain relief works, it may still be causing further damage to use the joint. Hope you feel better soon.

[237SJ]

Thanks rsvp. I`ve just fished the cold pack out from the back of a cupboard. I`d forgotten I have one.

[rsvp]

Don't forget the hottie too - 20 mins each hot and cold and don't over do it - Get better soon.

[murraymints]

Mum had cortisone injections in her shoulder yesterday for exactly as you describe she has had some improvement already !

[puzzled54]

237sj, perhaps you should google frozen shoulder. It has 3 stages, freezing (very painful), frozen (still painful) and then thawing. Sounds like you could be in the freezing stage.

[Eve]

If it's inflammatory, cortisone shots are fantastic, I've had both my shoulders done a couple of times and the results, albeit it doesn't last, are fantastic and pretty immediate, though you have to build up exercises gently rather than overdoing it if you haven't been using it properly for a while.

I've got a chronic inflammatory condition though with rheumatoid so I think the issues with my shoulders (and bursitis is my hips which I also have injected with steroids) will just recur. Don't want you thinking you might be the same in it keeping on coming back, can't say won't after injections but some relief is better than nothing and I hope they can sort it for you :)

Do they know what is wrong with your shoulder?