Intense joint pain

[eg_eric]

Hey guys I think i have a problem and need some advice.

About a 2 years ago i started hitting the gym, lifting light weights mostly. Problem is when i started working out my shoulder and hip joints started hurting like hell. I visited a doctor and she told me to give it a few months to let my body get used to the work out routine.

Few months go by, getting bigger, looking good, but now the pain has increased and 48 hours after a workout, I can barely move my left shoulder. Sometimes it happens to the right one as well. Visit doc again, she says still not used to it... right.

One year after that, nothing gets better, in fact, it gets worse. I visit a different doctor for another point of view and he gives me the same crap that i'm just getting used to it.

What's up?? I hurt like hell in my left shoulder joint, and when I'm lifting weight, my wrists, elbows, shoulders, and back all snap and crack during reps... is this normal at all??? I've tried the rotator cuff and shoulder range of motion excercises to try to help it but nothing. I can't even sleep because of the pain. Please help I'm hurting like hell as I type this. I've visited 3 doctors and have gotten nowhere.

[liquidboi69]

Joint pain can be caused by anything.

Take preventative measures like ensure proper flexibility, technique, and glucosamine/chondrontin supplementation.

[eg_eric]

yep, got all that from docs and the guys at the gym. But no one knows why i sound like rice crispies when i lift weights. anyone ever experience this? (should also mention that when i rotate my shoulder they feel like they're grinding and it hurts, whether i've worked out or not)

[GQBalla]

bad joints run in the family?

whenever i left my elbows always pop.

i did have pain during the first couple years but nothing as intense as yours.

[eg_eric]

Originally posted by GQBalla
bad joints run in the family?

whenever i left my elbows always pop.

i did have pain during the first couple years but nothing as intense as yours.

no, no bad joints in the family either parents or siblings.

and yeah the pain is intense, especially at night i cant lie on my back or shoulders as i feel pressure no matter how i turn. I've been just sucking it up but i don't think that's the right thing to do.

[revelations]

Sounds like its time to go see a specialist - if its interfering with your activities its cause for concern.

[Wrinkly]

It could be Arthritis. From the grinding noise you describe, it sounds like osteo arthritis, if you're getting swelling and redness too, it could be rheumatoid arthritis.

Go back to your doc and demand some tests (x-rays for the osteo and bloodwork if it's possibly rheumatoid). They should not be ignoring you like this. If it continues, seek a second opinion.

Good luck :)

[C_Dave45]

Check out Fibromyalgia, or commonly referred to as FM. Similar to Arthritus. Very painful. My wife has it bad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia

http://www.arthritis.ca/types%20of%20arthritis/fibromyalgia/default.asp?s=1&province=nb


Common symptoms include pain and swelling in many joints or soft tissues. As a result of the pain you may have trouble sleeping,

[anschutz_92]

WTF are you doing that puts so much strain on your hips?

I feel you on joint pain, but most of mine has went away. IMO it was caused by just being too damn skinny. My elbows used to click on bench, but that went away when I started putting up more than a plate. My knees are still a weak point, even though I squat 300lbs (which isn't much lol) they still click and hurt like hell (I can't bend my legs afterwards) if I go ATG with even 135lbs. I remedy my weak knees on squats by only hitting a touch above parallel. Sure I look like a bitch in front of the serious gym rat, but fuck them I don't work out to impress a bunch of dudes.

I would also check your form.

[Sasuke_Kensai]

First thing is probably to stop with the weights until you have a better idea of what's going on, and get those tests mentioned above.

If your joints are grinding, they might not be lubricated - your joints are meant to have cartilage (which can wear away), and also two types of fluid which are replenished through joint use.

If your joints are popping around, you might have loose ligaments combined with low strength. If you're naturally flexible (ie. can touch toes easily, hyperextend elbows/knees) without having done any flexibility work before, this is quite likely.

[duaner]

Originally posted by Sasuke_Kensai
First thing is probably to stop with the weights until you have a better idea of what's going on, and get those tests mentioned above.

If your joints are grinding, they might not be lubricated - your joints are meant to have cartilage (which can wear away), and also two types of fluid which are replenished through joint use.

If your joints are popping around, you might have loose ligaments combined with low strength. If you're naturally flexible (ie. can touch toes easily, hyperextend elbows/knees) without having done any flexibility work before, this is quite likely.
Totally agree.


Don't self-diagnose. It needs to be determined whether this is a muscular or skeletal issue. As was suggested, start by asking a doctor to get you sent for x-rays and get your blood-work done. I'm surprised they wouldn't have done so already.

Joints are serious business, especially the shoulders since they as so complex and involve nearly every upper body movement; certainly real life everyday movements. Don't worry about getting big when stuff like this is going on. It's not worth trying to look good when you're young only to lose shoulder movement when you're older (or even still young). You don't want this to be permanent.

Get the doctors to do what they're paid to do. Focus on lower body, core and cardio in the mean time. Get a good core and when you get back to the weights again, it'll pay off huge.

[core_upt]

what kind of doctors were you seeing? just your GP? Have you tried chiro or going to see a sports physio therapist?

[eg_eric]

thanks for all the replies, i appreciate this HUGE.

i guess i'll have to stop lifting weights for now. (No i haven't seen a specialist or physio therapist yet, although that sounds like a good idea.)

Sounds like im off to the docs again lol, I've scheduled an appointment for next week, going to ask for x-rays or to see a specialist, and i'll let you know how it goes.

[bubbley]

Also, get your vitamin D levels tested. GL

[cdnsir]

Originally posted by eg_eric
thanks for all the replies, i appreciate this HUGE.

i guess i'll have to stop lifting weights for now. (No i haven't seen a specialist or physio therapist yet, although that sounds like a good idea.)

Sounds like im off to the docs again lol, I've scheduled an appointment for next week, going to ask for x-rays or to see a specialist, and i'll let you know how it goes.

Not trying to scare you, but from the crackles in multiple joints, that does sound like arthritis. One of my wrists is like that, snaps and cracks whenever I rotated it. I lived with it for a good while before I finally got some x-rays on it. Only then did I find out the joints were stupid tight compared to my other one.

Just go to your family doc and ask him to refer you to a Rheumatologist. Insist that you get an x-ray and blood tests done about a month before the actual appointment. You would want to have a lot of solid diagnostics on hand when you visit because the wait time for these specialists are painfully long.

As far as your lifting goes, the general rule still applies. If it hurts, stop. But from my personal experience, I always make sure I do a full stretch before I lift. And if it doesn't feel very good that day, I just do slightly lighter maintenance sets on it.