Worried about shoulder pain now - Lung cancer?

[mel78]

For the past two months or so, I've been terrified that I have ALS. But I seem to have FINALLY beaten that fear into submission somewhat (mostly through doing exercise). I've been able to increase the weights I lift and even my twitching has mostly gone away.

However, I do have one remaining symptom.... shoulder pain. Its been going on for weeks now and its come and gone (gone for up to a week at a time in fact). Its very vague pain - does not seem to be related to the nerves, and moves around a bit. Sometimes it feels like the pain you might have if you have a bad chest (I have asthma - though its very mild - I dont take medication any more). I should say though that my chest does not feel any worse lately - no cough, no wheezing, no shortness of breath - nothing - not even when I exercise.

So I went to the doc about this last week (a follow up appointment from a few weeks back). When I told her the "pain" was still there she seemed a bit concerned. She actually told me that sometimes shoulder pain can manifest from lung or heart problems :-( So of course that made me feel wonderful. She performed and ECG there in the office but it was perfectly fine. She also listened to my chest and felt my abdomen. So at the end of the appointment she decided that because I am young (33) and otherwise healthy, I was best to try some physical therapy first before she refers me for more tests (specifically MRI of shoulder and chest x-ray). Now I don't smoke, but of course am terrified now that I have lung cancer. The pain seems far more obvious now since I've been to the doc. I am imagining that it gets worse as I breathe in (or out). I don't know what to do. Should I go back and ask the doc for the tests now rather than later? Can this kind of vague pain just be anxiety related? Is it possible?

I am desperately trying not to Google "lung cancer" OR to revert to freaking out over ALS, but its really, really hard. I don't want to go back mentally to where I was one month ago.

[Darwin73]

Poor you. I know what it's like to have the ALS worry (used to think that was the 'motherlode' of health anxieties) and mine went on for a year, so I know how draining that is. Now, with the shoulder pain, well it sounds like it scould be something as simple as a muscle stain. Sometimes they take weeks to heal, especially if you have no choice but to keep using the affected bodypart. Also, I'm sure it could be anxiety related too. I don't know how the body turns anxiety into pain, but it certainly can! It sounds nothing like lung cancer symptoms to me (I know people that have had it, and their symptoms did not include shoulder pain. The fact that it's coming and going sounds like could be some kind of repetative strain injury maybe?

I would take comfort from your Dr's examination. Your ecg has revealed no problems with your heart and your chest was clear when she listened to it. If your doc was at all concerned she would have referred you there and then.

Take care

[kah]

hey there,
I know exactly how you feel as I had exactly the same fear as you. My shoulder & arm ached continuously for months and as well as that I had blood in my phlegm.
I had several chest x-rays and saw a lung/chest specialist several times and the cause was never found. What I'm trying to say is that even if we have symptoms which exactly fit those of serious illnesses, it doesn't always mean the worst. As soon as I had the all-clear my arm stopped aching (or I forgot to think about it, not sure which!!) and the fear went away. I definately think we can get 'vague' pains just about anywhere which are caused by our HA.

Hope that helps
K xxx

[mel78]

Darwin, Kah, thanks for your responses - really appreciate it.

Darwin, its funny you mention RSA - I actually already have that in my fingers, though my doc seems to think it is not related to the shoulder.

Kah - I can't believe you had the same thing - incredible. Also - you've described it much better than me - its certainly an ache rather than a pain. Its how I expect I'll feel when I'm old! I am glad it all turned out to be nothing for you - hope its the same for me.