Roscommon woman tells of shoulder pain so bad she can't sleep - because of using her phone too much

Michelle Waldron developed chronic shoulder pain so bad she can’t sleep

Meet the woman who says she’s developed chronic shoulder pain so bad she can’t sleep – because of using her phone too much.

Michelle Waldron, 34, claims she’s been to A&E 10 times over the issue – and painkillers don’t help.

She’s now hoping Botox injections will cure the problem – which can be so bad she’s unable to complete simple daily tasks.

Michelle, from County Roscommon, Ireland, estimates she was using her phone for around four hours daily before she noticed the pain.

And she said: “I can’t sleep in a bed, I can only sleep in my chair – it’s too painful in the bed and I just can’t sleep.

“It just happened overnight – I went to bed fine and woke up in agony.

“I was scared because the level of pain is quite severe, it’s an awful thing, it’s quite sharp and deep.

“I can’t cook, clean or do household duties anymore, and if I’m holding things in my hand they just fall out of my hand.

“Chronic pain is an illness – you hear about these things, but you never expect them to happen to you.”

Michelle claims the issue first started in December 2022, when she woke up one morning in severe pain.

She had been snowed into the house and says she was using her phone more heavily than normal to keep herself entertained, spending three to four hours a day on the device.

Since then, she says the pain has got progressively worse – going from a tingling and throbbing sensation to being stuff and numb and spreading down her arm to her hand.

Despite visiting pain specialists and chiropractors and receiving acupuncture and steroid injections, Michelle says she’s still suffering with pain.

And says her pain specialist confirmed the pain she was experiencing could have been caused by texting and being on her phone. She says she’s so far spent Euro 1000 on seeking treatment for the problem through pain specialists, chiropractors and steroid injections.

And later this month she’ll trial Botox injections in her shoulder to see if it will help relax the muscle and combat the pain. She now uses a mobile phone stylus to try and combat the issue.

Michelle says she wants to highlight the issue and warn others – saying she’s been left embarrassed and isolated by the problem.

“I want to isolate myself, I don’t want to be around people at all, I just want to be on my own so it’s lonely,” said Michelle.

“It’s embarrassing and it takes a toll on your mental health, the financial cost and emotional experience are not worth it.

“It’s just severe pain and I don’t want to be bothering doctors who are already busy.

“I’ve been struggling to get appointments, hospitals are so overwhelmed – you feel like giving up hope.

“My advice is don’t be on your phone as much, take frequent breaks, go outside and exercise, do something more fulfilling than being on your phone.”

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