Attached pics below
I have a very strange change in the shape of my right bicep that happened some months ago, and I went to a a sports medicine doctor and general practice surgeon to have a look at. I wanted a diagnosis and a clue on whats going on, but the answers werent what I expected and left me a bit confused.
Essentially what has happened is that my right bicep lost a lot of fullness to its shape and size through an unknown period of time , but after a time period where i had a painful nagging injury at the right side of my bicep tendon insertion at the elbow.
The longhead of my right bicep just seems to be much thinner overall in comparison to my left arms bicep. And when I flex to make a bicep peak i also notice that the long head bicep head also starts higher up my arm. Alongside there is some added tissue to the outer side of it everytime i flex into a bicep peak.
At rest or with a relaxed hanging arm there is no lump or anything at all characteristic with a tear of the long head tendon at the shoulder either. And noth doctors gave a thorough examination of my bicep to make sure there was no obvious tear.
The first general practice doctor said if there was a tear it doesnt seem that severe so only follow up if it gets worse. The sports medicine doctor said that it seems more like disuse and atrophy perhaps to my left arm being used more in lifts and such.
I have never had a deformity or shape like this before to the bicep though and i also had an injury to that muscle some period before i noriced the changes happpened. Is it possible this could be a partial tear so that it just doesnt make me fail those tendon tear tests? But enough to affect the muscle itself and its appearance and shape?
I want to follow up with an MRI or Ultra Sound of the tendons just to be sure, the doctor said they could offer it but said it would not be very cheap to do. And probably isnt necessary. I just want others opinions on some good follow up questions I could ask, or perhaps other causes of this that i might not be aware of? Of course i understand I cannot get a diagnosis here, but maybe some guidance or suggestions at what else i could look into can help, thanks!
Ditto. Those look like biceps. What are you seeing that concerns you?
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What’s up with your neck and traps? Is it possible you had a pinched nerve that “shut off” your bicep, preventing it from contracting and causing it to atrophy?
My biceps disappear when I get pinched nerves in my neck.
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That could be possible but I dont feel any symptoms of a pinched nerve. My neck has had periods of pain before from bad sleep position, and my traps are always way too tight. Is it possible to have a pinched nerve do that without any of the other classic symptoms of it? Something like this or a tear seems more likely than a disuse thing that made the changes.
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Its hard to see in just these photos but the long head side of my right bicep isnt nearly as full as before and like my left bicep. Its also noticably thinner. If i turn my right bicep and arm inward more it makes it seem like my bicep dissappears as well. Because a part of my longhead bicep doesnt seem to contract. The insertion portion also appears much different than before. I will post a previous pic for comparison to it now.
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Not a perfect comparison photo but an old pic of my same bicep in a similar position. Can see the visual changes more easily like this. Flipped angle because one is a mirror pic.
I had an unrelated injury and illness recently that put me out of the gym a while and eating less so im also more notciably thin right now. But this still shows the muscle shape changes. Even if the muscles are not as large as before the shape itself shouldnt change. The left side still has the same shape as always. Its just the right side that seems to have the issue.
Neck pain, tight traps, pain in your arms and muscular atrophy ARE the symptoms of a pinched nerve!
What other stuff are you looking for?
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Ahh ok, the neck pain isnt currently bothering me but was 6 or so months ago. When i sleep with bad head position there were periods before that i had that when everyrhing was fine as well. My traps have been chronically tight since i was 18 though. Im now 33. The pain in my arm was at the insertion point of the bicep at the elbow which i made very sore and would get tight and painful after some strain months ago. But there is no pain there anymore. Didnt experience any nunbness , tingling, or other symptoms running down my arms or into finger tips and etc.
I definitely dont mean to go against what you are saying though as it can be a very likely culprit. I just want to give you a full picture. I think if its not some tendon tear than a pinched nerve causing atrophy definitely makes more sense than sudden changes to the shape of my muscles due to disuse. Again because its the shape itself that changed and not just overall size. Ill have to get checked out for that with a follow up as its a great suggestion since they dont expect any tears.
