Shoulder issue, advice?

[Setsunaela]

So ever since about a week into my new job at the paint department, I've been having issues with my left shoulder. Saw my GP about it and he said it was likely a strained muscle, and when I relaxed he could feel it fluttering, whatever that means...
It's odd to me, as it doesn't hurt while I'm working, other than the occasional twinge or ache. I've I've been home and relaxing for 90 minutes or so it..well the best way I can describe it is, that feeling when you've hunched over a computer or drawing or sewing all day and you finally lay down to relax and your back aches and hurts but it's almost a good hurt. That's how my shoulder feels, with occasional shooting pain down to my elbow or along my shoulder blade. About ten or fifteen minutes after that it becomes difficult to move my arm, lifting it any more than about shoulder level causes sharp intense pain. Long extremely hot showers combined with slow stretching fixes the arm movement problem but the pain remains.
Doc recommended nothing really, just offered a prescription for tylenol 3.. Anybody have any advice?

[Tsiyeria]

As a person who's had several strained and pulled muscles, your symptoms sound just about right to me. Pulled muscles get stiff while they're relaxing, so that explains your difficulty in moving it. Try a heated compress (you can get reusable ones in any pharmacy or pharmacy section in WM) if the stiffness really bothers you. Just don't leave it on for too long!

If the pain does start bothering you while you're working, an anti-inflammatory like Aleve may help.

[Sapphire Silk]

The fluttering was the muscle spasming under the doc's fingers.

Sounds pretty typical, sad to say.

Warm compresses 20 minutes on every 2 hours . . . be careful not to burn yourself.

Anti inflammatories may help. T3 will help you sleep at night.

Do GENTLE range of motion exercises, light stretching to keep the muscle from stiffening up. Do these several times a day.

You should start feeling better in a few days. Go back to your doc if you don't.

[Seshat]

Try developing your upper body strength in general. That will mean your job strains your muscles less, and therefore you'll hurt less.

Basically, you've gone from demanding not much from your muscles to demanding a lot from them, and they're going 'uh.. wha? Help, mummy, I'm confused and I can't DO this!'

Strengthen them up (being careful/gentle with the sore one, but making sure to include it), and it'll all sort out. You might try a set of hydrotherapy activities.

[Setsunaela]

I must admit my upper body strength was not that great before this job. I could lift the required five gallons of paint, but barely. As I am required to I am still using my left shoulder/arm but do my best to keep a good balance of use between sides, as I was afraid that babying my bad arm would be worse. It seems to be in better shape now than it was when I started, and now that I'm thinking about it, the pain level at the end of the day is far far less. I tried doing some gentle stretches and stuff during my lunch break yesterday and last night the stiffness wasn't nearly as bad. I will definitely be keeping this up.