Frozen shoulder? Agony

[AngelusBell]

I have excruciating pain in my left shoulder that is worse at night and radiates down my arm. It feels like a ‘dead arm’ and when I turn over at night the pain wakes me up. I had 30/500 mg prescribed over the phone by a GP on 21st March, so it’s been over 3 months.

I went on holiday last week and putting a light rucksack on was extremely difficult. Likewise doing up my bra. I work from home at a desk and use talk to type dictation software (Dragon) - I have had this problem for years, perhaps it’s from leaning forward to type before I got a better ergonomic setup.

This latest episode is making it painful to dress, I can’t use the arm to swim, and bathing is difficult - I don’t have a shower.

Does this sound like a frozen shoulder? I had the same issue with my other shoulder during 2021/22 and the waiting list for physio was so long that it had almost gone away by itself before I saw the physio.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Did you manage to get an injection before symptoms really set in? I have a frozen shoulder developing in my right arm but range of movement isn't effected yet. It's exactly the same mild pain I had at the start of my left arm. I just want to stop it!

@Movinghouseatlast I did with one shoulder and I reckon it managed to head things off before they developed, so yes, the timing was very fortunate.

With the other one no, sadly - it was already completely frozen; I could hardly move my arm a few inches away from my body and not behind me at all. But in that case I think it did speed up the thawing (and I had some hydrodilatation into the joint simultaneously - could hear/feel it popping as it expanded - not painful at all but very weird!)

One physio I saw thought mine was a rotator cuff injury while another thought frozen shoulder.
Physio didn’t work so I went for the injection. The most painful thing was the GP digging his fingers in to try to find the right spot. The injection itself was fine and seems to have sorted it, at least for now.
Totally disagree it’s a placebo effect.

Same here. Had an MRI that showed the impingement. At the point of injection I could just about get my hand on my bum on a good day (at worst point it didn't go past my thigh, like where the seam is on jeans!) Worked immediately and I could get my own bra on within a couple of weeks.

Cortisone injection is not placebo. I was in the worst pain of my entire life for 3 months and the injection stopped it dead.

Thanks. I was more wondering how you managed to get them to give you the injection if you were in very early stages? I asked my Physio and she said no as it hadn't developed enough yet. I'm wondering if I went private would they do it.

I have had frozen shoulder in both shoulders (not simultaneously!) so you have my full sympathy op. Here’s what I advise you to do and what worked for me after months of pain. Go back to the GP and insist on a referral to Muscoskeletal consultant. You need a scan to rule out shoulder impingement or other issues. The MSK should be able to tell you if it’s a frozen shoulder and refer you for steroid injections if it is- these worked amazingly for me and really helped reduce the pain and stiffness. You should be able to have at least 2 steroid injections in the course of the year and hopefully by this time your frozen shoulder will be starting to improve.

If it is frozen shoulder, physio can do more harm than good as the exercises exacerbate the pain and cause the already inflamed tissue to inflame even more. The physio discharged me when they found out it was frozen shoulder.

Just to add that I did end up going through my health insurance to see an MSK privately- am so glad I did as the GP and physio had misdiagnosed me with shoulder impingement and the treatment I was receiving was completely wrong. A scan is important to get the right diagnosis.

It was a good number of years ago when the NHS still worked, that’s the sad truth! I wasn’t even referred to physio first, I was sent for an ultrasound scan at my local hospital and then called back for injection. Simple and pretty quick.

With the second shoulder it was like getting blood out of a stone and I had to go private for everything. I did have another NHS scan though, and the very nice sonographer said I needed an injection and he could have done it there and then if he’d had a referral, but unfortunately it had to go back to the GP. The GP couldn’t have been less interested, sadly. No offer of physio, didn’t even have any effective painkillers to offer. I felt totally abandoned tbh as I was literally in agony. I paid hundreds for private physio first followed by going private for the injection.

When it started bothering me again after I thought it had resolved, a different GP did offer a referral to the local MSK service. The first appt was a phone one and I had to be very, very direct with the person because they waffled on about an ‘assessment' to establish whether I had any problem at all. I had to point out the two years (by then) of frozen shoulder, pain, severely limited daily activities, probably easily £1k spent on private treatment, physio etc etc. and I was concerned it was causing issues again. I could assure them that I DID have a problem! He was a bit abashed and agreed I probably didn’t need a basic diagnosis at that point, I needed to talk to their MSK person about follow-up.

I've had three episodes of excruciating shoulder pain so you have my sincere sympathy. One occasion was after my bicycle wheel slipped into a ditch yanking my arm violently. Acupuncture sorted that one out. The other two were bad posture while working at a screen first one was sorted out with physio and stretching exercises and the second with ibuprofen, probably because I went to the gp more promptly. I was given a course of ibuprofen tablets and told to take four times a day but not to miss a dose, that works much better than just taking them when you feel pain. Obviously you wouldn't take continuously for weeks on end without consulting a doctor but might be worth trying for a few days while you're waiting to sort out next steps. Good luck xx

Thank you, unfortunately there is no GP appointment available until 15th August.

Thank you, in desperation yesterday I called some private places but they said they need a GP referral.

Thank you, I have Naproxen which I can take - it really is miserable.

Have had a frozen shoulder on and of every 2 or 3 years and I go to a chiropractor who is amazing and it is "cured" for a couple of years with 2 or 3 sessions. This won't help with rotator cup but a good chiropractor would get you in within a day or 2 and will be able to swiftly diagnose the problem

Another vote for acupuncture. I had a frozen shoulder about 6 years ago. I tried everything. I nearly gave myself an ulcer with nurofen and diclofenac and I had a good old try of co-codamol and co-didramol (can never remember which is stronger). Also low dose diazepam for muscle relaxant. None of those worked. Nearly puked on my own shoes when I saw the physio and the chiro from the excruciating pain of them trying to mobilise it. BUT six sessions at a traditional Chinese acupuncturist and it was gone. After the first two sessions, I had huge relief and I kid you not, by the sixth it was pretty much gone.

Despite regular physio (I have another condition that requires endless physio), I still don't have the same level of mobility as I do in my other shoulder but no pain.

I am just recovering from frozen shoulder with tendon impingement. You have all my sympathy op, it is the worst pain I have ever suffered. For me the steroid injection (which actually was incredibly painful) has helped enormously. Physio has also helped loads as my physio does a lot of manual work to release the capsule.
I'm surprised at a physio not treating a frozen shoulder as a pp wrote - that's not right.

I used a shoulder ice and heated pack. Move your arm as much as possible - it hurts but does help with movement. There are exercises online that you could maybe use until you can get physio.

I would absolutely keep asking your gp about steroid injection.

Another thought @AngelusBell - it’s not a complete solution unfortunately but I found a TENS machine to be an absolute godsend. It just distracted from the worst of the pain.

Hi op you have my sympathies. My left shoulder froze up during the first lockdown and it was absolute agony for weeks. The gp saw me in person after 4 phone calls and diagnosed a frozen shoulder. I saw a private physio and had hydrodilatation on the nhs and 2 steroid injections but this didn’t help. It eventually cleared by itself though the movement hasn’t returned 100%. Annoyingly a few months back, my right shoulder froze up! This time I saw a physio initially who gave me some exercises and then a steroid injection which again, made zero difference! I was prescribed naproxen but stopped them as I have a sensitive stomach (previous ulcers) and the omeprazole prescribed alongside was contraindicated with some other meds I have.
I need help to put on my bra and tie up my hair but I think the movement has been slightly better with this side. Possibly because it’s my dominant side so I can’t just not use it. It was hard at work as I couldn’t write on the board (teacher!) or lift anything. The pain was severe at times with ‘zingers’, but I can now mostly manage without the dihydrocodeine I was prescribed. It’s just draining as it aches constantly and sends shooting pains into my wrist and forearm. I was told by my gp that I have ‘chronic pain syndrome’ and there was nothing that could be done for me! Good luck op, insist on trying everything available!

I found this useful for my rotator cuff injury. There's also a part which shows how to check for impingement in it.

Frozen shoulder and rotator cuff injury are very different. Rotator cuff exercises won't help a frozen shoulder according to my physiotherapist.

I can’t ever get appointments with my NHS GP anymore and have made some cutbacks to see a private GP recently- are you able to do this op? It costs about £90 or around £16 per month to subscribe to the private GP service. I realise it’s not ideal but for me, it’s the only way I can get any healthcare in a reasonable timeframe.

I’d pay to see a private physio. You do not need a GP referral for this.
I’ve had frozen shoulder several time. Had it injected twice, which does help but unfortunately it comes back once the injection wears off. Physio to rehab the underlying cause is what works for me. I’d definitely get that going even while you wait for other treatments

Some private health companies gave a private gp service which you just refer yourself to and they can refer you to a specialist. What part of the country are you in OP.

MSK self referral gone at our practice. 42 weeks for physio referral in my area. The private option is there but what about those who can’t afford it, and/or can’t do their physical jobs. Just appalling.

A cortisone injection is most definitely 'better than a placebo'.
I had been in pain with a frozen shoulder for a few months and it became so unbearably agonising while on holiday, my mum took me an hour on a bus to A&E (thank you North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple).
The doctor gave me the injection (with a very big needle but you don't care when you are in that much pain), pumped my arm up and down vigorously for a bit and the pain was gone. Instantly. It was like a miracle.