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.

Cortisone injections gave me about 2-3 days of pain relief before it all came back, PRP injection was about 2 weeks of pain relief. Had 3 cortisone injections and 2 PRPs and then said enough, and they agreed to surgical repair. Pain free since (on the operated side, but the other side is now worse than the original side ever was!)

Could you look into private physio? I had an excruciating frozen shoulder the other year and saw a private physio for it. It took a while, gradually increasing the range of movement, but he worked wonders! I had 10 sessions at 2-3 week intervals. No injections.

Thank you, I have made an appointment with a chiropractor who has good reviews.

The first thing you need is a proper diagnosis, because rotator cuff problems and other impingements are treated very differently from frozen shoulders.

I started to see a private physio when my shoulder started to freeze, thinking it was probably a rotator cuff problem because it started after a minor injury. As the shoulder stiffened up more instead of improving, the physio then confirmed it was a frozen shoulder. An NHS physio friend had a look and told me to see the GP and ask for a referral to a specialist, which I did. In a miraculously short period, I saw a consultant who offered a choice between hydrodilatation and capsule release surgery. I had the hydrodilatation followed by a few weeks of NHS physio, and I'm almost back to normal. The awful pain disappeared within days of the hydrodilatation, it's the mobility that takes longer to return.

It's worth noting that hydrodilatation is not the same as a steroid injection - a frozen shoulder's proper name is 'adhesive capsulitis' because the inside of the joint is stuck together - and the procedure involves injecting a volume of water (plus a bit of steroid) to force the capsule back open. It sounds scary and I was shitting my mardy self, but it was much better than I thought, and so, so worth it. I went for a brew straight after and was fine.

Just beware that there are some physios/chiros/whatever practitioners about who will keep taking your money and faffing about, which won't help (and will hurt!) if the capsule is frozen. Good luck!

Thank you, I have managed to get a GP appointment for this week and I’ve already experienced paying for expensive physios in 2019 when this first happened so I need a correct diagnosis. It’s good to hear that you didn’t have to wait long to see a consultant, too.

Hi op how did you get on? Did you go to GP or chiropractor in the end?

I went to both - the GP has referred me for an ultrasound scan but can’t say when that will be. The chiropractor can refer me for a private MRI for £400 which I don’t have, and gave me some exercises. I’m taking amitriptyline and strong cocodamol.

Oh no diagnosis yet then, hopefully the painkillers are taking the edge off it.

I'm so sorry you're still in pain OP. I messaged earlier but just to say absolutely nothing worked for me (physio etc) until I went to the GP and got a referral to someone who could properly diagnose my FS. Once that was diagnosed after an xray, I quickly got referred for dilatation (saline and steroid flush) under guided xray.
I waited around 6 weeks but the pain was immediately gone afterwards. Movement not restored for a long time but once the pain was gone I could live with that.
Honestly, push for the dilatation procedure.
Good luck.

Oh and after the procedure, I saw a photo who told me exercises for FS don't work and can often make the situation worse.

I saw a physio not a photo!

I’ve had a message saying that I’ve been referred for physio and ultrasound with a number to call if I haven’t heard anything before 24th September. The pain is making it impossible to sleep.

I have been referred for an ultrasound and physio now - with a number to call if I haven’t heard anything by 24th September 😢

Oh how frustrating @AngelusBell, I’m sorry it’s all taking so long. I remember the horrible feeling of being in agony pretty much 24/7 and nobody seeming remotely bothered about it ☹️

Crossing my fingers tightly for you to have a date very soon.

Wishing you luck. Only if you have had such pain can you understand, others see dismissive of how awful it is.

Thank you, I feel so sleepy with the painkillers and everything is a struggle.

Just reading this, I had a frozen should last year and was sent for a scan before getting a steroid injection alongside private physio.

NHS referral line will have a cancellation waiting list, give them a phone to be asked to go on the waiting list.

Good luck.

I'm a year on from mine with no issues except the other shoulder is starting to give me issues 🙈

Thanks, I’ve had a letter asking me to phone them on Friday to make an appointment - not for a scan but for a physio telephone triage call.

Good luck, it's absolutely agony trying to live with the pain and do every day normal activities.

There’s increasing evidence that frozen shoulder is linked to low oestrogen and HRT can really help. https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a46064597/frozen-shoulder-symptoms/

Dr Vonda Wright did a great podcast on menopausal musculoskeletal syndrome on the DOAC podcast last month. https://www.goloudnow.com/podcasts/the-diary-of-a-ceo-with-steven-bartlett-836/the-healthy-ageing-doctor-doing-this-for-30s-will-burn-more-fat-than-a-long-run-sitting-is-the-silent-killer-vonda-wright-480111

My partner has been suffering terribly with this and found that that pain relief gel helped before bed. The biofreeze one, you can get it in Sainsbury's.

That's additional to the steroid injections and physio exercises given to her by the professionals, and Paramol.

I can’t take HRT because I had breast cancer in my 30s, but I will take a look at the other link, thanks.

I had two "frozen shoulders". It turned out to be Rheumatoid Arthritis. You may want to think about a blood test, as the earlier it is diagnosed, usually the less permanent damage your body will suffer.

Admittedly, I did have other bad joints.

Pretty sure I have a frozen shoulder.

I’ve not been to GP yet, so no diagnosis. Just self-referred to NHS MSK. Have had pain (including waking me at night) and stiffness for about 2 months. Started a week or so after I went hell for leather cleaning a ceiling. So, pretty sure it’s related to that.

Want to get advice on best exercises, as feel this will help. But don’t want to do the wrong thing.

I've had frozen shoulder in both shoulders a few years apart. It's very painful and I wasn't getting a normal amount of sleep.

The first time the (bastard) GP didn't prescribe the steroid injection. Frozen shoulder has a process to go through and does get better by itself eventually.

I had the steroid injection with the second shoulder and it cut about 80% of the pain. I was given exercises to do, but it's very difficult to do exercises in the painful phrase, but it helps to do them when it starts to unfreeze.

I do bodypump, Pilates, weights etc, but I still don't have the full range of movement in either shoulder. It's fine day to day, but I can see others in my Pilates classes can do more than me.

I do recommend the injection. It was a definite improvement.