has anyone else been suffering with a frozen shoulder

[mummylin2495]

i have had this problem for a year now and although the movement is nearly back to normal i still find i very painful to sleep on .when it first came my doc gave me cortisone injection,which did nothing.thgen i was sent to hospital for xrays ,still nothing out of the ordinary,the pain at one time diminished from the top of my arm but has now come back,my doc now says its wear and tear in my shoulder,along with the frozen bit,i have painkillers to take and also an anti inflamatory gel.Any one ant suggestions as to how i can help myself,TIA

I've had some shoulder problems (milder than yours), but got them sorted with physio. Have you asked your doc for referral to one? They can really help, and they do work on the NHS.

no this hasnt been mentioned at all although the doc did give me some execises to do.i can still manage to do most things but cant lift my arm high enough to do my hair ! i also have some problems with getting my clothes over my head when undressing,but my dh usually helps me if i get stuck.the plus side is that i get to go to hairdresser each week ! by a strange coincidence my next door neighbour also has the same problem but even worse than me and is going to have an operation to free it.

I would see if you can get a physio referral, or do it privately if you have to. Your GP won't know their way around the exercises, I'd bet. Are they theraband exercises?

Physios also treat this kind of thing with ultrasound, which can work very well.

Are you taking iboprofen? Is it an option? Or a stronger antiinflammatory?

i have taken votarol tablets but now on the gel instead. I have cydrodomol for the pain,the exercises are ones where i have to let my arm hang freely and let it swing naturally until it goes in a rotating manner.also the one where you stand away from the wall and using the bad side let your hand crawl up the wall.i have had no suggestion at all about ultrasound ,but i will ask about this when i go next to the doc. thanks very much for your input

The doc may well have no idea about ultrasound treatment. Physios will give you exercises involving a theraband (basically a really big rubber band) and a door, I bet.

When DS1 was 6 months old or so, my shoulder went a bit funny. I went to my physio, and got some exercises. But I dropped something and reached out fast to get it, and really messed up my shoulder.

The next day I went to the GP to get a voltrol scrip. To let the GP examine it, I had to get her to take my shirt off.

She was ready to give me a cortisone injection the next week if it didn't improve, and was really startled when I appeared the next week with full range of motion. (I'd been to the physio once or twice in the interim - only went to the GP for the scrip.)

(Physios are part of conventional medicine, btw, not alternative at all. Very evidence-based. I use them for all soft-tissue problems, particularly as I have a good practice to go to.)

hiya, I'm a physio (well used to be pre dd's). It does sound like you may have a frozen shoulder although my first bit of advice is definitely get yourself a referral to see a physio. GP's are on the whole OK with diagnosing these things (dh is one so I can't slag them off too much!!), but you only get 10mins with them, whereas a physio will usually have between 40 mins and an hour to get your full history and examine you.

Shoulders are tricky things as there are lots of structures (muscles, tendons, nerves) in there and necks also have an annoying habit of sending pain into the shoulder...hence the need for a good and thorough examination!! Once the problem bit has been identified there are quite a few different treatments available and you will almost certainly get some exercises!!!

If you go down the NHS referral route, if you are a mum of little kids (ie need to do a lot of lifting), if your job involves doing something that aggravates the pain, or if the pain is distubing your sleep, then ask your GP to put in on the referral letter. A good physio dept should see it and prioritise you to be seen quickly.
If you still have to wait weeks for your appointment then (if you can afford it) I would be tempted to see a private physio, at least for an assessment and some advice on things you can be getting started with at home before your NHS appoinment.

Hope this helps.

thanks flumpytina i have already had it diagnosed by my gp and also another in the practice.But i had pain in my upper arm with it ,this did after a couple of months diminish and i could move my arm more freely,i can now do most things but thepain in my arm and shoulder has returned,my doc says this is caused by wear and tear and i must rest it completely,i would like to know how this is poss wen you work ,have house to run etc !! ( my gp is male )he gave me anti inflam gel to rub in as the tabs didnt help at all.i can cope quite well in the day as long as i dont have to over reach or anything like that,i still find it impossible to wash my hair as i just cant raise my arm that last little bit,i have started taking cod liver oil capsules and also calcium as i thought this may help .i will ask my gp about referal next time i have to go to him ,thankyou very much for advice.

notquitecocney thanks i have never heard of the treatment you describe but i most certainly will find out about it when i go to my doc ( if i can get an appt )sometimes i seems to be a case of well you have it you will have to put up with it !