Stopping a frozen shoulder

[MaryPlain59]

I had a frozen shoulder two years ago in my left arm, it took about a year to completely go. My heart is sinking as I can feel the same signs starting in my other arm recently, painful and unable to lift arm up and unable to reach round to zip up skirt etc, plus very painful during the night. I was just wondering if anyone knows if there is anyway by diet or exercise to 'arrest' the symptoms from getting any worse as I can't face the thought of another year of inconvinience and pain especially with the lack of sleep?

I think mobility is the key, difficult as that is if you are in pain.
I did a lot of scapular sqeezes, which has certainly helped.
Have you seen a physio recently?

Physio
Acupuncture

Ouch

Thank you both for replying, I did start to have physio sessions when I had it last time but they didn't help so I just 'saw it through' until I went back to normal. I know I am clutching at straws really trying to stop it taking hold this time but am prepared to try anything. What are scapular squeezes please Hopeyourcake?

I would definitely see a physio again, did they give you a pulley thing to take home and use?
Scapular squeeze is just sitting/standing straight arms by your side and squeeze your shoulder blades as if you are trying to get them to meet in the middle.
I found it really helped with releasing some of the tension caused by the pain. It's especially useful if some of the problem is caused by the supraspinitus/suprascapular tendons in the shoulder.
I had calcific tendons here which developed into frozen shoulder.
Also lean over a table and drop the affected arm down by your side and gently swing forwards/backwards and in circles.

Thanks so much Hope, that is all really helpful x

Friend had surgery. Was not going to get better without it.

Osteo first if you can't manage physio straight off. Then physio. One who works within your pain barrier nor bursting through it

I'd suggest acupuncture, it reduces the pain so that you can keep the movement going.
It's an awful condition to suffer.

I saw a good private physio who gave me exercises and did deep tissue massage (ouch) to release adhesions. It did work.

Me, too!
I still have the leaflet from last time from the Minor Injuries Unit, with the DIY physio. My shoulder only tends to hurt when I go to bed so I forget to do the physio.
Do exercises 10 times each, 3 times a day

1. shrug shoulders up and down. Circle shoulder backwards. Ditto forwards.
2. Stand or sir: push shoulders forward, stretch arms diagonally forward&down, tuck in chin. Hold for 20 sec
3. sit with back straight, feet on floor: pull shoulder blades together, hands and thumbs outward.
4. Let arm hang by your side, elbow straight. Swing like a pendulum - forwards&back, side2side across the body, round in a circle.

Use paracetomol or ibuprofen and an ice-pack or cold compress.

I had this for 2 years (misdiagnosed as arthritis) before seeing a specialist who sent me for an injection of a LOT of saline which immediately fixed it.
I honestly couldn't believe it, I went in not being able to lift my arm up past my waist and 20 mins later I could put it straight up.
It was q painful for a few mins while they did it then I literally felt something pop in my shoulder and it freed it.
That was 4 yrs ago and no bother since

www.health.harvard.edu/shoulders/stretching-exercises-frozen-shoulder

These may help

Swimming, wheat bags, yoga.

My understanding is that true frozen shoulder is an autoimmune condition (correlated to thyroid conditions and diabetes) so physio cannot help. Mine was hideous and didn't respond to the saline injections. I was about to have surgery when it suddenly resolved itself within two weeks. I had started on acupuncture in desperation. No idea if that actually helped or was coincidental - it is self limiting so would have repaired itself eventually. Fwiw I am hypothyroid.

Thank you to all of you for all this fantastic help and advice, I feel less daunted this evening after reading your replies x

I once had a FS , and a friend massaged it with comfrey lotion. It got some really good heat in there, and helped massively.

My experience of a frozen shoulder was that there was nothing that prevented it occurring or increased the speed of healing. It began, got worse, became frozen and almost painfree and then got better. It took about two years. I'm on a few health boards and that pattern seems pretty common.
If it happens to me again I don't intend to spend any more money on physioor equipment. Pain relief and now its healed I do lots of exercise.

Check out the Neil Ascher technique. Lots of helpful advice and exercises. I also saw a chiropractor, rather than a physio. Ice rather than heat and painkillers when it all got just too much. First shoulder took about 18 months to clear, second one about 6 months as I recognised what was happening and met it head on, with Chiro and acupuncture.
Lots of sympathy, it's depressing to have to go through it a second time, knowing what's ahead.
(I also bought a load of cheap bras, as I was ruining good ones by having to swivel them to put them on)

Thank you again all of you for the amazing ideas and advice, I really appreciate your help.

Have had 3 (no I dont have 3 arms) went to an osteopath, saw 3 different ones (because of holidays) all gave different advice. Had just started work on a stroke unit, realised one day, I had a frozen shoulder, given conflicting advice, cost me a fortune, then I bought Niel Aschers book "Treat your own frozen shoulder", you cant literally, because it involves aqupressure on the shoulder blade. I had physio, and gym, once a week, did the gym excersies daily at home. Then the left arm "went" then the right again. I am lucky my DD is a qualified masseuse and aromatherapist, gave her the book, it only lasted 6 weeks that time. You need to keep it mobile. Never heard of it being "autoumune" I do know diabetics stand a higher chance, (I am not diabetic)1 of mine was caused by throwing a pebble overarm hard into the sea, and one (same arm, by stretching outside way to get cup of tea from table)

I was on the edge of a frozen shoulder after surgery to fix a SLAP tear earlier this year.

Two exercises I was given which sorted it:

1. Wrap a duster or soft cloth round your hand. Stand facing a smooth wall (plaster or tiles). Toes touching the skirting board. Put your hand (wrapped in duster) on the wall in front of you, and with light pressure slide it up the wall as far as you can and down again. I did this 20 reps x 3 once a day for a couple of weeks and it really helped.

2. Link hands behind your head. Bend elbows in as far as you can. This won't be far at first on the affected side, but it gradually loosens up if you persevere.

I also had acupuncture which helped a lot.

Go to the dr again i ended up getting steroid injection in mine worked a treat although mine is going again 3 years lateri have been doing my physioexcersises it hasn't completly frozenyet