Frozen shoulder

[fikel]

I have a frozen shoulder and am awaiting physio. The pain is especially bad at night, has anyone had it and was there anything you did that helped?

A pillow to stop me rolling onto that side in bed at night and time. I have every sympathy.

Thank you I do have a pillow when I am on my side, which is how I sleep but it’s awful! Hope you’re through the other side

Time.....
Physio and exercises.
Painkillers
Being careful.how you move
But mostly it takes time.

I found that a V shaped pillow stopped me rolling around at night, or if you haven't got one then ordinary pillows put in an inverted V shape. It does mean that you will sleep on your back though.

I had mine manipulated under GA, and although it worked well at the time and was a rapid result, in the long term it damaged the rotator cuff and led to a series of dislocations. Eventually I had the whole shoulder rebuilt.

Another time I'd try acupuncture!

I had steroid injections which really helped for a few months but once these wore off the range of movement was so much worse. I couldn't even lift a cup of tea to my mouth nor wash my hair without bending my head down. I was offered more injections but opted for surgery in the end. So glad I did. Took a while to fully improve but had some physio initially and a couple of months later had full range of movement returned.

Thank you everyone I am thinking I might try acupuncture, I have said no to the injections. Physio I’m hoping will help massively, I can cope with the pain during the day but nighttime is a killer

I had it when I was going through an enormous amount of stress and I couldn't think of any other way that I'd got it no injuries aor falls etc. It was extremely painful and, like you say, especially at night. I had physio and that cleared it up even though it felt like torture to begin with. My GP told me to take ibuprofen but I didn't take them and he told me off because he said they would have helped bring down the inflammation so try ibuprofen.

Thank you I’m a bit anti painkillers but it’s worth it even if I take it a couple of times a week

i had frozen shoulder. I think it may be a viral infection. It does eventually go, believe me! I think the best thing is neck massage to get the circulation doing its best, and your system will get on top of it. Other treatments may make it worse.

I now, four years later, seem to have frozen hip. Does anyone out there have this? I hope I don't have to be shut in for a whole year! Pain started in pelvis and now down my thighs when I stand. Ouch!

Massive sympathies, OP. I've had one and I genuinely wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I had a guided steroid injection, and hydrodilatation, which speeded up recovery, but it was a slow process. Nights and sleeping really were the worst.

I'd agree about sleeping on your back - if you can - with a pillow at the side to support you. I found that it helped to have my bad arm raised up slightly on a pillow, too. Catnap whenever possible because if you're like me, you'll find it virtually impossible to get a decent unbroken night's sleep.

It may sound strange but I bought a TENS machine and it gave me massive relief. 2 years on, I've been left with occasional ongoing arm-pain issues, although I've got complete range of movement back. If my shoulder and arm get very achey, I still resort to my TENS machine and it helps a lot.

Best of luck. It's miserable

I initially got told I had either frozen shoulder or impingement. Then went to a private physio (still waiting on nhs physio) who said impingement. I'm meant to do physio three times a day which lasts 20 minutes a time and I'm struggling to fit it in so I'm not really progressing. In fact this past week has got worse as I've really hurt it again,
Doesn't help I have a heavy toddler to carry.

I've stopped being able to wear bras as I can't reach behind me to fasten and the fit is so tight they won't spin. I struggle to put my hair up and reach in certain directions. So this sounds like frozen shoulder to me?
Not sure specifically the difference.

I too also struggle with sleep so have been sleeping on the other side more, but now I'm getting hip pain on that side now!

Absolute hell! I had it in both shoulders, and slept with ice packs every night all night. I would go through about 5-6 ice packs a night, changing them each time I woke. I still do exercises every day (six years on) to prevent it happening ever again. Please do stretches (ones recommended by GP/specialist) if you can every day with the other shoulder OP, as it can be common for you to get frozen shoulder in the other one after the first has recovered.

I had 3 cortisone injections in each shoulder, but it still took a long time for them to heal, so I have no idea if it worked. The shots were incredibly painful (needle into the joint to fill it with cortisone, still makes me nauseous just remembering it)!

Hope you recover quickly Op

My husband has had it and the first time had all sorts of interventions and it cleared up after 6 months.

Then it came back in the other shoulder. That time he couldn't bear the interventions so didn't bother. And it cleared up after 6 months.

So take the painkillers and try to be patient. 6 months is a long time but it will pass.

My frozen shoulder was agony for months and kept me awake every night even lying on the 'good' side. Made the mistake of looking up manipulation under general anaesthetic on you tube and therefore went for Hydrodilatation instead with Professor Kochhar in London (almost immediate improvement) followed by physiotherapy.

All my sympathy op. I had it very badly in one shoulder, it took about a year to heal and I had six months pain-free before the other one went (not as badly as the first). I wept when the pain was bad which didn't help much :) but heat was good. If you haven't tried yet I'd alternate ice and heat at first and see if either gives you any relief. I took co-codamol sometimes when it woke me in the night but on the whole I didn't feel that painkillers really touched it so I sort of gave up on them.
I also bought a sling for occasional use as it felt like the weight of my arm sometimes made the pain worse. I'm not a medical professional so no idea if that is a good or bad idea, but it sometimes helped me feel a bit more secure. God, I remember I reached out to stop a closing door from slamming and the door caught my hand and moved my arm backward a fraction more than it was able to go and I almost passed out from the pain. So a sling made me feel protected, which was good when I was in pain but no idea if it's recommended or not.

Having had 2 frozen shoulders my experience is that a private physio - private because of lack of availabilty of NHS appointments - is best .

Mine used mainly massage and a little use of some electronic hand held thingy that ? broke down adhesions .Plus some needling .Needling was good .

I used lots of ice packs ,alternate with hot if you like .Finish on cold .

If taking ibroprufen use omenprazole to protect stomach .

It is all v painful ,sympathies .