Frozen shoulder advice

[Macaroni46]

Hi all
My DP has developed an extremely painful frozen shoulder. At the moment he can't sleep for pain and is finding walking painful due to the jarring. Has seen a physio hasn't offered much.
According to google, the prognosis is not good - I'm reading information such as 12-18 months to recover, if ever!!
Have any of you had this? How bad is it? How long were you incapacitated for? What helped you thaw the shoulder?
Thank you

I have one now. I'm paying money I can't afford to a chiropractor who's got it moving a bit more than it was, quite quickly. Even so, I'm so depressed about it, as I also have another medical condition that causes lots of pain; I'm just sick of living with pain and immobility

My DFil had this and it took nearly a year to recover. He did say that an over the shoulder massage Matt gave him great relief from the pain, maybe something to think about as an additional support to pain meds

I've got one. It appeared right at the start of this year and I had no idea what it was, just thought I must have strained a muscle or something as it hurt to lift my arm up. But it got worse and worse, and would be agony at times. Eventually got it diagnosed around April time. Paid for some physio sessions as the NHS was useless throughout covid. Then paid bupa to see a specialist, who told me physio is a waste of time - at least iif it helps relieve pain, that's fine, but he was adamant it would make little to no difference to movement or speed of recovery. Said 18months is average but be prepared, because there are plenty of people who take more than 3 years.
He gave me a steroid injection at that appointment and it was a game changer. The pain (oh god it was awful!) just disappeared. No help to the movement though for me. I still can't lift my right arm more than about 45 degrees (from pointing at the floor) and sideways out from my side is even worse.
My husband enjoys his daily task to undo my bra though

But the steroid injection made such. a massive difference to my life, as it meant I could sleep again, walk around the house, sit at my desk and use my mouse. Still get pain if I go for a walk and carry anything in my right hand though.

By about July the NHS got me some physio sessions with a fab girl. She's really good while I'm there, but I really don't find the exercises do anything long lasting at all. So I suspect the specialist is right. He says the physio will only start working when the body eases off on the 'freezing' ! Which, apparently, is just whenever the hell it decides to.

Anyway, I'm due back to see the specialist again next week. I think he'll offer me another injection as the pain has started to return (nothing like as bad as before though, so maybe it could wait a bit longer).

I really hope it gets better

My understanding is that the steroid injection is much more effective if done with ultrasound - they can see exactly where the steroid is needed as opposed to guesswork.
Also, have a look at manipulation under anesthesia. They used to do it under general but too many injuries so now it's done under local anesthesia. Without a doubt the most painful experience of my life (made childbirth look like a breeze) but the results were incredible.

You have my sincere sympathies. I had one this year and it was debilitating and miserable. I lost all function and was in so much pain and so sleep deprived, I really became a little unhinged.
The injection and manipulation was a life saver.

Skip the straight forwad steroid injection, that just soothes it a bit. Get referred for hydrodilation. Its a treatment which includes a stetoid injection but its main aim is yo ruptire the shoulder capsuoe which has become thickened and 'frozen' and painful, by injecting saline and local anaesthetic in.
Whilst a syetoud injection just stops the frozen shoulder hurting, hydrodilation speeds up the process of the frozen shoulder meaning it goes through its life cycle and heals ckmpletelh much much faster as well as being soorhed by the stetoid included innthe treatment it has s considered the optimum treatment but often has to be requested rather than offered. Its performed by a radiologist with an ultrasound machine for guidance nit blindly by a GP like many steroid injections so is much more likely to reach the correct location.

I had hydrodilation in my left shoulder twice. The injections weren't uncomfortable - unfortunately they made no difference. My left shoulder has been painful for two years now (agony earlier on).

I can just about shave my underarm on the left side now.

My right shoulder has been affected since last Christmas. I had hydrodilation after my second covid jab (they wouldn't do the procedure until I'd had the second vaccine). The first part of the procedure which dilates the area was utter agony I asked the practitioner to stop. He assured me the steroid part of the procedure wouldn't hurt. It did. I swore then that I wouldn't have that procedure again. It worked though. The pain eased and I was able to sleep better. It has worn off now and I dare not have another hydrodilation - it was truly horrendous.

I cannot reach far with my dominant hand/arm. I have to be really careful showering, getting dressed and undressed as I have really restricted movement. I cannot reach shelves. I cannot lift/hold grandchildren for any period of time. I cannot sleep on my right side. I cannot lift this arm high enough to get a razor in there - which is how I gauge how well I'm progressing. I have to force a ball deodorant in there somehow. Cannot have my usual hair do because I cannot get both hands to the back of my head - when I see either of my daughters they do my hair for me otherwise I can just about manage to brush it then leave it. I usually have a bun/clip it up. I hate my hair down - it's too hot and I feel messy. I can't blow dry my hair or use straighteners.

The worst part is the lack of sleep. It's the worst torture. My sleep has been affected for two years.

I've no idea how people have managed to get strong pain killers for this condition. I've just managed to get some 500/30 cocodamol prescribed. Perhaps I don't complain loud enough. Can't really take them as prescribed as they make me incredibly woozy and cause terrible constipation.

I don't talk about the pain and inconvenience to people now as they are probably fed up of hearing about it and think that I should've recovered by now.

I was thinking that at least I'd got it out of the way/been there done that - only to be told that you're more likely to get it again if you've already had it.

Can't bear to think about it.

I do think that health care professionals underestimate the effects of lack of sleep. This is by far the worst part of having a frozen shoulder/shoulders.

It's bloody torture.

The fact that I also have a broken big toe at the moment makes me want to give up. Did this almost 4 wks ago - went to the fracture clinic yesterday to find out that the break hasn't started to 'fill in' yet and I could be in pain at least another 8 weeks. So I have to persevere with my Forest Gump shoe for the foreseeable future.

Staying asleep is something that is impossible for me to achieve. I constantly wake myself up because of varying degrees of bone pain and finding it difficult to get comfortable because lying in the only comfortable position becomes uncomfortable after 20 min.

I apologise for length of post.

Frozen shoulder - awful condition.

Was also told that physio was a waste of time as it doesn't shorten the overall recovery time.

@NanaPorsche

sounds horrendous...

I'm a year in and it has been one of the most painful things I have ever had, the Zingers were so painful like other posters have said I'd rather give birth again. Steroid injection & physio did nothing for me, infact my physio said that physio for a frozen shoulder is pointless and there's no proof that it helps you just have to wait it out. It took about 6 months for the freezing painful staging to pass and tramadol was the only thing that helped at night, now in the frozen stage with limited movement but much less pain, it's just a waiting game!

@thestarvingcaterpillar

I'm a year in and it has been one of the most painful things I have ever had, the Zingers were so painful like other posters have said I'd rather give birth again. Steroid injection & physio did nothing for me, infact my physio said that physio for a frozen shoulder is pointless and there's no proof that it helps you just have to wait it out. It took about 6 months for the freezing painful staging to pass and tramadol was the only thing that helped at night, now in the frozen stage with limited movement but much less pain, it's just a waiting game!

Can you try injections again.. it took me twice to fully recover... and its not returned after 5 years ..

I'd consider more injections .. I hope you find relief soon

@QueenBee52 I'm sure I could go back to my GP and request another injection I think I was so deflated after the first one didn't work that I've just written them off as being any help at all!

[quote thestarvingcaterpillar]@QueenBee52 I'm sure I could go back to my GP and request another injection I think I was so deflated after the first one didn't work that I've just written them off as being any help at all![/quote]

Yes I felt the same after the first ones didn't work...

I would perhaps try another GP even.. Im not sure if that's an option for you at your surgery..

Its the most awful distressing debilitating pain to live with ..

best wishes

@QueenBee52 it really is, I do think that very little is known about the condition really even by GP's!
@Macaroni46 my only advice would be to your DP that he speaks to his GP and tries to get some very strong pain relief to help him at night ie tramadol, maybe a TENS machine and then he just has to wait it out the horrendous phase will pass.

@NanaPorsche - I'm so sorry. I agree that lack of sleep is enormously underrated. Fingers crossed things start to ease soon.

I currently have a frozen shoulder, ongoing since Xmas. Had a steroid injection a few months ago which calmed down the worst of the pain and also physio but recovery has hit a plateau. Not so much pain but my mobility is still very restricted in one arm, can't lift it very high up or to the sides. It's a bastard.

Yes my left shoulder was frozen for 2 years- steroid injections were amazing for the pain but didn’t increase mobility. Have still got weakness on left side and have now develop a frozen shoulder on my right hand side! It’s a massive inconvenience and very painful so fully sympathise with your DH- definitely suggest getting his name down on the waiting list for a steroid injection, I was allowed 3 over the course of a year.

I had this and the pain was dreadful. I never got to the injection stage as covid kicked in and everything was cancelled, and luckily now it is thawing out.

Whereabouts in the country are you? I saw a man who does something called Somatics which was bloody amazing - made far more difference than the multiple physios I saw did, although possibly it also depends on the practitioner. I can send links if needs be.

I had one, probably 9 months before fully ok. I just regularly did the exercises the physio gave me, and took painkillers

Lots of good advice abd perspectives above.

Steroid injection did nothing for me, but running was the only thing that worked. The gentle to and fro of my arm and physical exercise generally really helped disperse the tension in my body.

Wow sounds awful. One if my coworkers had it and was off work for a year. He is back now suddenly it had got better. I'm suffering with bad neck pain after falling 5 months ago. I can't work due to it (postlady). Just want to be normal again. Hope you all recover soon xx

I was lucky with mine - started in the April, and rapidly got worse. Tried a chiropractor in May / June who diagnosed it but couldn’t do much for me other than give me various exercises. He did suggest acupuncture but I was too sceptical to give it a try (maybe I should have tried it in hindsight?)

Was in agony by July and saw my GP who recommended hydrodilatation. Fortunately by the time the appointment came round in August it was already starting to ease (just as well as I started to pass out during the procedure and the specialist had to stop).

Once it started thawing the pain went and mobility returned quite quickly and I was back to normal by Christmas.

Physio friend recommended these exercises:

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

I found an orthopaedic pillow helped, plus propping my arm up on pillows to keep it elevated. I was able to keep driving and doing normal life stuff, but had to be really careful not to bump my arm as the pain was excruciating.