Frozen shoulder

[lemonyellows]

I have frozen shoulder and it's getting worse on the other side now. Getting more and more difficult to manage.

I have been recommended for hydrodilatation. Has anyone had any experience of it? I'm assuming they won't treat both shoulders at the same time but haven't had my appointment with the consultant yet.

Thanks.

Think I have frozen shoulder, came on this week. Christ it hurts. Good luck OP

In the first instance, do you know that it is frozen shoulder? That can just be a colloquial term and as such covers more than one condition. If your GP has used it they are probably right. It is correctly used as a synonym for adhesive capsulitis which is a condition in which the interior of the shoulder capsule becomes inflamed and 'sticky'. Movement of the shoulder is difficult in all ranges, especially in getting your arm into the 'half Nelson' position and it is very painful.
Reassurance: This is a self limiting problem which will usually clear up on its own within 18 months to 3 years.
The problem is mostly hugely relieved by an injection of steroid and local anaesthetic together with physiotherapy or (preferably) osteopathy although there are other treatment methods. Meanwhile use both paracetamol and ibuprofen. Both are safe drugs but some people get a sore stomach from the latter. If you know you are prone to gastric hyperacidity, or take omeprazole or any other PPI/H2 antagonist or have a hiatus hernia, have a heart or blood pressure issue or asthma, I would advise against the use of it. Otherwise make sure you have eaten first then take two 200mg Ibuprofen and wait two hours. After that take two paracetamol and wait two hours. Repeat up to the maximum safe daily dose - please check by reading the leaflets or speaking to a qualified pharmacist. Keep up this regime for 3 days and then start scaling it back.
I hope you feel better soon and stop worrying because you're going to be fine.

PS I am a qualified person with an hour to amuse myself but I saw your post and feel sorry for you because I know how distressing this complaint can be.

Hydrodilatation is an invasive procedure. As such it carries risk but that risk is small. It will probably work well.

I’ve been formally diagnosed with this by a physio, it’s got so bad I can’t actually wear a bra any more as I can’t reach behind me to do it up. My physio is great but tbh it doesn’t feel like exercises alone are making a massive difference so interested to hear about other treatments available

It's horrible isn't it.

My diagnosis was from physio at the hospital. Was given option of hydrodilatation or manual manipulation under anaesthetic. Hydrodilatation is ultrasound guided injection. Our NHS waiting times are 4/6 months so I'm going private. No miracle cure but should ease things and speed things up. My other shoulder is getting worse and I cannot imagine having both "out of order" so something needs to be done. Exercises don't seem to have made much difference as yet.

There was a good documentary on this the other night- Your Body with Kate Garroway. Might be worth a watch

@Moltenpink thanks for this. I've just found it on iplayer.

Dh had it guided by xray. The range of movement improved very quickly with relatively little pain. Followed by physio. Did not recover full range but far greater functionality.

I had hydrodilation for my frozen shoulder after a course of physio hadn’t been effective enough. Like you I needed help as I couldn’t fasten my clothing or brush/dry hair either.

The hydrodilation was much less uncomfortable than I thought and I recall thinking I would have no issue getting another if I have frozen shoulder in the future (let’s hope not!). It made my arm much freer so that I could work with my physio on greatly increasing movement. I also went private due to waiting times.

I still have residual achiness but am much recovered.

I had manipulation under anaesthetic (under private insurance), as exercises were making no difference at all. I'd really recommend it. My shoulder is still a little crunchy if I lie on it funny but I'm 95% better and I quickly got back rotation with exercises in water and then swimming.

@Bimblesalong @LIZS I was worried about the pain of the procedure itself but that is a little reassuring.

@MrsJamin what made you decide to go from the manipulation? I am interested to see what the private consultant recommends.

I've had hydrodilatation twice , after physiotherapy which didn't help and things were only getting worse.
The proceedure itself is only very short, 20 minutes of which the majority is the local anaesthetic and using ultrasound to make sure they are in the right place.
There is a sensation of pressure until capsule pops and it's a bit sore afterwards but the improvement in pain and movement is immediate and rapid.
I will always have to be a bit careful with that side ie no overarm throwing but compared to the pain at night , trying to sleep , and the limitations in movement I don't think about it often.

My first frozen shoulder wasn’t awful and resolved in 6-8 months with exercises.

My second was unbearable. Steroid injections gave brief relief. Physio and hydrodilatation, the latter done twice with private consultants, did nothing.

Surgery cured it immediately and was essentially pain free. My only regret is waiting so long.

Look up MotivationalDoc (Dr Mandell) on YouTube as he has lots of videos for frozen shoulder that being instant relief.

I was offered MUA as the surgeon said my range of movement was so poor that I might not improve for three years if I didn't get the surgery. So it wasn't a hard decision. It was a very quick procedure but I had strong painkillers for a few weeks which meant I was off work. The swimming really accelerated my recovery and I've kept swimming ever since to keep my shoulder moving. Fyi I think my frozen shoulder came about from a flu injection being put in incorrectly.
Hope you all get better quickly, it's a horrible thing to have and so limiting in terms of living to the full.

Interestingly my physio said there had been an explosion of frozen shoulders and one theory was the amount of vaccinations" done by "vaccinators" as opposed to medical professionals. Certainly when watching what was going on in covid vaccination centres there was some interesting techniques and placement way too high on shoulder .
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35316893/

Exactly, I had my flu jab done at tesco... Never again. There are large Facebook groups all complaining about the same thing. Makes me very worried about getting another jab by anyone apart from absolute specialists.

FWIW my frozen shoulders were both before Covid

Interesting theory about injections.

Yes that was exactly my issue with the injection that triggered the frozen shoulder. Thrown into my upper shoulder too fast. My physio had a high caseload of those with frozen shoulder following injections and the specialist also recognised the trigger.

Was this keyhole surgery? I have been offered this for one shoulder and manipulation for the other which isn't as bad. Worried about recovery.

Yes, @lemonyellows it was keyhole surgery. General anaesthesia, day surgery. I wish I hadn’t wasted time and money on all the other stuff.

I have frozen shoulder and it's absolutely ruining me. Been recommended for a steroid injection next month so hoping that will help. Been off work for about 6 weeks so far and I'm in pain constantly. Like pp I can't wear a bra, brush my hair or even pull up trousers some days. Im taking Naproxen twice a day with paracetamol on good days and cocodamol on bad days. I've tried massage but while it gives a few hours relief the effects just don't last.

@poetryandwine what was recovery like? How soon until you were able to use your arm?

@dancemom it is so painful isn't it. Have you been referred to a consultant?

My recovery was easy. The surgeon was emphatic that I should start moving my arm hourly right away when I came around and doing easy exercises twice a day from Day 1. Thst may have helped.