i went to the doctor today to see about my sore shoulder.
after taking down a little history of the problem, he poked and prodded my shoulder, lifted and lowered my arm, and had me perform a variety of twists and turns to test my range of motion.
in the end, he decided that i was suffering from adhesive capsulitis, or “frozen shoulder”. he noted that this condition was generally found in sedentary smokers. (while i may be somewhat sedentary (alright — maybe a lot sedentary), i’m not a smoker.) it can be found in anyone, though, and nobody really knows what causes it. (more articles on it can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.)
the most troubling fact to emerge from the research i’ve done is that the condition generally lasts a year or more (average recovery time is eighteen months). this is alarming.
let me be blunt: i am in a hell of a lot of pain. i can’t imagine being in this much pain for a year.
what can be done?
to start with, the doctor gave me a cortisone injection. in theory, this should relieve the inflammation in the shoulder. (in actuality, it’s just made the shoulder sorer, at least during these first few hours after the injection.)
he also upped my hydrocodone dosage from “one or two before bed” to “once every four hours”. and he gave me a stronger anti-inflammatory.
in the long-term, once the pain has been arrested, i’m too start a course of physical therapy. (actually, the doctor seemed a tad miffed that i was unable to lift my arm twenty minutes after he gave me the cortisone injection. sorry, doc. i gave it my best.)
i know all this talk about my ailment is wearisome. believe me: it’s even more wearisome to me. i get to look forward to another night of sleeping on the recliner in front of the tv, tossing and turning, waking every hour or two because of the pain, surfing through the endless sea of informercials and three’s company reruns.
On 14 October 2002 (05:18 AM),
maureen c said:
I had Adhesive Capsulitis 12 years ago in my left shoulder. Now I have it again in my right. I’m hoping to find a group of people who might want to start a chat room or bulletin board… gotta do something besides watching those reruns…
Let me know…
On 15 March 2003 (06:50 PM),
Carol E. said:
I was recently told by my doctor that I have adhesive capsulitis. My doctor didn’t explain much about it to me so I did some research of my own and what I found was not encouraging. I cannot imagine living with this much pain for a year or longer. I have been taking the anti-inflammatory medications for weeks and have had to stop due to stomach problems. I had an MRI a couple of days ago, don’t have results yet. The worst part is not being able to sleep at night! I’m worn out already and it’s only been 7 weeks.
I don’t know anyone personally who has had this. It’s nice to know someone else out there knows what I’m going through.
On 16 March 2003 (12:37 PM),
J.D. said:
Originally I thought I had a pinched nerve from playing soccer, but my doctor diagnosed it as adhesive capsulitis. Like you, I did research, and I was *not* encouraged but what I found: people with this condition seem to suffer for months, if not years. Fortunately, the condition lasted less than a month for me. Others, such as yourself, are not so lucky.
I’m not sure what you can do if anti-inflammatories aren’t working for you. I took Alleve and/or ibuprofen, depending on the day. My doctor also gave me a prescription for hydrocodone, which is like vicodin, which is derived, distantly, from opium. This didn’t alleviate the pain — I always felt it — but it did make it less significant. By this I mean that I could tell that the shoulder still hurt, and I didn’t regain *any* range of motion with it, but my brain didn’t focus on the pain. Unfortunately, taking a hydrocodone pill every three or four hours rendered me a zombie.
I wish I could give you more encouragement. The best I can offer is: hang in there. You might get lucky like I did and have the pain just go away!
On 25 March 2003 (12:03 PM),
suzanne said:
I was just diagnosed today with adhesive capsulitis. My shoulder has been hurting for about 6 months and I am getting very depressed. UGH! The doctor prescribed ultracet for pain, something to help me sleep, and physical therapy.
I started looking on the internet for information and came across this. Are you feeling better and what has helped?
Best wishes,
suzanne
On 26 March 2003 (11:55 AM),
Linda said:
Hi Everyone…….Don’t understand this chat group….with NO e-mail to write back to each other to help one another. I too need to talk to someone that is going through this horrible pain. Please e-mail me at BeautyandtheBeast@centurytel.net Linda
On 01 April 2003 (01:07 PM),
Sharron said:
My arm and shoulder had been hurting for the past few weeks and the pain would be so bad that I would have to just grasp my arm and hold my breath!!! Went to two bone crackers with no luck. Got on the web and looked up arm pain and got to www.frozenshoulder.com and was like WOW they are talking about me. I am also distressed about the length of time this is going to last…and sleeping is getting harder all the time as I love to sleep with my right arm (bad one) under my pillow…goodbye for that.
Well,my oldest daughter is a Doctor..and she said that is sure what I do have….I have no medical insurance and from reading all I have about this it would seem to me that getting a bunch of tests is a waste of money and the injections can even make it worse. I would love to hear from anyone else that has been though this, tell me how long you have had it and how bad did it get? I can still use the computer…
just the range of motion is what is bad now.
Look foward to hearing from any of you.
I am 55 female.
On 17 October 2003 (08:31 PM),
susan said:
I had surgery for this 2 months ago and I still cannot put my arm behind my back or on my hip..physical therapy is painful and I ahve been going 3 times a week. My arm is better than it was before surgery ,as it was frozen in front and I could not lift it and the pain was enough to make me fall to my knees…sleep was illusive..so the surgery was helpful as I do not have pain all day, just when I try to move it where it doesn’t want to go, but the pain is tolerable. I take one half lorcet before therapy.
The surgery shaved off a bone spur, fixed a rent in my shoulder cuff and fixed an impingement, there was also a manipulation of the shoulder to break up the adhesions. The recovery from surgery was the most pain I have ever felt, I cried for several days and the pain pills didn’t seem to help…if you have surgery take your pain pills before the nerve block wears off! The pain backs off after a few days and becomes manageable but takes a good month to lighten up.
I still wake up at night but it is getting better! I look forward to the day when I ahve my arm back to normal ,or close to normal range, and hopefully no pain! hang in there !!
On 13 November 2003 (04:19 PM),
olga said:
Just had an arthroscopy done on my frozen shoulder
the doc broke up the scar tissue, PT is a killer
my frozen shoulder was so bad that I could not use
my arm.It still hurts terribly, really no better
after surgery except some increased movement. Pain
pills are a joke even Vicodin. I have had this for
over a year. Still can’t sleep at night toss and
turn every 2-3 hours. anyone out there has any
new thoughts on the matter. I am also using
the Topical Verapamile, just started, I need to
use it 60 days x 2. By the way I am a nurse,
believe me I have thought of everything. I have
heard there is some experimental trials in NY>
will research info.
On 10 January 2004 (07:31 PM),
Mary said:
I too have had surgery for adhesive capsulitis and a manipulation as well! Very painful! I had surgery back in March of 03 and March of ’04 is coming up! Iam still in P.T. once a week, but I still have pain-bearable mor or less, but I don’t think it will ever be the same again! Iam starting to wonder if it just me, or what! I still can’t sleep on it and night is the worst time! Anyone have any suggestions?? E-mail me directly if you wish! Thanks, Mary
On 12 January 2004 (06:48 PM),
Charlotte said:
Hi,
Have developed “frozen shoulder” on my right side – had it about 6 years ago on left.
I have a specific question re the 3phases..freezing, frozen and thawed. Apparently, the early, ‘freezing’ stage is most acute and I understand that practically none of the therapies: physical, drug, surgical are effective during this phase.
WEll, that is where I am and about to invest 600-700 dollars in deep tissue massage. It brought the other shoulder back years ago, but I believe I was at a different phase.
Does anyone have a good understanding of what’s possible in the various phases?
Thanks, Charlotte
On 12 January 2004 (06:48 PM),
Charlotte said:
Hi,
Have developed “frozen shoulder” on my right side – had it about 6 years ago on left.
I have a specific question re the 3phases..freezing, frozen and thawed. Apparently, the early, ‘freezing’ stage is most acute and I understand that practically none of the therapies: physical, drug, surgical are effective during this phase.
WEll, that is where I am and about to invest 600-700 dollars in deep tissue massage. It brought the other shoulder back years ago, but I believe I was at a different phase.
Does anyone have a good understanding of what’s possible in the various phases?
Thanks, Charlotte
On 18 January 2004 (09:51 PM),
christie reid said:
Reading the posts don’t give much comfort. Any advise before its too late for me!!!
My dr. wants to schedule manipulation under anthesia next week for frozen shoulder. Somehow Im wondering if I really want this done. Could I possibly get thru this without the surgery. Im a sucker when it comes to pain.
On 22 January 2004 (09:05 AM),
Peeps said:
Hi,
It has been really interesting to read the comments here from fellow frozen shoulder sufferers. For myself, the fact that nothing much seems to work and that it lasts for at least a year (!) has been some comfort. I began to feel I was just useless. I was sent to a chiropractor by my Personal Trainer and the arm got steadily worse!
My shoulder began to freeze in July last year and now has very little range of movement. The question I would like answered is “If you do nothing at all and wait for it to unfreeze, can you start physiotherapy at that stage?” I find exercises quite painful and really annoying! Lack of sleep is a problem too.
The worst bit for me has been a few occasions when I have put my hand out to stop from tripping over, or got an electric shock off the car and grabbed the arm back quickly. The pain was so intense I just had to squat down, hold my arm and swear (A LOT!!).
I am still looking for answers but mainly waiting to unfreeze and then I might think about exercises. I swim, if you can call it that, in a very leisurely fashion. It’s nice to have the arm float free in the water.
Good luck everyone.
Will report back if a miracle happens!
On 03 February 2004 (05:19 PM),
maureen said:
I found a GREAT forum for frozen shoulder. I’ve been a contributor for more than a year, and there are lots of people on it, with lots of great stories, support and information. Here is the site:
http://www.shoulder1.com/community/forums20.cfm/126
You have to register to contribute, but it’s fast and easy and I never get any spam from them.
See you there!
— Maureen
On 11 February 2004 (05:32 PM),
Joanne said:
Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows the difference between FS occuring after rotator cuff repair as compared to spontaneously ???? I have it after a rotator cuff repair, and I wish I never did it!!! I am going to fairly aggresive PT and have already done the manipulation +cortisone . Rotator cuff surgery was in November and manipulation was 2 weeks ago. The problem I am having is that my Dr. acts so surprised by my pain! He continuously wants me to go off or decrease my pain pills (tylenol with codeine at present) I don’t sleep well. The only thing that helps at night is ice. I leave it on until it’s warm………….. My Dr. wants to do another MRi (one after surgery showed Maybe a new tear in the cuff) I am going to get another opinion but any comments????? This guy is supposed to be the best and people think I’m crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ParkerPlace7@aol.com
On 26 February 2004 (08:16 AM),
pippa said:
Ohmigosh! It sounds very similar to what I am going through. I had bone spur/rotator cuff surgery 10 weeks ago, and have completely hit a wall. I can passively lift my arm straight up, but can only raise it by itself about 100 degrees. I can see in the mirror that there is no rotation in the joint at all – it looks like a baseball on top raising. My doctor just says, “That’s all you can do? Keep working,” but there has been little to no change for weeks. I keep beating myself up because I’m not progressing, but then started looking at what was going on. No meds have been prescribed, so I’ve started treating myself: aspirin for inflamation, heating pads and BenGay-type rubs for circulation, have started taking glucosamine and MSM – and now my insurance plan’s PT coverage is running out (20 visits per calendar year). If this is frozen shoulder and time is necessary to heal, I wonder if I should continue at $100/visit, when these treatments are not helping (doing my exercises at home, of course)? And has anyone tried the Neil-Asher treatments (frozenshoulder.com)? I am so ready to be normal again! and so frustrated!!
On 15 March 2004 (07:18 PM),
Cyndy said:
I share everyone’s frustrations. My doc also wants to get aggressive. I’m only 5 months into this and am wondering if I should go ahead. It sounds tempting to get some pain relief, but there’s always the chance that it will be worse afterwards. One thing I’ve tried that helps some is a salve called Unkers. Some oldtimers at my church swear by it. When you use it and then apply a heating pad, it sort of intensifies the heat and eases the muscle pain some. You can order it on the net. I hope everyone has a TENS unit. You can’t use it 24/7, but when it’s really bad or you have to be sitting in a meeting, it really helps. Also found some research that says psychological stress and the weather make the pain worse. (As if being in constant pain isn’t stressful!) All the best to fellow sufferers.
Cyndy
On 16 March 2004 (07:36 AM),
janet said:
8 yrs ago, i had frozen shoulder, by the time i went to doc, so much muscle had wasted. Went to pt 3x weekly for 6 wks, stopped going and did exercises at home…..cured…now, i have a problem in other shoulder….did not feel quite the same , but told it is frozen shoulder,rotator cuff tear. Going for MRI today—doc also want to manipulate possibly depending on MRi—very limited motion up, back—-hurts to lift patients on my job=
On 16 April 2004 (10:12 PM),
Juli said:
I too,have adhesive capsulitis in my left shoulder. This was quite a surprise to me as I have always been physically active and my chosen profession is massage therapy. I have been a massage therapist for 17 years and have addressed FS on many occaisions. Two years ago I began teaching massage therapy and became somewhat inactive as a practitioner. Inactivity, I have since found, is one of the major contributors to FS. One of the most important discoveries I have made is that it really helps to drink water on a regular basis. We are all human and it is easy to overlook drinking water for other more satisfying beverages. Most times, FS is medically addressed with Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Cortisone injections, or various approaches with surgery. Sometimes this works. However, alternative methods with specific massage applications can bring relief, allow for sleep, increase range of motion (ROM) and relieve FS altogether. I too, (even though an MT) have tried going to chiropractors, doctors, PT’s and OT’s for a diagnosis and relief with little or no success, til I met an OT at the VA hospital with years of success working with FS sufferers. She was the first to suspect I might have frozen shoulder. I took it for granted that I just “overused” my shoulder with years of performing massage, but this did not make sense to me, because I did not have it on the right shoulder. After my referred visit to Osteo at the VA, the diagnosis was confirmed. The doctor laid out all my options, but did not have any inkling if or how massage would or could address my pain and lack of movement. Personally, I knew better and decided right then to include massage into my rehab plan. I opted for the protocol that my past clients have utilized and that is consistant water intake, little or no caffiene (affects nerve activity within muscles and tendons), nothing that would dehydrate my tissues (diuretics, water pills, or alcoholic drinks), OT and massage therapy. I am in my second week of this routine and already I am enjoying more movement with less pain. (I can even put my arm behind my back to zip up a skirt-something I have not been able to do for 18 months!) My OT has me doing several exercises, but not to the point of pain. Four of the most beneficial exercises for me use a pully and hanging weights. The pully exercises use a portable pully that fits over any door and once the door is closed you place a chair about 1-2 feet facing away from the door. Sitting in the chair, you would grasp the handles with thumbs posistioned in the “up” position and pulling on the handles, raise the unaffected arm first and then the affected side. Once the affected side is stretched to capacity, hold it there for 5-10 seconds to maximize the stretch. Do not pull so hard that there is excruciating pain. This only aggravates the stretch response (built into muscles for protection against tears in the tissue) Eventually your time for holding the stretch will increase and your movement will improve. Another exercise with the pully is to stretch from a “side-sitting” position with the affected side closest to the door, but place the chair so that the shoulder is in line with the pully. Sitting too far back or too far forward will make the exercises ineffective. Again, have the chair sitting out from the door 1-2 feet. As you gain more movement, the chair can be moved further out from the door. Same with the previous exercise. The “hanging weight” exercises consist of a two pound wrist weight wrapped around the wrist and performing small (really small at first) circles while bending at the waist and supporting your weight on a kitchen table or countertop. Ten (10) clockwise and ten (10) counter-clockwise, three times a day. As this gets easier, you may increase number of circles and make the “circular path” wider. At this time I have increased my hanging weight to 5 pounds. This exercise has a “traction” effect on the glenohumeral joint, pulling the humerous gently and restoring neurological muscle memory to nerve proprioceptors found in tendons and muscles. (Re-educates tissues what it is like to move again). As far as my experience with getting massage, it is important to find a therapist that is educated in the area of neuromuscular therapy/re-education. Active resisted movement, trigger point therapy, post-isometric relaxation, myofascial release, along with cross-fiber friction should be used to address the rotator cuff muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor and Subscapularis). Also, it is highly beneficial to have the massage therapist concentrate where the Subscapularis and Serratus Posterior Superior meet and glide (move) across each other. In most instances the Latissimus Dorsi and Serratus Anterior areas will need to be addressed as well. Of course, during all this pain the client has endured, his or her breathing will tend to be shallow and this severly affects the Scalenes and Sternocleidomastoids (neck muscles) which are attached to the 1st and 2nd ribs. The massage therapist will have to address any tightness existing there and help restore diaphragmatic breathing- also known as “stomach breathing”, filling the lungs with air using the diaphram first- this gives those neck muscles a vacation!! I must disclose that this may not be the routine for you and I have no scientific data to support my claims. I am basing this on my years of experience (17) as a massage therapist addressing FS and what my clients have told me helps them and on what has personally helped me. I highly recommend that you find an Occupational Therapist to help you with your rehabilitation exercise plan as they are not as aggressive as Physical Therapists and I find that the intricate movements my OT has given me have helped a great deal. If you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to email me using frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis in the subject matter line at la_julikay@yahoo.com-Yours in light and health, JULI
On 03 March 2005 (10:01 AM),
Von said:
I am also part of this club. Began having pain about one year ago, but truly froze in the past few months. Have gone through Arthrogram, MRI, seven weeks of physical therapy, and acupuncture. ACUPUNCTURE is the only thing that has helped the pain. I have had five treatments of acupuncture. She thought she could cure me in ten. I may have too severe a case to actually cure in ten treatments, but I cannot believe the aid I received in the pain level. I have never taken any prescription drugs for pain, so I was 24/7 in pain. She recommended White Willow Bark as a natural form of aspirin. It helps greatly without the risk of stomach or liver damage.
My doctor still feels I have not gained motion like he had hoped. He wants to do the scope and manipulation. I am hesitant about this. I need advice from those that have had it. Did you gain enough motion to warrant it?
Thanks!
On 16 March 2005 (12:22 PM),
Debby said:
I feel everyone’s pain. I too have a FS. I went through several months of pain before seeing an Ortho surgeon. I’ve been in therapy for 3 months. In my opinion I have seen a 70% improvement. I think alot of that has to do with keeping up with the exercises at home. I went back to the Ortho for a follow up to see how I was doing.He said I could either live with the pain or do surgery. I requested more PT. The therapist is trying to talk me into surgery. After all the research I have done I don’t want to. I’m going to wait about a year or so and see if it gets even better. In the meantime it’s very important to keep up the exercises. Heat and Ice seems to help also.
One thing does puzzle me, with all the technoligy why can’t they cure us?
On 08 April 2005 (03:45 PM),
Estalyn said:
Hello – I also was diagnosed with FS after having rotator cuff repair in December 2004. Last week my doctor did a manipulation under anesthesia and what he called arthroscopic lysis of adhesions. He implanted a pain pump for a few days which helped the P.T. maneuver my arm in all sorts of directions. Have to say that my ROM is so much better one week post-op. Hope everyone is feeling better soon.
On 13 May 2005 (06:08 PM),
Natalie said:
Hi, everyone. I have had frozen shoulder for about 9 or 10 months, though it didn’t get extremely bad until last October when I had a benign cyst removed from the shoulder. (I had been thinking my worsening shoulder pain was from the cyst – – silly me.)
ONE THING THAT HELPED A LOT with the night pain… my physical therapist told me to sleep sitting up – – like in a recliner or propped with pillows. It really did help a lot with that horrible, horrible pain at night. I still would wake up around 3:30 or 4:00 am and sleep fitfully until time to get up, but that was MUCH better than how it had been. Apparently the pull of gravity keeping the joint slightly open keeps the nerves from being so irritated. Nights are the worst.
I had the manipulation done in March and it did help. I had a great deal of improvement in motion, pain and that horrible constant feeling you have like something is grabbing your shoulder blade and pulling it. But, though things are better, I’m far from cured. Today a nurse went to take my blood pressure and put the cuff on the upper arm and pressurized it – – I nearly jumped out of my skin, the pain was so intense. So much for my nice normally low b.p. readings.
I just can’t wait until this is over. Just to have two normal shoulders again seems like such a gift. In the meantime, I grit my teeth and keep doing my exercises.
On 28 May 2005 (08:25 AM),
Carol said:
I developed frozen shoulder out of the blue in Oct. 04 at the age of 42. In Feb. 05 I was diagnosed and started p.t. twice a week. After 2 months, I had not improved at all, and my doctor insisted that I needed a manipulation. She sent me to an orthopedist. I did not want surgery, however, so the orthopedist agreed to prescribe more p.t. After 2 more months of p.t. plus 5 sessions of osteopathic manipulation, my range of motion has improved somewhat, and the pain has diminished. I saw the orthopedist again last week, and he thinks if I continue improving as I have, in another 3 months, this won’t even be an issue for me anymore. So, this summer I’ll be having more p.t. and osteopathy. By the way, I highly recommend osteopathic manipulation! It helped me a lot.
On 06 June 2005 (10:38 PM),
Amanda said:
I’m a 33 year old female and i have adhesive capsulitis on my right shoulder. The pain is unbearable! especially at night. I decided to drink more water, lots of water! and cut down on the caffiene, and stretch every hour very slowly with pain killers (2 advils 2 extra strength tylenol)It does get frustrating but you really have to discipline yourself. Within 3 days MAJOR difference.
Pain is alot more milder. Hydrating your body and and keeping your shoulder moving really helps. i can finally get some sleep.
On 25 June 2005 (09:33 AM),
Lizzi said:
Gosh, it’s good to see I’m not the only person suffering from this and there are some people out there that can understand. I have capsulitis in the left shoulder and though I am going through physio, I don’t see much improvement yet. Nights are the worse and it really affect your daily activities and life. One of the worst things also is lack of understanding from some people who just can’t understand what the big deal is. So, it’s nice to see I’m not alone. Good luck to all and if anyone knows of a miracle, please let me know :)
On 06 July 2005 (11:27 AM),
Sham said:
hi, i’m in my final year studying osteopathic medicine. in my clinic so far, i have only seen this condition once and the best exercise tip is to stand in front of a wall facing it or facing parallel to it, put your hand out as much as you can so you touch the wall with your index and middle fingers. Now perform a walking action up the wall (until you feel pain). Now mark your limit on the wall and do this everyday 20 times, you should see the marking on the wall go higher and higher. See results in one month but remember, it will hurt, you’ve got to push yourself to the limit. Good luck!
On 06 July 2005 (11:31 AM),
Sham said:
hi, i’m in my final year studying osteopathic medicine. in my clinic so far, i have only seen this condition once and the best exercise tip is to stand in front of a wall facing it or facing parallel to it, put your hand out as much as you can so you touch the wall with your index and middle fingers. Now perform a walking action up the wall (until you feel pain). Now mark your limit on the wall and do this everyday 20 times. The other exercise is to lean forward and let your arm hang beside you and perform a pendulum motion as much as you can everyday ( helps the blood supply to the muscles so they are not wasted. You should see the marking on the wall go higher and higher. See results in one month but remember, it will hurt, you’ve got to push yourself to the limit. Good luck!
On 14 July 2005 (01:56 PM),
Bonnie said:
I’m not sure there is a miracle but I am slowly recovering from a FS without a manipulation. Mine started in January worsened for a few months but now is getting better since the cortisone shot 6 weeks ago. The physical therapy/exercise in the beginning only aggravated the pain and made it worse. The improvement began when I quit PT! Besides the Cortisone shot, drinking lots of water, and keeping my shoulders warm especially at night has helped. Beware of cold air conditioning! Now that most of the pain has subsided, I am doing the usual shoulder stretching exercises. In another six weeks, if my shoulder is not completely better, my doctor suggested an additional cortisone shot. I understand the sleepless nights, I understand trying to live in constant pain with a grimace on my face. My FS is slowly getting better and it feels good to smile.
On 20 July 2005 (11:27 AM),
Linda said:
After reading Natalie’s comment on Adhesive Capsulitis in May of 2005, I am now curious as to whether my condition is also the result of having had a cyst removed from my shoulder. The surgery was done over two years ago but the scar lies directly over where my pain is. I’ve been through PT, home stretching and it is still bothering me. My range of motion is better but the pain is not gone. It’s been almost ten months since my initial injury. ( I thought I had injured it by reaching into the backseat of my car from the front.) I’ve been to two doctor’s now and both believe my cyst removal is just a coincidence, I’m doubtful though. I’m now to go through another course of PT for 6 to 8 weeks and if my pain is not gone the Ortho Doc wants to operate. I have lot’s of funky sounds going on when I rotate my shoulder, crepetis I’m told. I’m not sure if the spelling is correct for that term. Anyhow, I’m sorry for everyone suffering with this, it bites! I can’t sleep unless I take something to help relax me. I miss putting my arm under my pillow at night and resting on my left side. My sympathies to all of you Adhesive Capsulitis sufferers. I’ve at least been validated by the comments, I agree, it hurts like crazy.
EMail me if you wish, Mammie1024@adelphia.net
On 24 July 2005 (02:49 PM),
Mary said:
I too have had and am dealing with Adhesive capsulitis! I’ve had two manipulations on right side! I’ve had a total of 5 surgeries on right shoulder! A year ago i came down with it on my left side!I’ve only had one surgery on left side to date! So, essentially I’ve been dealing with this condition for a couple years! The good news is, the last manipulation finally did it! I can reach to 163.! Iam happy with that! That’s reaching straight out and up! Once I get the right one squared away, we get to work on the left one! Seems like it’s never ending! As for myself,I have tried to keep some sence of humor! It’s tough though! It’s true that people who haven’t had it, have absolutely no clue! Good luck to everyone else! Just be patient! Iam trying, as i still have some pain Iam dealing with on a daily and nightly bases!
On 20 August 2005 (07:42 AM),
trevor said:
A UK Osteopath in London (Dr Simeone Niel-Asher) claims to have meade alot of progress in the treatment of Frozen Shoulder
He claims to be able to ‘cure’ it in several one hour sessions and he has trained a few USA practitioners
See www.frozenshoulder.com
I am moving to London soon and I hope to see this guy personally but he also has self help CDs and books on his website
Trevor
On 22 August 2005 (12:22 PM),
Janice said:
I have had frozen shoulder for about 18 months total. Went through 3 1/2 months of physical therapy and 2 cortisone injection and was better for several months but the pain has steadily gotten worse and so has the stiffening over the summer. I am to have a manipulation under anesthesia in 2 weeks with physical therapy daily for 3 weeks after this. I think he is doing a nerve block at the same time. I was hoping to take only about 3 days off of work and then go back to work, working around by physical therapy. Is this realstic? I would think the pain would be better.
On 30 August 2005 (02:12 AM),
Gail (Australia) said:
You guys are really not cheering me up at all !!
I had a yachting accident 10 weeks ago and was diagnosed with a full thickness rotator cuff tear. I had surgery six weeks ago (unbelievably painful !!) and was told the day after surgery that I didn’t have a R/C tear at all and that they actually found a fracture.
Lucky me – both my x-ray and ultra sound scan were wrong !!
To top it all off – I went back for my final post-op checkup today to be told that I have a frozen shoulder.
I have had Physio Therapy the whole time since my injury but obviously it did nothing to prevent me developing this problem.
As with all of you – the pain in unbelievable (and unrelenting) and sleep is a thing of the past.
I wish you all (and me) a speedy recovery :-)
On 10 September 2005 (07:55 AM),
cj said:
I have an appt. with ortho next week. Was told by another doc that I have FS. Initially, pain was mostly shoulder/neck but now right arm is severely affected and last few days, there is numbing involved. MY QUESTION: I have lyme disese and really want to avoid the cortisone type treatment as I’ve been advised that this is very counter-productive for those with lyme.. terrible for immune system. What is the chance of me getting good treatment without it involving some type of cortisones??
Thanks, cj
On 13 September 2005 (07:59 AM),
suzanReither said:
I don’t know whether physical therapy is good or not. Could someone advise me before I start. I am in excruciating pain at night and have been for over 3 months.
Thank you.
On 26 September 2005 (11:49 PM),
mike said:
Hi,
My frozen shoulder diagnosis came three weeks ago. I am a fiddler, and it is my right shoulder. I play fiddle right-handed, though fortunately I am a lefty at everything else.
I have to say that I’ve suffered a number of injuries along life’s road, including a compound fracture of a leg (broken in three places, ankle broken too..sky diving accident) and have never had anything nearly this painful.
I’m unable to play fiddle, of course. Physical therapy doesn’t seem to be helping yet. Have only had a couple weeks of it. It hurts virtually all the time, and the only way I can sleep is to take three or four Lortab 10/500s.
Please tell me this will get better. This condition is redefining my concept of agony. I know it will, but I need to hear from someone who’s actually been through it.
On 09 October 2005 (02:13 PM),
debbie said:
I’ve been researching FS ever since my right shoulder froze suddenly in July. The most frustrating thing is not knowing what treatment is best. I’ve had 20 physical therapy treatments with very little improvement in ROM; however, the pain is considerably better. No way to know if that is due to PT or whether it would be getting better anyway on its own. My PT is VERY aggressive – lots of pain, which my ortho told me to expect. Despite the PT, my doctor wants to do a closed manipulation b/c of so little improvement in ROM. I am 52 and ordinarily VERY physically active, so those who attributed this condition to sedentary lifestyle, I don’t think so. I was doing over an hour of aerobic exercise, usually running or biking, six days a week when this occured. Anyway, what concerns me is that the therapy causes lots of pain and not in the shoulder. It’s usually in my arm, my bicep muscle (even get bruises on arm after therapy) or back. The therapy, by its very nature, puts stress on all of the ligaments, tendons, and muscles as the PT tries to increase ROM. Also, I have had so much stiffness in my neck. I can’t even hold a book and read or sit in one position for more than a few minutes without stiffness in my neck. Does everyone have this problem? It’s much better than intense pain, but makes if virtually impossible to return to work. Has anyone had any negative effects after manipulation? Should I stick with the PT longer?
hey everyone, ive had fs for the past 16 months, go to the ortho every 3 months, decided we should do the manipulation on the 27 th of this month, ive gone thru the therepy and all, cant lift my arm past my chest when out to the side….really dont know weather to have this manipulation or not..would love to get to talk to someone who has had this already…thanks
I had rotator cuff impingement 13 years ago, and aggressive Physical Therapy made it much worse. Then, I went to a Physcial Therapist who went slowly, using heat and ultrasound and moved my shoulder himself. Over 6 months time, it got better, and I was able to start to do stretches myself. Ilearned to do things differently, keeping my elbows in by my body, and eventually regained full range of motion and use. It took two years before I was pain-free but then, I was able to do anything I wanted.
It seems that the orthodox medical world has no real or effective treatment for frozen shoulder(or as they delight in telling you “Adhesive Capsulitis”)
Injections, manipulation , mainstream physiotherapy , Arthroscopy,(the latest in the surgeons gadget bag) may all provide a little temporary relief, but the effect soon wears off. As the condition often gets better of its own accord, claims for the efficacy of these treatments are questionable. Indeed many courageous doctors are admitting they have no real cure. Some of you might like to start investigating “Trigger Point therapy” Simeon Niel Asher of London an acclaimed osteopath uses it in his practice where he cures frozen shoulders in weeks. Look him up on the net. He has associates around the world. He has a kit also for treating yourself. Also Clair Davies who has published the “Trigger Point Workbook” is releasing “The Frozen Shoulder Workbook in September. Though dont expect much help or support from your usual therapist, practitioner or surgeon when you start talking about trigger point therapy. Even though its been around since 1930’s few have learnt about it, and even fewer seem prepared to expend the effort, as it seems to go against mainstream medical opinion. Indeed many therapists will rubbish it, or spout some misinformation to steer you away. Why you ask ? Because it heals quickly or you can treat yourself, they cant get good fees, or build a large medical bill. It also negates much of what they know, so they dont look too good. Because some practitioners have used acupuncture type needles with T.P.T with limited success, it tends to be lumped together with acupuncture. I am reminded of the doctor who claimed ulcers were caused by a bacteria, only to be denounced by the whole medical world. It took a long time before he was proved right.
I found this chat by accident and am most definitely depressed. I broke my collarbone in March of 2006 and developed frozen shoulder after having my arm in a sling for 6 weeks. I went through 10 weeks of extensive, painful PT. My progress came to a standstill and I finally had a Catscan done, which revealed the collarbone was indeed not healing. I had surgery on July 25th and had a titanium plate and screws put in to hold it together. I only wore the sling for 2 weeks but it didn’t matter, my shoulder is worse now than ever. My surgeon manipulated the shoulder while he had me out and the only thing I’ve noticed is that now I feel waves of pain down my arm. Because of the plate, I think I’m also experincing new neck pain to make this even worse. I havn’t slept well in 5 nights as I’m out of the perkoset, so only taking Ibuprofen 800.
I really am praying for a miracle…I had hoped someone out there knew what the right course of action would be. We all can’t be this crazy…which atleast makes me feel a little better.
I suffered a broken shoulder blade and although my shoulder has healed, I now have frozen shoulder from being in a sling for 6 weeks and not moving it. Physical therapy helps some with painkillers. Also daily exercises and stretching. My doctor mentioned manipulation but I said no. I am considering deep tissue massage. Some of you say you have healed? How long was it before you healed with no manipulation or surgery?
I returned from the doctor last week with a “fs” diagnosis, the treatment option I was given was closed manipulation (which I am reluctant to do). He said not much else can be done-see me in 6 weeks-help! I experience frequent intense muscle spasms, any suggestions for relief? My sister-in-law is into magnets so she gave me one for my shoulder, I sleep with that and a heating pad and advil pm, seems to work until about 4am. I quit pt for a week and pain seems to be less, is this advisable? My dr. dosen’t seem to think pt will help.
I have been diagnosed with frozen shoulder in the frozen stage but also including bursitis and traumatic arthritis. It hurts.
Doctor explained, the only thing that increases movement is direct massage to the capsule. (top of the shoulder around the bone joint) I do it myself and it does work. My arm movement is severely restricted and I gain about 10 degrees movement after manipulation.
I have had manipulation by Chiropracter for my spine and neck to get everything “aligned” and then physio therapy. Do some exercises and massage advised by doctor. Some days are better than others.
My question is this: How to reduce the pain?
4 months is a bit long but I do understand that frozen shoulder can continue for 2 years!.
The pain has mostly dissapated now. Still small spasms and the same immovable shoulder. Direct massage to the capsule helps to gain a little movement.
In this time I found aspirin helped for the pain. Now I believe it is just a matter of time for movement to return – slowly.
Keep your hopes up, the pain and spasm does go away but the process is slow.
Hi everyone. It was good to read all your emails and it has been helpful if only to realise I am not alone. It has also made me realise that it may be better to let my frozen shoulder get better without the help of the medical profession. Night times are for sure the worse and I am now sleeping on a reclining chair. I am going to join the gym tomorrow as I have found swimming eases the pain a lot so daily swimming is essential for me. I think prayer is a possibility also to get better so I will let you know if that works.
Hi everyone I have FS, does Yr PT able to move yr arm in 180 degree position, are you in so much pain when they do it, pls respond, how many of you can do 180 degree manipulation by the PT with so much pain
I was in a car accident, i have been like this for two years and it has now developed in my left shoulder unlike my right shoulder i still have full movement but its worrying me that it may end up like my right shoulder with restricted movement, i have had many injections in shoulder to no avail. i am on several different tablets as it also causes spasms. Also i have started a new job and i have since started get pain in all my main joints! does anyone else have this problem? Or can you email me a web site.
I was in a car accident, i have been like this for two years and it has now developed in my left shoulder unlike my right shoulder i still have full movement but its worrying me that it may end up like my right shoulder with restricted movement, i have had many injections in shoulder to no avail. i am on several different tablets as it also causes spasms. Also i have started a new job and i have since started get pain in all my main joints! does anyone else have this problem? Or can you email me a web site.
Hello Fellow FS Sufferers!I have has MY FS for 10 weeks.I have been doing alot of research I would like to share.To get a vacation from the pain and frustration I did let an Ortho. DR give me one cortisone shot. It definitely reduced the pain.
(orthomassage.net)if you are in the US. James Waslaski has treated thousands of FS with great results.He only teaches and lectures now but has trained practitioners listed on his site.I am trying this method I will keep you updated.
I had frozen shoulder in my left shoulder for a year. It’s a lot better now, but there is still some pain and stiffness, but I can live with that. Unfortunately, it’s happening in my right shoulder now. Sleep is difficult. I think the best treatment is an ice pack, and time. Just wait it out. PT made it worse.
Hi Folks,
Just had arthoscopic surgery to “release the capsule” yesterday. Am in pain today, but I can already tell my range of motion is better. I have already had a PT session today, the day after surgery. It wasn’t real intense, very simple stretching and distraction exercises. My mother also had FS in both shoulders within the last 3 years. She had mainpulation under anesthesia, and is better in both shoulders. It took a while, though. She is a flight attendant and could not work for about 9 months. She is back to work and able to do all the overhead tasks necessary for her job. I am a 37 yr old active male- I teach physical education (tennis, racquetball, weight training, golf, bowling, etc..) at a local community college. I could not afford to be out of work for that long, so I opted for the surgery. My doc said that many people go through PT and suffer fo over a year before before deciding to have surgery. My semester ended on Tuesday, and I had the surgery on Wednesday. I have 5 weeks until the spring semester begins, and I hope to be well on my way ro recovery. My doc and physical therapist said I should be able to resume my active lifestyle in about 6 to 10 weeks if I do all my exercises and continue to go to PT. I also received a pretty cool video of my actual surgery. You can actually see the inflammation in the capsule as may doctor cuts (burns) it away. Having young children, I want to be able to pitch batting practice or play touch football with them when they are a bit older!
By the way, my doc said FS is more common in women than men (especially post-menopausal women), is more common in fair skinned people (my mom is a red-head), might be genetic, is more common in diabetics (fortunately neither my mother nor I have this disease), and happens in both shoulders in about 10-15% of the cases.
I hope this helps, and I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
I achieved complete recovery of motion and cesation of the awful pain after 4 months of aggressive, twice-daily stretching exercises given me by a physical therapist, under the direction of an orthopedic specialist. Contact me directly if you would like a MS Word-95 copy of these exercises.
Thank God I have found this site, by pure chance! I would value any help, support and advice.
This is my story and I hope that someone ‘out there’ can contact me, please!
On 14 December 2005, I felt something (a tendon!)tear in my left shoulder whilst pulling a seat belt for an elderly passenger. I had stretched my left arm behind her seat. The pain was excruciating, but I tried to carry on as normal until January 2006 when I realised something was seriously wrong. I could no longer drive as I could not change the gears, I couldn’t get in or out of the bath, dress myself, wash my hair etc. I had a right fs + supraspinatus tendonitis from 1996-1999, treated with ultrasound (no good) and injections (2) into the shoulder. However, what I am now exeriencing is no comparison, which leaves me questioning that there is something very seriously wrong in my left shoulder and arm.
In one year I have have had two courses of steroids orally, injections in both left and right shoulders (my right shoulder finally snapped in April 2006). Also, so many painkillers, which do nothing except make me feel very sick. In July 2006, my consultant conceded defeat, he couldn’t understand why I was no better and referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon and physiotherapy! Prior to this I had an ultrasound scan on my right shoulder – the pain just having that procedure was excruciating and the doctor couldn’t do the left shoulder because there is no movement! I finally got the MRI scan in June I had asked for in March 2006. It is all such hard work!! The MRI scan confirmed that I have a tendon tear in the left shoulder, adhesive capsulitis, inflammation etc. etc. In the right shoulder impingement syndrome, tendonitis and tendons in both shoulders which are so thin and frayed they could probably tear at any time!
I cannot describe the chronic pain I am in 24 hours, EVERY day and night. Sleep evades me every night. I have been housebound for a year, except for hospital visits and a kind friend who takes me on the occasional outing.
I started physical therapy on 6 Sept. and became a lot worse because of all the manipulation etc.
The muscles in my left arm, shoulder etc. have completely wasted and are now non-existent. I have been working on the limited movement I have in the right shoulder, but find that this just aggravates everything. My back, shoulders and arms feel as if they are on fire all the time.
I finally saw the surgeon in October 2006, who announced that I need operations on both shoulders!! He said he couldn’t guarantee he could get me more than 10% increased movement in my left shoulder, but he would try and that it was a gamble!! This involves a general anaethetic, therefore, is the lack of success with this operation enough for me to take this gamble? I have a date for March 2007 and feel anxious and panicky. I have tried to get a further appointment to see the surgeon to discuss exactly what he is planning to do(I do not want a manipulation under anaesthetic!!). I need to have my questions answered, but have been told that I only see him once and that is it! Obviously, I was not prepared with my questions when I had my consultation in October.
In the meantime, I have had 5 hydrotherapy sessions – the final one so aggressive forcing both my arms back that I fear that the tendon in my left shoulder has torn further and that a tendon has now torn in my right shoulder. I now have pain down my left arm, pain in my hand and ‘pins and needles’ in my hand, so I know there is something definitely very wrong.
My physiotherapist has told me I need to go through ‘the pain barrier’! The next course of action is twice weekly sessions in the gym beginning in January 2007, to build up my non-existent muscles. Whilst I understand the logic, I have to live with the chronic pain. The physio says that because I have such muscle wastage, I would not be able to sustain an operation.
I feel quite desperate at times, even though I have tried to remain positive and cheerful throughout this year. I don’t know if I can cope for another year. Can anyone tell me if surgery has cured their pain and problems? Nobody (except someone with the same problems)really understands, because I look normal, yet am completely disabled with this condition, which has been called Rotator Cuff Disease and Severe Bi-lateral Shoulder Disease.
I feel for all of you who have these debilitating problems and I hope that one of you can advise me via this website or by posting an e-mail address where I can contact you.
I am female and aged 55, but was 54 when this started.
I wish you all a very Happy Christmas – maybe a glass of champagne will numb the pain, but somehow I doubt it!!
I really hope to hear from someone who has been or is going through what I am dealing with.
Thank you.
Hi
If you are in England Pauline check out the website FrozenShoulder.com
I have been dealing with a frozen shoulder myself and have all the symptoms you have.You have the tendon problem also.Physical therapy especially forced manipulation will give you more pain and make it worse with litle benefit.more later
Hi Dorothea
Thank you so very much for your message. It’s good to know I am not alone. Yes, I am in England and will check out the website you mentioned. I have done so much research on fs, but have not found a great deal on the prognosis for fs and torn tendons which cannot be repaired. Do you have torn tendons as well as the frozen shoulder? I look forward to hearing more from you later.
Seven years ago I broke my right shoulder in three places. Adhesive capsulitis set in and no amount of physical therapy helped. I ended up having the adhesions removed via surgery. Went to PT the very next day and continued it until I had full range of motion. Last June I broke my right shoulder in three places and have rotator cuff problems and frozen shoulder again. I am still doing physical therapy with no progression. I am looking forward to the upcoming surgery to remove adhesions as it worked several years ago. Good luck to all of you!
HI Pauline..you can e mail me.i would be happy to be of support to you if I can :)
doldaydag@aol.com
I just stumbled across this site while looking for instructions to build a pully system! I too have frozen shoulder after a rotator cuff tear surgery. Surgery was done Oct 26, 2006 and was told to do passive exercises for 4 weeks, well when I went back to the doctor, my shoulder had frozen. The doctor seems suprised! I feel I should have been in pt from the beginning. I’ve had serious back surgery and this is 10 times worse! I’m doing pt twice a week and home exercises. The pain is unbearable. I take 10/500 hydrocodine before pt and I have found by adding a mudslide with it, I can tolerate pt without tears! I know, I know, not a good idea but you do what you have to do… I’ve been sleeping in a recliner like many of you since surgery. Laying down is impossible! I was beginning to think it was just me being a baby. Not that I would wish this on anyone but I’m glad to hear I;m not alone and it’s not just me.. My husband rigged a finger ladder using a piece of left over wire shelf from a closet project.Today he is building a pully for me. I am improving but the pain level is decreasing VERY slowly. Some days I take more pain meds than I would like to be taking and other days I don’t take any. Yesterday I have a very godd therpist and she really worked the shoulder. I felt great after but later last night the pain was terrible. My rahge of motion has gotten better but most of the range is passive. I have very little strength inthe shoulder or arm and now my hand is being effected. thank god it’s not my primary arm involved. Well I’m glad I found you guys. Any advice is welcomed. Debbie
interesting that none of u mention diabetes. this is my 2nd bout of frozen shoulder – in 2004 took a yr to recover w/it in my lft shoulder. since 5/06 still stiff and in pain w/it in my rt shoulder. been a diabetic for 20 yrs and past few yrs taking meds for hypothyrodism which i’ve read may be a connection to f.s. on daily doses of lortab, finished 5 mos. of p.t. w/little success – considering manipulation under anesthesia. has anyone gone that route and has it lead to more pain and complications? some days i feel like cutting my arm off at the shoulder! joanne
hi
oh how i relate to all of you! slap surgery jan 06 resulted in fs , NO SLEEP, pt 3x wk, major meds and total life change!! dr wants 2 do manip and lysis removal!anyone do this with a good outcome? good luck to all of you
lor
Hi Joanne I am pleased you have you mentioned the diabetes/thyroid predisposition to FS because yesterday I arranged a blood test (to be done on 17 Jan.) via my GP for all these tests to try and get to the bottom of my FS problems (See my story – 22 Dec.2006). I am in UK and not once in 12 months has the hospital suggested a blood test. I started Pt in Sept. 2006, which has given me more problems – my right shoulder now in serious trouble and no improvement in the left. I have done research in to MUA and would NEVER consider it myself. My own feeling is that the FS is enough to deal with and it’s a case of ‘riding it out’ and trying every conservative treatment available.
Lor – Feel for you too – I can relate! Chronic pain, no sleep, meds to no avail and total life change. I try and keep positive – which is difficult at times!
I hope you both (and others) keep posting please – it helps to read how people are getting on.
Good luck. Pauline
I just stumbled upon this sight as I lay awake another night in pain. I have had shoulder problems for the last 2 years. After several cort. injections, the tendonitis cleared up. Then without cause (can’t attibute anything I did or an injury), my left shoulder started giving me pain in late 2005. Figuring it would just eventually go away, I put up with it until Feb. 2006. My practioner gave me a another cort injection and prescribed an anti-inflammatory. It temporaily helped but within a month, the pain came back. I had an Xray which was inconclusive of a rotator tear so I had an MRI. In the mean time, they gave me another cort. injection. The MRI came back with calcific tendonitis and a possible SLAP tear. I was supposed to start with PT but the cort injection seemed to help, so I didn’t bother going. Then of course by June, the pain was back with a vengence. Now, I was also having difficulty moving my arm as well. I was told I had to wait 3 months before I could have another injection so in July I had another injection. This time, it was no help so I thought I better try the PT. I was going on vacation, so I didn’t start the PT until August. By that time, I had a great loss of my range of motion and after 3 weeks without any help, my PT recommended me talking with my family doctor to see a orthopedic surgeon. I saw him in August. He diagnosed me not only with the calcific tendonitis, and a possbile SLAP tear, but also with adhesive capsulitis and wanted to try another round of PT and then a followup in about 4 weeks. The PT was excruciating trying to manipulate a shoulder that just wouldn’t move. The therapy was no help, so at my next appt, he said that I have pretty much exhausted everything and that surgery would be the last step to resolve the pain. I not only work full-time, but am a part-time college student as well, so I put off the surgery until my winter break. I had surgery on Dec. 14. I did not have a tear, but I had a lot of calcium deposits within the rotator which they removed. He performed a manipulation and removed the adhesions and performed an acromioplasty. The pain after the surgery was horrible. I take vicodin, but that only gives me about 3 hours of sleep-doesn’t help the pain, just makes me sleepy. If I take 2, I get extremely itchy and can’t sleep at all. I hate to be a complainer so I won’t ask the doctor for anything different. I started PT the week after surgery for 3x’s a week. Since it was the holidays, I only could fit in 2x’s per week. I am now at 4 weeks post op and am in just as much pain if not more prior to the surgery. The range of motion is not much better. The physical therapy is killing me. I figured it was just me being a big baby, and that this really is not that painful until I read all the posts. Now, I know that I’m not alone. I am only 38 and have no idea what I did to get all these problems. Now, my right shoulder is starting to get irritated and sore. I go to the doctor on Monday and am not sure what he is going to say. At this point, I am somewhat dissapointed. I knew it would be painful to have the surgery, but had no idea it would be this painful and that it wasn’t going to be fixed overnight. I figured after 4 weeks, I should be feeling pretty good and the pain would be considerably gone. I don’t really know what I was thinkng because I’m tired of not sleeping and the pain I’m in constantly. I hope the doctor will have some words of hope for me next week when I see him again.
Kathy, You are so not alone! I don’t think anyone who has not had this can truely understand the pain involved. I’m going around and around with my disability insurance right now. They say I should be back to work! I said I wouldn’t wish this on anyone but if just the person that decides the time off allowed for frozen shoulder, could have just a week of this, maybe they would change their minds and realize 1-3 weeks is not enough time. I work with thousands of dollars a day (over a million a month, and there is no way I would trust myself counting that much money and being responsible for a daily deposit, with the amount of pain I’m in or with the meds I take. The last few days have shown some improvement, but it has been since Oct 26!! I would much rather be working than being home and feeling helpless. I do PT twice a week and at home as well. It’s been a long process that I understand only time can help. Best of luck to you. Debbie
I hurt my shoulder back in June of 06.It started with a small tear and then it froze up. I went to 3 different Drs. The first Dr.told me not to move the arm and to take Aleve for the pain, which I did. If it wasnt better in a couple of weeks they would send me to an orthopedic surgeon. By the time I went back, I couldnt lift my arm at all, the pain was excruciating. They made me an appointment to see the OS, that took another couple of weeks. Once I saw him he wouldnt do anything until I got an MRI. (that took another week and the results yet another). Once I got the results of the MRI I received my frst cortisone shot and was sent home with a prescription of hydrocodone as well as an anti inflamatory. I was told to do range of motion exercises at home. ( He failed to tell me what kind) I decided after that vist to get another opinion. The new OS started me in agressive physical therapy as well as another cortisone shot. I have been going to PT since August, so it been a little over 5 months of therapy. In October I had yet another cortisone shot, this was the first one that my pain subsided a bit. In November I had manipulation surgery. The surgery it self was not bad, but I have been disappointed with the results. They only manipulated the arm 80% because they thought they would break a bone. Now I am at a stand still and the DR. does not want to do anything else. My PT is great but says with out another surgery there isnt much more they can do. The pain seems to be worsening again. I have been battling minor depression since this all started. I have been very sensitive lately and cry easily. Working fulltime and going to PT for 2 hours 3 times a week is getting quite old. I need a miracle! Anyone got one out there? :-)
Definitely got some good info here. I started freezing in Oct 2006, got the FS diagnosis this month Jan 2007, have started heat treatment, stretching, I use Aspercreme topically, taking glucosamine/chondroitin orally, I will NOT do any shots, manipulation, surgery, as I have read that FS will get better over time. I hope so. Also, there is a good Yahoo group for FS sufferers, here:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Frozen_Shoulder_Sufferers/
Jake-Thanks for the info about the yahoo group. It gets very frustrating because you expect after surgery that the pain should be dramatically reduced. At this point, I’m really not sure whether I should have had the surgery or not. Unfortunatley, the calcium deposits within the rotator wouldn’t go away unless they were removed so I guess I neeed the surgery for that. Now, I really could care less if my left shoulder moves, if only the pain would go away. I know the therapy didn’t work for me prior to surgery so I am not real positive this time. Hopefully in time, this will get better without anymore shots and more surgery. Good luck with your treatment. Keep me posted on your progress.
I finally got into to see the Orthopedic surgeon and thought I was dealing with a torn rotator cuff and was told the small tear was not the problem, he told me I have a frozen shoulder. I just turned 40 and I’m falling apart. He said after a very short examination that I will need to have surgery on my shoulder to remove any scar tissue and will need manipulation. I am really nervous and now after finding this site, am more apprehensive with some of the results. Surgery is three weeks away.
Well i just came upon this trying to find info for a holistic approach to this problem. I also have FS and just saw the OS and was told surgery wasnt an option nor was cortisone. Ive only been to PT 3x in the last two weeks. The DR said I should stop for a while. Cant tell if I feel better with heat or cold. However I didnt read anyone address this situation from the perspective of systemic inflammation or dietay influences.
I believe in western and eastern medicine and any alternative medicine combinations. I have had this since oct of 2006 and have tried a few of each. Homeopathic and energy treatments along with aromatherepy. (which address the cause and the symptoms) however they can get costly.
And to delve into supplements can break the bank. So thats my deliema.
Anyone find anything that has worked that is affordable? I am willing to try anything however husband follows strick western medicine guidelines and doctors and whatever a copay will cover.
I do believe the body can heal itself and that there are ways to help it move along faster, however expence is in question. I cant afford energy treatments every day,week and to completely detox and change diet cold turkey is just as costly. Any body with advice? Sorry to get off of tradional treatment, but its not going to be off any help to me at this point.
Maybe after all the inflammation has quited down. And has anyone associated this with any auto-immune disorders? thanks and good luck to you all out there suffering as i know it is extemely painfull. Light and love.
If you’re here looking for success stories, stop and move on to the next post. I am 29, Type 1 diabetic for 25 years, and have had a frozen shoulder for over 3 years. Yes, YEARS. I got the corizone shots (3 of them) at the start, did the year of physical therapy, got an MRI, and nothing has touched it. I am currently going to a chiropractor (Gonstead type which some people hate) who thinks he can fix it in a year to the tune of 4700 dollars (my insurance only covers 700). I am very leery that I am being told the truth here. I don’t have an aching pain, just the extreme drop you to your knees and take your breath away for about 30 seconds when I move it wrong. I don’t think I can tell the chiro guy to go ahead, but I honestly feel like this will never go away. I mean its been 3 years, thats over 1,000 days of this crap! I’ve enjoyed reading whats worked for other people, and may take some of the tips provided. Mostly, I just wanted to vent to a forum that understands this.
10/02/07 – 5:11 (age 54 -female)
Really helpful to hear all these stories. I started with pain in left arm about Nov 06. Had been doing floor exercises a few months previously. The pain had started to come on gradually, so thought it had something to do with pushing too hard while exercising. Didn’t go to the Dr at first as wasn’t too bad, & my husband rubbing my arm with deep heat or tiger balm, which has helped a little, short term. As it got worse, so went to Dr,also went to a PT – who taped it up, but didn’t help. At that stage thought it was from exercise. Then had ct scan, from that radiologist & Dr diagnosed FS. Dr advised injections or surgery – said no to both,as previous experience with Dr’s have been negative/lousy to say the least. Don’t have chronic pain continually, but it’s a pain in the !!!!!!!, when I move it around or jerk it or at night as everyone else seems to feel also. Only taking panadol at the moment, but contemplating taking something stronger to help sleep, as don’t like drugs longterm unless absolutely necessary.
But as said previously, tiger balm or deep heat seems to help a little. Keep you posted.
I am so happy to have found this web site. I have been “googling” FS and finally put in chat room. I almost want to cry reading everyones stories as I can totally relate to everyone. I had FS in my left shoulder in 2002. Lifting heavy weights at the time. I work out every day and didn’t think much of it. Went to the ortho Dr. had the mri, etc..diagnosed FS. This past Sept, I started having symptoms again–only in my right shoulder. I swim 2-3 times a week, so keeping my arms/shoulders active for the past 5 years did not do any good in preventing it from recurring. The last 3-4 months I have the unbearable nerve pain. Lack of sleep, etc. If anyone wants to write direct to me and talk more, I am open to it. My email address is janaharrison@hotmail.com. This website has been a godsend to me. I have been so frustrated and agree that I can’t believe no one has found a cure for this! I’m just praying alot and taking aleeve/davocet.
update to my 1/2007 posting – surgeon performed a shoulder manipulation late january – experiencing minor pain now only when i’m in physical therapy – can sleep at night now, using and gaining strengh in arm and ROM much better – still need to work towards full recovery but going this route has produced good results.
Hi, was glad to read most of the responses. I think I originally hurt my left shoulder throwing a ball (i am righty). I was ok for a while but i started to rest my shoulder because it was sore and I also play the guitar and that aggravated it. So i was icing and adviling it with no luck. I tried accupuncture and while it felt good, it didnt offer permanent relief, although i must add, it helped me when my elbow was sore. When i went to ortho dr, i couldnt believe how restricted my movement had become. He wanted to give me a shot right away, but i resisted and asked for anti-inflams, i started therapy the next week and two weeks later was on follow-up with ortho, who put me in needle room and i got my shot. The shot wasnt bad but i couldnt sleep even though i iced it. I didnt move it too much, which i think might have been a mistake. But anyway, am on fifth week of therapy and am doing my exercises. The severe jolts of pain i used to get, from sudden movements,which lasted up to 20 seconds, havent disappeared but are less frequent. I did ask for an mri and was diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis, my therapist insists i have frozen shoulder. I think they are both right, i rested my shoulder and it froze up. Today my dr wanted me to schedule arthroscopic surgery to break up scar tissue and shave bone spur. I am going to get a second opinion first. I have drinking a lot of water but should also stop that cup of coffee in the morning, believe it or not, i think it makes the shoulder sorer. Sorry for no words of wisdom, i do my exercises twice a day, religously and hopefully i can avoid surgery. I do cutup advil capsules and mix them with a solution of ben gay, it does seem to help.
Good luck to everyone and thanks for listening
March 13, 2007.
It does console me quite a bit to read these messages; however sorry for everyone’s pain. I just got a frozen shoulder, about 3 weeks ago, and find the pain excruciating.
I had a hard fall on the ice, on Jan. 2, of this year. I fell backwards, and my right arm hit the ice hard, however at the time I thought I had possibly broken my elbow. it turned out that I didn’t, however I had alot of pain in my upper arm, elbow, and only slightly in the shoulder. I treated it myself, using balms, etc. I even went back to my classical ballet class, which I’ve been following for 20 years.
I then went to an osteopath, as I followed osteopathy for several years after having a concussion and back injuries in a car accident. My osteopath had since moved, however, so I went to a new one. I was worried that I might develop tennis elbow, as my elbow seemed to feel irritated. The osteopath did 45 minutes of painful rotations on my right arm — between the elbow and shoulder. Well the next day I awoke in severe pain, and could hardly move my arm. I thought, what on earth happened? My arm was healing, if I had only left it alone….. I am trying not to be angry at the osteopath, as that won’t help…. he just didn’t know my body I guess. My previous osteopath was so sensitive, and good!
So…. it just got worse day after day, until I developed frozen shoulder. I had never even heard of it. What a bizarre condition. I’ve been applying grey clay poultices to my shoulder at night, and it has helped me sleep — at least till 4 AM, and then the scorpion stings start!
The clay poultices are a horse remedy — I thought if it can help horses, maybe it will work on me! I add some Lobelia herb to the clay mixture, and Frankincense essential oil. Then I wrap my shoulder in cotton and leave it on all night. Very soothing. If you can obtain the plant ‘Rachette’, that would be good to add – it’s anti -inflammatory.
Just started physio last week…..hmmmm…not sure what to think. I feel way worse today after yesterday’s physio. I think the exercises were too much. I’ll see…
On Sunday my partner gave me a reiki treatment. That was the best so far. For one hour, the pain went away during the healing… I felt in bliss! He also used an amethyst crystal on my shoulder which sent tiny electrical impulses throughout the joint. I feel hopeful about the reiki, but think it will take several treatments.
We are both scientists, but truly sometimes science doesn’t have all the answers!
Will let you know how the reiki works — my partner also calls in the help of the Masters during the healing.
Best of luck everyone, until next time.
I had surgery January 10 of this year for a shoulder impingement (bone spur) and adhesive capsulities. They cut the bone and then manipulated my shoulder every which way while still under anesthesia. I then spent another 2 days in the hospital receving nerve blocks each day so they could again do the manipulation, which is really just ripping the scar tissue by moving the arm/shoulder in ways they have not moved for a long time.
I’m still in PT 2x a week and today saw a PT Personal Trainer to get a gym exercise routine. This has been the longest recovery I have ever experienced and I was not prepared for it. I somehow thought that all my pain of the past year (I waited way too long to have the surgery and could barely move my arm) would poof go away. Alas, that is not the case, is it? I work so hard at the PT and I’m back to my fulltime and overly demanding job, and it’s all I can do to get thru the day and come home worn out and sore. All that said, I see great improvement, I’m off all pain meds except OTC stuff, and I can do a little more each week, and the pain is a little less each week….but man oh man, I just had no idea.
I am so sorry for those going through this. I also see so many like me at PT and I know for a fact that those who skip the PT do not fully recover. It’s all in the homework assignments, as much as it hurts, you gotta do it.
Please take care all, best of luck to you.
Hi,
I just happened onto this site. It is nice to know I am not alone. I had FS in my right shoulder from March 06 until right before Christmas. Before that should was completely healed, it began in my left shoulder. I figure I have until fall to put up with the pain. I have already decided no surgery.
I have tried accupuncture, cortizone injections, PT, chiropractic, and pain meds. I am taking ibuprofin 600 mg 3-4 times a day and darvicet to sleep at night (doesn’t help a lot).
I can hardly stand to wear a bra because the strap lays across the area that hurts. One thing I have tried to help me through the day at work is to wear one of those 8-hour, self-heating pads on the top of my shoulder, under the strap. Surprisingly, it does help. I do the stretching the Dr. advised to keep my range of motion as much as possible.
My sympathy goes out to anyone who is going through this.
Denise
Diagnosed with fs left shoulder for last twelve weeks must be in the painful freezing stage Execises advised by both surgeon and physio were excruciating. Pain lasted from muscle spasms in upper arm for about three days. Found them impossible to do wthout damage.I feel almost pain free if i maintain the restriced movements only and give the exercises a miss in spite of medical advice. if its going to heal itself anyway I would prefer to wait without having to take pain killers. I sleep on right shoulder and only get about 4 hours propped with pillows then get up and walk around andet more sleep later. waiting patiently still.
Well, I’m writing this at 2:40 a.m. Like so many of you, sleeping at night is almost impossible. I have had Frozen Shoulder for about 6 months. I never thought this much pain was possible!…that is until I received a cortisone injection this morning. Shortly after the injection I started to experience an excruciating stabbing pain that brought me to tears. It lasted about a half an hour. I sure hope it was worth it and will bring some relief! I have been going to PT 3 x a week for 6 weeks. The ROM in my right arm is very limited and just doesn’t wan’t to move past a certain point. I loved my PT on my first visit, she gently messaged my arm and shoulder, moved my arm ever so gently…this is going to be great…I thougt! By my second visit she became the most evil, pain inducing monster I had ever met…trying to move my arm where it just didn’t want to go and not stopping until I cried uncle! She really does have my best interest at heart. At the end of my 6th week she told me she was not happy with my progress and suggested I see another Ortopedic Surgeon (specializing in shoulders) for a second opinion. She gave me the the name of a doctor…said he was the best. I met with him this morning. Since I didn’t experience any type of injury, he felt the thickening in the humeral joint was a condition they are seeing more often in pre-menapausal women (I will be 51 next week). At the end of my exam, he highly advised Arthroscopic surgery. Like the experiences so many of you have had, he said if left to heal on its own it could possibly take years to heal, and even then, one good tug, quick movement to the arm (you know what i’m talking about, the ones that bring you to your knees) could put me back at square one. I also asked him about the recovery time I should expect- he told me about 48 hours. He also said I would notice an improvement in my range of motion quickly thereafter. He really thinks the surgery is the way to go and said great strides have been made over the years and suffering with FS for possiby years in the hopes it will go away on its own is uncessary. I’m on board, I said! Where do i get my ticket? When I left his office I was elated…finally some relief! That’s how I felt this morning. It’s now 3:05 am and I’m having second thoughts. In reading through the above commments, the few people that opted for Arthoscopic surgery were not very pleased by the results, but I realize that could be because they date back several years.
Possibly the Doctor is right and new strides in treating FS have been made. I would love to hear from anyone who has had the surgery recently. I can honestly say this has been one of my worst experiences ever. I know I’m desperate and looking for a quick fix, but ultimately I want to make the right decision.
Good luck to all.
Well, I’m writing this at 2:40 a.m. Like so many of you I can’t sleep at night. I have had Frozen Shoulder for about 6 months. I never thought this much pain was possible!…that is until I received a cortisone injection this morning. Shortly after the injection I started to experience an excruciating stabbing pain that brought me to tears. It lasted about a half an hour. I sure hope it was worth it and will bring some relief! I have been going to PT 3 x a week for 6 weeks. The ROM in my right arm is very limited and just doesn’t want to move past a certain point. I loved my PT on my first visit, she gently messaged my arm and shoulder, moved my arm ever so gently…this is going to be great!!! By my second visit she became the most evil, pain inducing monster I had ever met…trying to move my arm where it just didn’t want to go and not stopping until I cried uncle! She really does have my best interest at heart. At the end of my 6th week she told me she was not happy with my progress and suggested I see another Ortopedic Surgeon (specializing in shoulders) for a second opinion. She gave me the the name of a doctor…said he was the best. I met with him this morning. Since I didn’t experience any type of injury, he felt the thickening in the humeral joint is a condition they seeing more often in pre-menopausal women – I will be 51 next week. At the end of my exam, he highly advised Arthroscopic surgery. Like the experiences that many of you have had, he mentioned that if left to heal on its own it could possibly take years to heal, and even then, one good tug, quick movement to the arm (you know what I’m talking about, the ones that bring you to your knees) could put me back at square one. I also asked him about recovery time I should expect- he told me about 48 hours. He also said I would notice an improvement in my range of motion quickly thereafter. He really thinks the surgery is the way to go and said great strides have been made over the years and suffering with FS for possibly years in the hopes it will go away on its own is unnecessary. I’m on board, I said! When can I buy my ticket? When I left his office I was elated…finally some relief! That’s how I felt this morning. It’s now 3:05 am and I’m having second thoughts. In reading through the above comments, the few people that opted for Arthoscopic surgery were not very pleased by the results, but I realize that could be because they date back several years. Possibly the Doctor is right and new strides in treating FS have been made. I would love to hear from anyone who has had the surgery recently. I can honestly say this has been one of my worst experiences ever. I know I’m desperate and looking for a quick fix, but ultimately want to make the right decision.
Good luck to all.
Well, I’m writing this at 2:40 a.m. Like so many of you I can’t sleep at night. I have had Frozen Shoulder for about 6 months. I never thought this much pain was possible!…that is until I received a cortisone injection this morning. Shortly after the injection I started to experience an excruciating stabbing pain that brought me to tears. It lasted about a half an hour. I sure hope it was worth it and will bring some relief! I have been going to PT 3 x a week for 6 weeks. The ROM in my right arm is very limited and just doesn’t want to move past a certain point. I loved my PT on my first visit, she gently messaged my arm and shoulder, moved my arm ever so gently…this is going to be great!!! By my second visit she became the most evil, pain inducing monster I had ever met…trying to move my arm where it just didn’t want to go and not stopping until I cried uncle! She really does have my best interest at heart. At the end of my 6th week she told me she was not happy with my progress and suggested I see another Ortopedic Surgeon (specializing in shoulders) for a second opinion. She gave me the the name of a doctor…said he was the best. I met with him this morning. Since I didn’t experience any type of injury, he felt the thickening in the humeral joint is a condition they seeing more often in pre-menopausal women – I will be 51 next week. At the end of my exam, he highly advised Arthroscopic surgery. Like the experiences that many of you have had, he mentioned that if left to heal on its own it could possibly take years to heal, and even then, one good tug, quick movement to the arm (you know what I’m talking about, the ones that bring you to your knees) could put me back at square one. I also asked him about recovery time I should expect- he told me about 48 hours. He also said I would notice an improvement in my range of motion quickly thereafter. He really thinks the surgery is the way to go and said great strides have been made over the years and suffering with FS for possibly years in the hopes it will go away on its own is unnecessary. I’m on board, I said! When can I buy my ticket? When I left his office I was elated…finally some relief! That’s how I felt this morning. It’s now 3:05 am and I’m having second thoughts. In reading through the above comments, the few people that opted for Arthoscopic surgery were not very pleased by the results, but I realize that could be because they date back several years. Possibly the Doctor is right and new strides in treating FS have been made. I would love to hear from anyone who has had the surgery recently. I can honestly say this has been one of my worst experiences ever. I know I’m desperate and looking for a quick fix, but ultimately want to make the right decision.
Good luck to all.
Hi Lisa, I read with sympathy about your frozen shoulder. I am 48 years old and this is my second bout of FS. I had it in 2002 in my left shoulder and now it developed in my right shoulder in Oct 2006. The first time I got it, I had no idea what happened. I thought I tore my rotator cuff. Went the entire “9 yards–othopedic surgeon, mri, PT, etc. After diagnosing that is was indeed frozen shoulder, I went to every website available. I had the same type of therapist that you did–nice but insisted on moving it where it did not want to go. After I literally screamed and started crying in her office, I decided right then to stop PT. It did take about 12-18 months to totally heal. I went through the typical 3 stages of freezing, frozen, and then thawing. When I started getting the twangs back in October(06), I went into depression because I knew what was happening. I decided to go to a different PT right away thinking it would deter it from developing–no such luck…it went into the full blown FS. Stopped PT after 6 weeks. For 4 months-Nov, Dec, Jan, and Feb, I was in the most agonizing pain–can’t sleep, have to guard my arm 24/7 so I don’t get the shooting pain that lasts for 1-2 minutes with me crying! I just started my “frozen” stage at the end of Feb. I am now sleeping through the night and my work day is going a lot better. I have very little pain, BUT I still don’t have any ROM. My mood has changed dramatically since the pain is almost gone. I guess you need to hang in there, even though I know its a pain-literally!! I am looking forward to the thawing stage which should coincide with the summer months. That is when I should get back my range of motion. Since I had this in the past, I am getting use to the stages. As far as surgery goes, I never did go that route. IT seems to be a 50/50 gamble on recovery. MY question to anyone out there is this….has anyone noticed that it may be an inherited disorder? I found out recently that my aunt and two of my cousins have it too. Also, has anyone ever gotten it a third time? My PT said it shouldn’t happen again to me since I’ve had it in both shoulders….just wondering if anyone got it 3 times. Lisa, good luck to you….Aleeve seemed to help take the edge off a little if that is any consolation. I can totally relate to your pain. I can’t believe the orthopedic surgeons out there haven’t “cured” this ailment. Good luck to you!
I’m now entering into the 8th week of frozen shoulder — still very little improvement. The pain is agonizing. After my 4th physio -therapy appointment, I decided to quit it! The pain was much worse after each session, and lasted for days; also I started to get pain in my left shoulder from the weights/ pulley. I am usually not scared of physio, as I’ve done lots, due to a car accident, and ballet injury. But this physio seems to definitely worsen the frozen shoulder.
Reiki treatments do help for about one day, and sleep is much easier right after the reiki.
I have been getting dreams about things that could help: bee proplis, and nettles.
I am trying both, and also ordered some bee venom in honey from New Zealand. Will let you know if it helps.
Today, I am trying to find the herb ‘Solomon’s Seal’, as I read that the high mucilage content really helps frozen shoulder. Anyone tried that yet, just wondering….?
I think there’s a relationship between lack of mucilage in the joint, and the intense pain — possibily.
I’m also surprised the doctors don’t know more about FS. It seems to remain mysterious.
Good luck to everyone.
Hi Adele,
There is definately a correlation between lack of synovial fluid in the shoulder and FS. I’m not sure if mucilage is the same thing as the synovial fluid or not. I’ve never heard it called that. Anyway, there is only 10% of SF in a frozen shoulder, so I’m sure there is a major correlation between the pain and lack of SF. I did not get any improvement by going to physical therapy. There seems to be a 50-50 chance of no improvement versus improvement in PT. I guess its up to the individual person. Good luck with your different options. I’ll keep checking to see if any of them work for you. Jana
Hi Adele,
There is definately a correlation between lack of synovial fluid in the shoulder and FS. I’m not sure if mucilage is the same thing as the synovial fluid or not. I’ve never heard it called that. Anyway, there is only 10% of SF in a frozen shoulder, so I’m sure there is a major correlation between the pain and lack of SF. I did not get any improvement by going to physical therapy. There seems to be a 50-50 chance of no improvement versus improvement in PT. I guess its up to the individual person. Good luck with your different options. I’ll keep checking to see if any of them work for you. Jana
Hi again,
I went to an orthopedic surgeon for a non related surgery on my finger. While prepping we talked about my FS. I told him I had talked to another Dr. regarding surgery and that other treatments weren’t working, and that my decision was to wait it out.
He said “Oh, it will get better on its own. Most people just don’t have the patience. The pain is too much for them, and it may take up to 18 months.” (He is one of the most respected DRs. in the city. I couldn’t get in to see him when this all started a yr. ago.) I feel better about not having any surgery. Even his nurse said that most of those who have the surgery aren’t much better off and have a lot of return visits.
Denise
Hi Jana,
That’s interesting about the synovial fluid reduction. I’m reading up about mucilage and synovial fluid. I’m thinking of trying this homeopathic remedy I have called T-24 Connective Tissue Liquescence. I had purchased it for my partner who has terrible back pain, but he was hesitant to try it, since it contained bovine synovial fluid in homeopathic doses.
I called the doctor who works in this company, and they explained that we wouldn’t actually be ingesting bovine synovium, but the energetic imprint, which would in turn trigger our body to produce more synovial fluid. I just wasn’t sure about mixing cow energy with my energy!
At this point, I’m willing to try it.
I couldn’t find Soloman’s Seal in Ottawa, but have ordered it. Still waiting for the bee venom and Manuka honey.
I’m trying everything (except physio, cortisone injections, the surgery, and pain -killers!)
Hope something works. Glad to hear that you’re finished the freezing painful stage. Good luck.
Bye for now.
Hi Jana,
That’s interesting about the synovial fluid reduction. I’m reading up about mucilage and synovial fluid. I’m thinking of trying this homeopathic remedy I have called T-24 Connective Tissue Liquescence. I had purchased it for my partner who has terrible back pain, but he was hesitant to try it, since it contained bovine synovial fluid in homeopathic doses.
I called the doctor who works in this company, and they explained that we wouldn’t actually be ingesting bovine synovium, but the energetic imprint, which would in turn trigger our body to produce more synovial fluid. I just wasn’t sure about mixing cow energy with my energy!
At this point, I’m willing to try it.
I couldn’t find Soloman’s Seal in Ottawa, but have ordered it. Still waiting for the bee venom and Manuka honey.
I’m trying everything (except physio, cortisone injections, the surgery, and pain -killers!)
Hope something works. Glad to hear that you’re finished the freezing painful stage. Good luck.
Bye for now.
While still in physical therapy for my frozen left shoulder which I had a manipulation under anesthesia on and arthroscopic surgery for in Nov. 2006, I developed pain in my right shoulder which my doctor thinks is the onset of what happened in my left shoulder, even though the left one literally developed overnight. I had an MRI this week so the results should be in soon. Has anyone had a frozen shoulder develop in the unaffected shoulder during physical therapy for the original frozen shoulder? By the way, the ironic part is that my left shoulder improved significantly from surgery and physical therapy and is now better than my right one, albeit it still has stiffness during certain movements.
Denise, saw your comment on the non-related finger surgery. I have had FS for 3 1/2 years and have since developed “trigger finger” in my pinky. My chiro says when the shoulder gets out of place (my whole shoulder has rolled forward now) it messes with a nerve running to the pinky. Just wondering if it is the same thing you’re having.
Anne, I developed FS in my left originally and went to PT for over a year and at the end developed it in my right (which is now my worst one). I am currently going to a Chiropractor that is also trained in PT. He has been doing adjustments and having me done some PT and home and going to a Massage Therapist once a week as well. I have been noticing some clunking in my shoulder and have been noticing improvement in my left and a very little bit in my right.
Seth, Has your Orthopedic doctor offered to do manipulation under anesthesia on either shoulder? It’s not an instant cure, but I found that it sped up the recovery process in my left shoulder. It hurt to do physical therapy on it for a few months, but it is almost back to “normal”. I am seriously considering having it done on my right one if it gets as bad as my left was. I have to wonder if my right shoulder is having major pain due to overuse to accommodate my left or whether I have an impingement or biceps tendonitis. I am not an athlete, but am in good health, and everyone seems to be confused as to why I have FS. They say once you’ve had it, you don’t get it again. Have you had them do another MRI to rule out other stuff? Good luck, and thanks for writing back!
Anne, the first ortho I had mentioned it once, but never brought it up again. As for my chiro, he has brought up the manipulation. He says he like to wait for manipulation as a last resort, but he’d like to try therapy and chiropractic (about 80% therapy and 20% chiropractic) first. I did do the MRI a year or two ago and everything was fine. I am seeing some improvement and its only been about three weeks.
On a side note, I live in Central Illinois and we’ve been having rain pretty much straight for the past three days, and my shoulder is just screaming. Does the weather (especially rain) bother everyone else too?
to all suffers of fs i to was told by my dr that i have got it i am in pain alot and nobody seems to care i get depressed about it and sometimes i forget and then i go to use the right arm and the pain is like a knife so im have been refer to a othop it has happen at the wrong time in my life as i have just retired from work and had great plans
thanks joan
So I was surfing the web for statistics on frozen shoulder for my powerpoint presentation on tuesday. I’ve read a lot of the comments of people suffering w/ decrease in ROM and pain. I am a chiropractor and have been in practice for 5 yrs. Ive treated about50-60 cases of frozen shoulder which ive helped alot of patients tremendously. The key to frozen shoulder in my practice is taking care of the myofascial adhesions. Manipulation to the shoulder is a huge factor but at a time when the muscles are loose enough. I do a technique called active release technique (ART).. http://www.activerelease.com It is painful initially b/c we are manually breaking up the scar tissue. A complimentary adjunct to the ART is red laser therapy. From my experience i’ve helped people as fast as 8 weeks to as long as 9 months getting them back anywhere 80% of there ROM or better.
The key to FS is to create flexibilty then you create stability. PT’s have it wrong by giving you strengthing exercise initially b/c your muscles are tight and weak, w/ exercise your making the muscles even tighter which is setting you up for injury and a whole lot of pain.
The 1st step in regaining your rom back is to maintain what you have in a painfree range. The typical muscles that “freeze up” the rotator cuff are the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis (major contributor), Pec major and minor(also major contributors), and the subclavius muscles. You want to do wall walking in forward flexion and abduction. Initially my patients regain forward flexion very fast and the stuggle is the abduction. This should get you guys started
So I was surfing the web for statistics on frozen shoulder for my powerpoint presentation on tuesday. I’ve read a lot of the comments of people suffering w/ decrease in ROM and pain. I am a chiropractor and have been in practice for 5 yrs. Ive treated about50-60 cases of frozen shoulder which ive helped alot of patients tremendously. The key to frozen shoulder in my practice is taking care of the myofascial adhesions. Manipulation to the shoulder is a huge factor but at a time when the muscles are loose enough. I do a technique called active release technique (ART).. http://www.activerelease.com It is painful initially b/c we are manually breaking up the scar tissue. A complimentary adjunct to the ART is red laser therapy. From my experience i’ve helped people as fast as 8 weeks to as long as 9 months getting them back anywhere 80% of there ROM or better.
The key to FS is to create flexibilty then you create stability. PT’s have it wrong by giving you strengthing exercise initially b/c your muscles are tight and weak, w/ exercise your making the muscles even tighter which is setting you up for injury and a whole lot of pain.
The 1st step in regaining your rom back is to maintain what you have in a painfree range. The typical muscles that “freeze up” the rotator cuff are the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis (major contributor), Pec major and minor(also major contributors), and the subclavius muscles. You want to do wall walking in forward flexion and abduction. Initially my patients regain forward flexion very fast and the stuggle is the abduction. This should get you guys started
So I was surfing the web for statistics on frozen shoulder for my powerpoint presentation on tuesday. I’ve read a lot of the comments of people suffering w/ decrease in ROM and pain. I am a chiropractor and have been in practice for 5 yrs. Ive treated about50-60 cases of frozen shoulder which ive helped alot of patients tremendously. The key to frozen shoulder in my practice is taking care of the myofascial adhesions. Manipulation to the shoulder is a huge factor but at a time when the muscles are loose enough. I do a technique called active release technique (ART).. http://www.activerelease.com It is painful initially b/c we are manually breaking up the scar tissue. A complimentary adjunct to the ART is red laser therapy. From my experience i’ve helped people as fast as 8 weeks to as long as 9 months getting them back anywhere 80% of there ROM or better.
The key to FS is to create flexibilty then you create stability. PT’s have it wrong by giving you strengthing exercise initially b/c your muscles are tight and weak, w/ exercise your making the muscles even tighter which is setting you up for injury and a whole lot of pain.
The 1st step in regaining your rom back is to maintain what you have in a painfree range. The typical muscles that “freeze up” the rotator cuff are the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis (major contributor), Pec major and minor(also major contributors), and the subclavius muscles. You want to do wall walking in forward flexion and abduction. Initially my patients regain forward flexion very fast and the stuggle is the abduction. This should get you guys started
Seth and Dr.J: I actually went to a chiropractor first who actually diagnosed my frozen shoulder and did manipulation and ART. He also had me doing pendulum exercises and climbing the wall with my fingers, which seemed to make the pain better. He also did some electrical nerve stimulation on my shoulder, not sure what the actual term is called, which really made it feel better for about a day each time. After working on me twice a week for two months, and not seeing significant improvement in ROM and my pain levels, he recommended I get an MRI. It showed I had two partial tears, and because of those he felt I should be seen by an orthopedic doc. I have to say that before and after my MUA the physical therapist I saw did a lot of stretching on my shoulder as well as strengthening exercises.I feel that the MUA and the physical therapy sped up my recovery time on my left, even though it’s not totally back where it was before it froze up. One interesting thing to note is that my orthopedic surgeon was more concerned about the severity of my frozen shoulder than the tears. When he did the surgery he went in with an arthroscope and found some unusually-shaped scar tissue that was seriously limiting my ROM.I still am a little limited in that shoulder with a little bit of pain. The whole frozen shoulder thing is quite a mystery to me, and I am hoping that the problem I am having in my right shoulder does’t turn out to be the same thing in my left. I have not ruled out going back to my chiropractor as I did get some relief from those treatments, though not as much as he or I had hoped. The tears are apparently healing as the ortho surgeon could see it during the arthroscopic procedure. I will find out on Wed. what my MRI results are on my right shoulder. Seth, it is good to hear that you are experiencing some progress, as you have had the problem so long. I live in NC and see no relationhip to my pain and the weather here.
Joangudry, Hang in there! As you can tell from reading this website and other ones like it, you are not alone in your pain in dealing with FS. Each case of frozen shoulder varies in length, and I am constantly told and have already experienced, it does get better. My left shoulder is much improved and it has been 10 months since I was first diagnosed and treated. I feel the key to getting through it is a good doctor and lots of physical therapy or chiropractic treatment. Be sure you see a doctor who has had a lot of experience treating frozen shoulder. I agree the pain is awful. My right shoulder is killing me right now, and I am right-handed. It’s hard to get your clothes on or reach in certain directions without using a few curse words. Write back and let us all know how you are doing.
Frozen Painful Shoulders!!! Ive read and found very interesting, thanks, Ive had F/S since May 06, Dec 06 I got it in Both! I could not move and by the sounds of things I must have been in the frozen stage. Ive had 2 X rays, and nothing, just pills pills and more pills, so early 07 unable to move!! I went by (accident) to ACUPUNCTURE. Its not a cure, by Ill tell you it beats pills. So Id say its a re-lever, I spose Im thinking ‘WHY ME”…. Broken and Sad
Sorry I haven’t been on for a while. Seth, my finger was for a bone spur. But I also have dupytrens (dont think that is spelled right) in my hands and that is also thought to be a factor in the muscle aches. Everything is connected.
Yes, my shoulder rolls over right now too. I developed the FS in my left arm just as my right arm was getting better. I finally feel like I may be in the last phase of this. I am able to cut back on my ibuprofin to once or twice a day (instead of 4) and only take the darvicet a few nights a week instead of daily.
I also live in central Illinois, but havent made the connection with damp cold weather. However, I recently retired and have noticed that since I am not sitting at a computer all day, the pain is much less.
It has been just over a year since the original right shoulder began. I can now do almost everything I could before it started with that arm, so I have hopes this will soon be a thing of the past.
Hi Seth, I live in north central Illinois and I definately see a pattern of the weather and my arm pain. I can almost predict when its going to rain because my shoulder starts getting severe pain. I am in the second stage of fs in my right shoulder. The pain is gone, but the rom is still limiting. This is my secound bout of it. First time in 2002 and now fall 2006. I’m hoping by this summer, it will be a lot better. Good luck Jana
Denise, I have a desk job working for Caterpillar and the FS started three months after I switched buildings that had different desk configurations. Didn’t realize the correlation between the two until about a year ago. I had the ergonomics woman come in and look at my setup and she seemed to think everything was good. Kind of wonder if it really is related or if its a coincidence.
Seth, they also did the ergonomics on my station but it didn’t help the fs. I don’t think the computer work caused it, but it certainly didn’t help any. Have you tried those little self heating pads? I put one on my shoulder in the mornings and it really did ease those sharp stabbing pains a little.
Denise, haven’t tried the heating pads. I’m at a point where I don’t get them too much anymore. I feel like I need a back brace though to keep my shoulders from rolling forward. I feel like if I could keep my shoulders back and down, it would help. I am having some changes since I’ve been going to this chiro. My shoulder feels a little “sloppy” and clunky now, but in a good way if that makes sense. I feel like maybe I’m pulling it out of the “up and forward” problem I’m having. Anyway, its nice to have a forum that understands what a pain this can be, so thanks to all the participants.
In January I developed undiagnosed FS in both shoulders at the same time, after a sabatical from exercise and then straining both shoulders doing yoga. MRI showed a partial tear. The first ortho said it was “tendonitis” and to rest it. I checked myself into PT and it helped but stopped PT and then the shoulders totally froze. I am now in the thawing stage and doing 3 day a week PT, and exercising in the ocean every other day. What has really helped is to stand in a hot shower and let in beat down on your shoulder(s) then start stretching to your full range of motion, then push it a little farther. Keep it up daily. My range is 140 degrees in one shoulder and 125 in the other. Far cry from 180 but my pain is almost gone and my muscle strength is coming back slowly. Consistancy seems to be key in the stretching and yes it really hurts to stretch beyound your ROM but it does work. Good luck all.
Entering into the 4th month now of frozen shoulder, and decided to try Chinese Ditda, as physio really wasn’t working for me. This doctor I am seeing is Chinese, and a Kung Fu master. Ditda is also called “Iron Hit Medicine”. I decided to try this, when a Herbalist in Ottawa referred me, and told me that he worked miracles.
He must have X-ray vision, because he just looked at me, on the first visit, and said ‘you have a pinched nerve, running from the shoulder, throught the elbow, all the way to your hand! Your C-6, and C-7 of your neck , are also totally out, and your Thoracic -1’ — all leading to the frozen shoulder. He was also able to exactly pinpoint each muscle, tendon, and ligament that was pulled, or irritated, upon examining me.
He did some manipulations, and I was able to move my arm just a little higher, afterwards. He also did suction cup therapy (with glass cups). This leaves you quite bruised for a few days, but it seems to work! Then, he gave me a blend of salts and Chinese herbs to take as a bath every night.
Well, after my first visit, I actually slept straight from 12 till 6 AM — first time since Feb. The FS was waking me up every 2 hours all winter. So, this was a remarkable change. Not sure if it’s his treatment, or the bath, but the sleeping has greatly improved.
He thinks he can fix my FS in approx. 6 visits (3-4 weeks). That would be a miracle. He said, he has observed that it usually takes 2 to 3 years to heal, otherwise.
Today I feel quite in pain, due to rain I think, but I’m going back next week for another Iron Hit treatment.
If anyone has a Ditda doctor in their area, it might be worth it to try ….. The one I am seeing is in Ottawa, Ontario.
Will keep you posted.
I HAVE fs AND IT TIS MOST PAINFUl THING i have EVER experienced. I am a teacher and young mother of two. I am suppose to get a cort shot tomorrow. I pray it will help I am very scared. I cant reach backwards at all and can hardly brush my hair. getting dressed is difficult. Sometimes the pain sends me to the floor. I can’t get comfortable in bed. Will this ever end?
Depressed!!
I HAVE fs AND IT IS MOST PAINFUl THING i have EVER experienced. I am a teacher and young mother of two. I am suppose to get a cort shot tomorrow. I pray it will help. I am very scared. I can’t reach backwards at all and can hardly brush my hair. Getting dressed is difficult. Sometimes the pain sends me to the floor. I can’t get comfortable in bed. Will this ever end?
Depressed!!
I HAVE fs AND IT IS MOST PAINFUl THING i have EVER experienced. I am a teacher and young mother of two. I am suppose to get a cort shot tomorrow. I pray it will help. I am very scared. I can’t reach backwards at all and can hardly brush my hair. Getting dressed is difficult. Sometimes the pain sends me to the floor. I can’t get comfortable in bed. Will this ever end?
Depressed!!
Thank God I found you all! No one believes me when i try to explain the unbearable pain I have been trapped in for ver 1 year! Yesterday, I cutely sat down in my BF’s lap in a rocking chair and it tumbled over, instead of reaching up to push away from the floor, I used my head to catch myself. My BF commented “Emily, I just really realizeed how much pain your shoulders must be in, you’d rather use your head to brak a fall than lift you arms…” It is true.
My own doctors have been lazy in treating, this they just do not care. PT was such BS and not worth the agony. It first started in my left shoulder about 5 months after a motorcycle wreck in November 2005 and then last fall m right shoulder went. While I have more rotation in my right shoulder the pain is much worse.
Recently I started agressive accupuncture, and have seen both some pain relief and more movement. The underlying causes for my dual frozen shoulder could be numerous–I am pointing all fingers at my type 1 diabetes of 26 years to start, then the immobilized period after my accident. I HATE THIS! I dream about cutting my arms off–I wuld love to hear from people who have recovered and hear realistic stories about the “time” it takes. I am very distressed about feeling trapped in my own body. I read the other diabetics post, and she is only 29 and been like this for 3 years–that is horrific. I am 38.
I can be reached at emiggins@gmail.com
Emily, I’m the 29 (now 30) year old Type 1 diabetic who’s had it for 3 years. I am getting better. While I don’t have full range of motion yet, I haven’t had the “drop you to your knees” pain in about 3 months. I have been going to a chiropractor who is also a Physical Therapist and it has been helping me. I have been doing a lot of stretching (between 1 and 2 hours) per day. My chiro said that the results are mainly because of the stretching I’ve been doing. He just puts me back in place because some of my stretches are hard on my frame. Also, I’ve started “punishing” my shoulder by playing golf, and tennis again. It does hurt a little when I do certain motions, but not like it used to. I have, what I would consider, a large threshold of pain and I’ve been in accidents, flown off of mountain bikes into trees, had 13 stitches in my eyebrow, cancer and a year of chemo when I was 15, but they don’t compare to that 20-30 seconds of pain that happens when you’re not expecting it. At least when I was on the mt. bike, I had that thought that something could happen in the back of my mind, but the FS happens when you least expect it.
Right now I don’t have the pain, and sleep well. I am still lacking the range of motion, but the pain has gone away.
Hang in there. If you need someone to vent to, do it here or email me at smeffer3@hotmail.com. Not many people understand how you can be fine one second, in unbearable pain the next, and fine again in 30 seconds.
Hi, Well, I did go for my 2nd opinion. The doctor said that I should continue physical therapy first. She also said that manual manipulation (when the therapist bends you around) was the best thing I could do in my case. So, I have continued to go to PT and have been going twice a week. So far so good, I can almost raise my arm straight up, but am still lacking other movements (they call it internal and external rotation). My tendonitus still flares up very often, which is annoying but I do not get those “jolts” of pain (or drop to your knees as other describe it) like i used to. I am hoping that I will be ok soon and that I will not ever get a frozen shoulder again. PT is not fun, but I wanted to avoid surgery at all costs. The folks at Park Therapy in Highland Park NJ have helped a lot. I hope the story ends well for me and for all of you. Good Luck………..Glenn
hi, I have frozen shoulder. I’ve had it now for 18 months.I began with it in my rt shouder, it ws first diagnozed as tendinopathy in jan of 06. I went for pt but things got worse.so the dr took me out of pt. I had 2 rounds of oral steroids with no results more pt with no results. 1 injection with no results more pt you guessed it no results.by now it is late june of 06 the pain has let up some. not much range of motion.went on vacation tripped over a parking curb and broke my rt elbow.oh the luck.that heeled fine.by nov. 06 began to get more range of motion and less and less pain.jan 07 less and less pain & more rom. By feb07 left shoulder starts bothering me by march 07 it is really painful and losing rom dr thought it might be coming from my neck so i agree to more pt ( against my better judgement}. did pt got worse lost most of my rom and lots more pain. the all to familiar dropto your knees pain. i will never do pt again. dr sent me to my 4th ortho dr who said pt usually makes it worse.could be caused from a virus or auto immune disorder, doesn’t really matter because they don’t know for sure what causes it and it almost always goes away by it self. in 1 to 3 yrs. most people get thier rom back. rarely does he ever have to do surgery to fix it. good luck every one
my prayers are w/you all.now june of 07 and getting ready to on vacation again with much pain but i praying i won’t break anything.ha ha. i tolerate the pain with a tens unit, asprin, lidocaine patches. I’m hoping i’m about ready to go into phase 2 and the pain will let up soon but lately its been bad. thanks for listening. susan
hi, I have frozen shoulder. I’ve had it now for 18 months.I began with it in my rt shouder, it ws first diagnozed as tendinopathy in jan of 06. I went for pt but things got worse.so the dr took me out of pt. I had 2 rounds of oral steroids with no results more pt with no results. 1 injection with no results more pt you guessed it no results.by now it is late june of 06 the pain has let up some. not much range of motion.went on vacation tripped over a parking curb and broke my rt elbow.oh the luck.that heeled fine.by nov. 06 began to get more range of motion and less and less pain.jan 07 less and less pain & more rom. By feb07 left shoulder starts bothering me by march 07 it is really painful and losing rom dr thought it might be coming from my neck so i agree to more pt ( against my better judgement}. did pt got worse lost most of my rom and lots more pain. the all to familiar dropto your knees pain. i will never do pt again. dr sent me to my 4th ortho dr who said pt usually makes it worse.could be caused from a virus or auto immune disorder, doesn’t really matter because they don’t know for sure what causes it and it almost always goes away by it self. in 1 to 3 yrs. most people get thier rom back. rarely does he ever have to do surgery to fix it. good luck every one
my prayers are w/you all.now june of 07 and getting ready to on vacation again with much pain but i praying i won’t break anything.ha ha. i tolerate the pain with a tens unit, asprin, lidocaine patches. I’m hoping i’m about ready to go into phase 2 and the pain will let up soon but lately its been bad. thanks for listening. susan
hi, I have frozen shoulder. I’ve had it now for 18 months.I began with it in my rt shouder, it ws first diagnozed as tendinopathy in jan of 06. I went for pt but things got worse.so the dr took me out of pt. I had 2 rounds of oral steroids with no results more pt with no results. 1 injection with no results more pt you guessed it no results.by now it is late june of 06 the pain has let up some. not much range of motion.went on vacation tripped over a parking curb and broke my rt elbow.oh the luck.that heeled fine.by nov. 06 began to get more range of motion and less and less pain.jan 07 less and less pain & more rom. By feb07 left shoulder starts bothering me by march 07 it is really painful and losing rom dr thought it might be coming from my neck so i agree to more pt ( against my better judgement}. did pt got worse lost most of my rom and lots more pain. the all to familiar dropto your knees pain. i will never do pt again. dr sent me to my 4th ortho dr who said pt usually makes it worse.could be caused from a virus or auto immune disorder, doesn’t really matter because they don’t know for sure what causes it and it almost always goes away by it self. in 1 to 3 yrs. most people get thier rom back. rarely does he ever have to do surgery to fix it. good luck every one
my prayers are w/you all.now june of 07 and getting ready to on vacation again with much pain but i praying i won’t break anything.ha ha. i tolerate the pain with a tens unit, asprin, lidocaine patches. I’m hoping i’m about ready to go into phase 2 and the pain will let up soon but lately its been bad. thanks for listening. susan
hi, I have frozen shoulder. I’ve had it now for 18 months.I began with it in my rt shouder, it ws first diagnozed as tendinopathy in jan of 06. I went for pt but things got worse.so the dr took me out of pt. I had 2 rounds of oral steroids with no results more pt with no results. 1 injection with no results more pt you guessed it no results.by now it is late june of 06 the pain has let up some. not much range of motion.went on vacation tripped over a parking curb and broke my rt elbow.oh the luck.that heeled fine.by nov. 06 began to get more range of motion and less and less pain.jan 07 less and less pain & more rom. By feb07 left shoulder starts bothering me by march 07 it is really painful and losing rom dr thought it might be coming from my neck so i agree to more pt ( against my better judgement}. did pt got worse lost most of my rom and lots more pain. the all to familiar dropto your knees pain. i will never do pt again. dr sent me to my 4th ortho dr who said pt usually makes it worse.could be caused from a virus or auto immune disorder, doesn’t really matter because they don’t know for sure what causes it and it almost always goes away by it self. in 1 to 3 yrs. most people get thier rom back. rarely does he ever have to do surgery to fix it. good luck every one
my prayers are w/you all.now june of 07 and getting ready to on vacation again with much pain but i praying i won’t break anything.ha ha. i tolerate the pain with a tens unit, asprin, lidocaine patches. I’m hoping i’m about ready to go into phase 2 and the pain will let up soon but lately its been bad. thanks for listening. susan
I woke up at 4am to get my new best friend my frozen bag of peas. It took me a couple hours to finally get back to sleep. After my MRI my Dr. called to tell me I had arthritis in my neck and shoulder and a small tear in a tendon he wasn’t concerned about, but he wanted me to come in and discuss surgery. I replied can you cut my arm off tomorrow! At the appt. he changed his mind and thinks I have FS, he wants agressive physical therapy,cort.shot, and gave me more celebrex and ultracet. I was so sad, I had surgery on my right shoulder 5 years ago for a torn rotator cuff it was very successful. Now I am doomed for months of sleepless nights and trying to work when I am miserable. I hate this for all of us. It sucks, I would expect it if I played tennis,softball, or lifted weights, all I do is walk. As they say misery loves compamy, I had no idea this many people were in the same boat,good luck to everyone.
I was diagnosed earlier this year with frozen shoulder, but had all the signs and symptoms long before then. Like many of you, my symptoms progressed until I could no longer sleep at night and the pain became chronic during the day. After a course of PT, NSAIDS, and cortisone injections all failed, I opted for the manipulation procedure and arthroscopic shoulder decompression (which would relieve the impingement syndrome, and, hopefully, curtail the chronic bursitis, both of which were thought to cause the adhesive encapsulitis. Anyway, I’m 5 weeks post op. I have no pain most days (the days I do is usually the result of me overdoing therapy at home, and I no longer wake up in pain (starting 2 weeks ago). I have regained most of my range of motion, and am working to regain the rest. I’m much better than before surgery. The first couple of weeks afterward were rough in terms of sleeping, but I opted not to take pain meds. The end result is that this time 2 months ago I would cry because the pain was so intense. Now, I rarely have pain AND can move my arm!! Manipulation and arthroscopy was the right choice for me.
As with all of you, I have a frozen shoulder. But get this…I am only 17 years old! It all started back in Oct. ’06 when I dislocated my shoulder, which at the same time, caused my labrum to tear (which I did not find out until 6 momths later), while I was playing basketball. My orthopedic surgeon did not think there was anything majorly wrong, after preforming numerous tests. But after six months of pain, and numerous episodes of my shoulder subluxating, my ortho. dedcide to preform an diagnostic arthroscopy to see what was really wrong. This was in April ’07. During this surgery, my ortho. found that I had torn my labrum, which he then fixed. Seven weeks later, I got my sling off, but I could not move my shoulder. He thought maybe it was a temporary frozen shoulder, but in two weeks when it was worse, he knew it wasn’t. I got a cortisone injection last month, which helped a little bit with the pain, but not much. Later this month, I am going to have an arthroscopic capsule release to hopefully cure my frozen shoulder. Has anyone had this procedure? When I had my labrum repaired, it was EXTREMELY painful, would this procedure involve the same amount of pain? All I want to do now is move my arm, forget basketball (I was on the road to getting a DII scholarship before this injury, which has cost me my free ride to college). Thanks so much!!! Good luck to you all!!!
P.S. Vicodin has helped with the pain along with Tylenol PM to help me fall asleep (but if I move, I am wide awake with pain).
Caution-For Frozen Shoulder-stay away from Doctors, X-Rays, MRI’s, surgery, blood work, and the 1000’s of dollars to them. I’m 59, good health, basketball player, home rebuilder, geophysicist, family man- last Oct. I over extended my left shoulder- pain on the #10 scale, but I didn’t want to vist any of the above. I live in Houston and just took a trip to China Town and found a Acupuncturist. Five visits, 50 bucks/pop, each visit needles in shoulder and arm, electric therapy, then after 30 minutes relaxing to soft music, sit in chair and Dr. Lu takes me though chiropractic therapy. After 5 visits about 60% of pain gone, movement improved by about 50%, can sleep at night with no meds of any kind, and feel very much better all day and night. I should go for another 4-5 visits (1 hour each) to get even better. Great deal, peace of mind, and less pain during sleeep. Great feeling at low cost. If you are in Houston,
try Dr. Meng Lu on Bellaire St.
For Teresa, (July 3 post),
If p.t. failed (in my case, severely worsened FS) why does
it work post op? I am considering surgery, but am concerned
about the therapy, since I have had such bad experience
with it. Pain and inflamation has always worsened with
p.t.
I too suffer from FS since April 2003. At the same time, I was diagnosed with something called OPLL and had to have surgery on my spine. The FS was considered secondary to the spine problems so it went on for over a year before the ortho could start his work. All thru recovery from my spinal surgeries…I went to PT to keep my range of motion…the little that I did have. First we tried manipulation of the joint to reduce the adhesions. That only did a little for my range of motion. By the time we got to this, I had begun the “thawing” stage of my FS. Three months later, I opted for surgery since even with PT I was still terribly bound up. My ortho started with a scope surgery, but found my shoulder to be so scarred that he ended up opening it with about a 2 inch cut, and did a capsulectomy. INSTANT release by the time I woke up and tried to move. I didnt really recover the abduction that my PT would have liked, but I was thrilled to be able to lead what is almost a normal life. This spring, I began having similar pain in my left shoulder. I knew immediately that it was FS again. This time, I went into PT immediately, and the ortho and I considered early intervention by surgery. Since there was no indication that it either helped or hurt, we waited to see how things would go. I began to LOSE ROM, so he again went in to do a capsulectomy. I am presently just four weeks out of surgery and I am thrilled. NO more pain…increased ROM, by over 40 degrees to the front and almost 30 to the side. I too am a type 2 diabetic, but not on insulin or pills. I have control with diet and exercise. One thing, I have come across in my research on this “thing” we all have…I was a breach baby. I was a side presentation, and had to be pushed back up and turned and pulled feet first. Since my shoulders were compressed up against my ears the reverse way most babies are, one doctor says this might be a reason so much scar tissue has formed in my shoulders. MY ortho had never seen so much scarring in any patient ever. Both of my shoulders have been different in responding to treatment. It may have been because of the other surgeries that I had to go thru before the first one could be treated, but it seems like the first one was the worst for pain. Since pain pills affect my blood sugar levels, I opted not to take any. My best friend became my heating pad, and an ice pack. I also found out that if you grate ginger and put it in a muslin bag, simmer for about 15 min (dont boil it) and then put it on the shoulder under a towel to keep the warmth in, that helped the pain tremendously. Proceed carefully as the ginger can irritate some skin. I also discovered in this time, that cinnamon is good for diabetics, and as soon as I started adding 1/4tsp a day to my diet, my pain didnt seem to be as bad. I have talked to some who swear by accupuncture. My insurance didnt cover it, but covers LOTS of PT so I never pursued that avenue. One friend say a chiropractor fixed her FS in just 5 or 6 visits. I have a titanium plate with screws, and wires around my C5, C6, and C7 vertebrae. I have to avoid any stress on that area now. That is the area where the nerves to your arms come out too. I do know from what I have heard from others here that have FS. We all have it in similar and yet different ways. My freezing time on the first shoulder was MUCH longer and much much more painful. I still have only the occasional twinge on my left arm, so it is not completely done thawing, but I could live with this pain for the rest of my life. It is not that bad. I have high hopes for getting full range of motion back, since we did surgery earlier and I have recovered so much faster this time.
One thing that made sleeping in a bed for me easier. I would take a second pillow and prop my hurting arm over it. I also have a contoured pillow that keeps my neck aligned. It helped me get 3 or 4 hours of sleep sometimes when sleeping in the recliner didnt seem to help.
Don’t let depression set in. It is hard, but if you wake up and hurt, remember as I did….there is someone out there who has NO arm who would gladly take your pain if they just had an arm again. I know tell myself that I can only get better since I have no more shoulders to get this in….:o)
I do wish you all the best in recovering and as I have seen that most do….research and learn as much as you can about how this affects you. Ask your doctor every question you can think of, and then ask again if you think you are not getting the right answer. Best of all, find the best doctor you can…….one you can trust completely. A great doctor will not be offended if you question his treatments or ask him to do things YOUR way.
I do know that surgery is not for everyone. It worked for me. It was a hard choice the first time round. When the second shoulder started up, I was ready to check into the hospital immediately if the doctor would tell me that it would fix it. We talked and talked and he gave me many good things to read about how and when and if surgery would work for ME.
Good luck to everyone.
I am not glad to be able to see a chatroom with so many people in pain from a condition that there is no known cause for and no known cure! I know every single one of you is in tremendous pain and it sucks! I had fs in my left shoulder and did the therapy, but it was still there when therapy was over and eventually it did just go away. Sad to say though that it did reoccur in my right and I am battling it all over again. My orthopedic is highly recommended and a friend of our family. When I saw him at the gym and told him about my right shoulder he was disappointed, but said well you know all the exercises to push your ROM so keep them up and take an anti inflammatory. He is not at all an advocate for the surgery because he said it sometimes does more harm than good. They can break or dislocate the shoulder and the people at therapy that I saw that had the surgery were worse off than myself. I consider it like an affliction or a disease that runs its course in different time intervals for different people. I try to explain to people how severe the pain is, but by looking at me you would not think anything was wrong. I am in great shape, but giving a high five to someone can bring me to my knees! The PT that I had never did any strengthening exercises until you were to gain alot of your range back. I agree the worst time is sleeping. It’s too bad they can’t just inject a lubricant into our shoulder like WD-40 to loosen it back up and send us on our merry way. Well maybe someday one of you doctors or scientists out there will invent what we need. Until then Jane you were right better to have pain in my shoulder than no arm and bigger issues to deal with. Hope you all work the kinks out!
Good Luck
Hi everyone,
I must tell you all that I feel relieved to know that I am not just being a wimp with the pain I am experiencing. It really does help to understand that I am not alone. I have been getting less and less sleep and the pain can be soooo unbearable. I will be undergoing manipulation under anesthesia in a week and I am, of course, apprehensive but willing to do just about anything to relieve the pain. I wish the best for everyone here and thank you all for sharing your information. Good luck to everyone!!!
Lisa,
If you can,will you let us know how your procedure went? I will undergo the same this Wednesday.
Haven’t decided on the nerve block, which blocks feeling for
12 hours. Yes,it’s hour 13 I’m concerned about.
Thanks to all. Sharon
Larry Here-Correction to my posting of July 10, 2007. I used some medical terms incorrectly. The actual and only treatment I received was Acupuncture with Electric Stimulation and Acupressure. It was great and my arm now has 90% of the original motion with almost no pain anymore. Dr. Lu was Great!!!!!!
Larry Here-Correction to my posting of July 10, 2007. I used some medical terms incorrectly. The actual and only treatment I received was Acupuncture with Electric Stimulation and Acupressure. It was great and my arm now has 90% of the original motion with almost no pain anymore. Dr. Lu was Great!!!!!!
Hi. I’m still doing Chinese Ditda (Iron Hit Medicine), in Chinatown, Ottawa. It’s working quite well for my frozen shoulder. My doctor thought he could fix it in a few weeks, but alas, he said I’m the slowest healer of frozen shoulder he has ever seen !
That’s O.K., at least it is improving. He gives me special salts and herbs to put into a bath, and since I have been doing the bath nightly, I can now sleep through the night ! That is the greatest feeling, after being up all night, for 4 months. I think that the lack of sleep ,plus the excruciating pain leads to the depression, we can all feel with F.S.
Still can’t do my ballet classes, and canoeing was out for the summer, but I’m hoping next year….. Gardening was tricky, but I did it anyway, very slowly… weeding is the worst.
The pain of my shoulder is still there, but much more manageable — after 3 months of Ditda. I don’t need any pain meds now. Will keep up the Ditda; only go once every 2 weeks now, with exercises at home.
I also feel F.S. could be auto -immune -related, and at times it almost feels like an infection. Maybe that’s why the Chinese salts/herbs help….
Does anyone have Ditda specialists where they live? It really is great, and also just 50 dollars a session.
Good luck everyone.
I have had fs for about six months.Unfortunately it is in my dominant side. NSAIDS, ice, heat offered no relief. My physical therapist was great, but the therapy just about did me in. My symptoms became so much worse. The diagnostic phase was somewhat lengthy, but I am scheduled for a manipulation and a scope in the near future. I would be very interested in hearing from others about the outcome of manipulation and scope. Thank you.
On Dec.26, 2006 I fell and caught myself on my right elbow. After 2 cortisone injections and 2 months of physical therapy I continued to lose strength. I had an MRI which showed a tear in the rotator cuff tendon from a bone spur when I jammed my elbow. I had surgery for right rotator cuff repair, bone spur removal and possible labril tear on April 9th. During surgery he also had to relocate my bicep tendon due to the location of the labril tear. It has been almost 5 months and in the past month I have lost much of my ROM. I saw my surgeon today for a recheck and he has diagnosed frozen shoulder from scar tissue. I have another MRI scheduled for next week and he is recommending munipulation under anethesia if MRI looks good. I am in alot of pain now and the munipulation sounds very painful. I also would like to hear of outcomes from this procedure. Can email me at: smonnahan@msn.com
Thank and good luck all.
Sharon and mm, I had manipulation under anesthesia (MUA )and the arthroscopic procedure done, and it worked well for me. You’re under anesthesia and a nerve block during the manipulation and you don’t feel a thing. You still will have pain afterwards for a period of time, but physical therapy helps. I had to have some scar tissue removed as well during the arthroscopy, and did physical therapy for awhile afterwards, and in three months I was showing major improvement. If I hadn’t done the procedure, the pain and limited range of motion would have gone on a lot longer. I had already had it for 6 months prior to the surgery. I also got a second opinion at the beginning to be sure I was on the right track.
I have FS in my left shoulder. The stiffness has been getting progressively worse, although I have been in PT for 2 1/2 months, had 2 steroid injections, used lidocaine patches, ultram, etodoloac (anti-inflam), hydrocodone,tylenol. My Doc says it is “normally not ‘that painful'”. So, my friends and family think I am over-reacting! He didn’t want to refill my hydrocodone perscription, because this is a “long-term” condition. ie I might become addicted. How can a person be expected to LIVE like this. The pain drops me to my knees, makes me cry, is frustrating and depressing. My stomach feels like it is on fire (I guess because of all the anti-inflammatories), but that pain is a welcome distraction from the shoulder. I don’t even care if I get ROM back. I just want the pain to subside. Should I have surgery, should I quit PT? How much, is too much, pain medicine to take? I am an active, Christian, wife mother and designer….the last thing I want is to become dependent on pain meds, but I don’t know how to cope with the EXCRUCIATING pain. I have been diligent in my exercise program, and tried to keep up “appearances”, by keeping up my busy work schedule….but I am at the end of my rope. HELP!!
Well, I am praying that we all receive a miracle and are healed. If anyone can help….please write back.
Robin, Pain from a frozen shoulder can be very debilitating and anyone who has ever had it knows. It was the severe pain that sent me to the doctor in the first place. The problem with frozen shoulder is that there is no one perfect treatment solution. I did go for a second opinion after seeing the first orthopedic surgeon. I took Percocet (minimal dose) for awhile, and it helped me sleep at night. The pain at night was the worst time for me. Chiropractors are also trained to work on frozen shoulders provided there are no other underlying related problems, ie. torn rotator cuff
I seriously would get a second opinion from another orthopedic surgeon, ask for an MRI, be proactive. Manipulation under anesthesia isn’t as bad as it sounds, and it worked for me. Doctors usually want you to do physical therapy first and then if you still have problems after 5-6 months they offer the manipulation procedure. Ask for a TENS unit. It really helps and is easy to use. Hang in there!
Dear Anne,
Thanks so much for the encouraging words. I am using a TENS unit, and it does create a distraction from the pain. I have just “signed up” for another round of PT, 3X a week 2hrs each…I have dropped down to 1 pain pill at night, as I was worried about taking too much. This will be my 3-4 month of PT. I have been alittle more comfortable during the days, nights are tough, but I am allowing myself a later start on my work day, so, just in case I fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning, I can sleep later. That has helped. All of this to say, that this is very frustrating, for someone who wants to attack the problem and fix it….but this blog site, has let me know, that I am going to have to learn more patience. I do wish my Doctor was more sympathetic…..Maybe I do need a 2nd opinion. In the mean time, when I am at the end of my rope, I will check out this web site. I do believe in the power of prayer,and am asking God to heal all of us. Love in Christ, Robin
Robin, Are you getting any relief at all from PT? I know it helped me immensely. When the PT therapist could do no more to help me, he dismissed me and I now am going to a chiropractor who works on stretching my shoulder that still has some residual stiffness. (I had frozen shoulder in both shoulders a few months apart in onset.) I am doing much better as the days go by. The reason I bring this up is that if you are not getting any relief from therapy or the exercises you are doing on your own, be sure to tell your doctor. At the beginning of my shoulder saga, I went to two different doctors and got two totally different opinions. Apparently frozen shoulder problems are difficult to treat, from all I read and what I have experienced over the last year of suffering with it. I have been told though, that once you’ve had frozen shoulder, you don’t get it again, at least not in the same shoulder! Keep exercising! Anne :)
Nice to see this site up and running. I had my rotator cuff repaired in January 07, had my bone ground down and a bursa removed. I have been in physio for 8 months. It hasn’t helped much. In a couple of weeks I am going in for manipulation of my shoulder. I’m hoping this will give me some of my ROM back. This point in time i have about 30% of ROM and hoping to atleast get to 70%. I have heard that after the manipulation it hurts really really bad, so if anybody has had it done. I would love to know about the aftermath.
Thanks
I had manipulation done yesterday and started therapy this morning. It did not hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. I am able to move my arm more today than I have in the past 3 months, with little to no pain. I have only taken 1 pain pill since surgery and that was this morning before therapy. I had a nerve block that wore off sometime during the night but I didn’t notice any increase in pain. I’m glad I did it. good luck
I had shoulder surgery on April 4, 2007. A 360-degree repair of the labrum, I have had both knees repaired and the pain from shoulder surgery is far worse than knee surgery. I have experienced so much pain with this injury. After surgery, I began the painful visits to my PT, two to three times a week for five months with very little increased range of motion or pain reduction. On August 26, I went through the manipulation procedure; follow by five straight days of PT three times a week for the next four weeks. After manipulation, I had increased ROM; however, it is now back to where I was before manipulation. I went back to my doctor on October 15, after checking my ROM and looking back over the pictures of my surgery his comment was “I don’t know what to tell you”. Talk about depressing, he said that I was an unusual case that creates an excessive amount of scare tissue and that he would be very hesitant to do any more surgery. His suggestion was to discontinue PT since it was not helping and to come back and see him in about two months, at which time he might consider a second manipulation. My ROM is very poor, the pain never seems to go away, and I do not get a good night sleep because of the pain. I am in the process of seeking a second opinion. The thought of going through the pain of surgery again is depressing; however, I have to weigh that against having no ROM the rest of my life.
I’m 58 – female – and have had extreme pain in my shoulder for just 2 weeks. Sounds like very little, reading how long most of you have suffered from ‘frozen shoulder’
Wondering – for those of you who did not experience an actual injury, how did your pain begin?
I have been to an acupuncturist once, and will be having at least 2 more treatments.
All the best to everyone
I’m 58 – female – and have had extreme pain in my shoulder for just 2 weeks. Sounds like very little, reading how long most of you have suffered from ‘frozen shoulder’
Wondering – for those of you who did not experience an actual injury, how did your pain begin?
I have been to an acupuncturist once, and will be having at least 2 more treatments.
All the best to everyone
More good news from Houston!! I’m the guy that, back in July made a posting regarding my FS. Still doing great with 95% motion and no pain- heavy working on church rebuild housing projects sometimes makes shoulder muscles sore, but outside that I feel much, much better. Dr. Meng Lu on Bellaire Street in Houston is the man to see if you have FS or other problems. Great, clean, efficient, relaxing office. My wife, Cheryl, who has had severe pain in both knees- being told by several Drs. that she has no more cartiledge in her knee joints- finally spent five visits with Dr. Lu- now, like my shoulder, with no xrays, no blood work, no pills, no MRI’s, -nothing but accupuncture and accupressure-is almost (90%)pain free. It is truly amazing! While at the office, she also had weight control staples put in the ears- no pain, small staples to control appetite- now after 3 weeks, down 12 pounds!! She even went on the web and bought about 600 staples for $15 bucks and now administers them herself. We are a normal Western style professional family of 5, who is greatly appreciative of some Eastern techniques that have helped both us greatly- without risk- and all for about $500. for both- about half the price of one MRI!
I recently had a procedure that cured my frozen shoulder. An orthopedic surgeon put me under in out-patient surgery and physically manipulated my shoulder to free it. He followed it with a cortisone shot. The next day I started physical therapy. I went daily for 5 days and then a couple more times and, now, 3 weeks after the manipulation, I am pain-free! Thi is after 4 months of pain. I have full use of my shoulder again but need to keep up the exercises to make sure it doesn’t re-adhere. Good luck to you all. :)
One more thing… I wonder if my frozen shoulder didn’t start with a minor automobile accident. I was hit from behind and it crumpled my bumper but maybe the shoulder strap of the seatbelt… Anyway, even now I can feel it hurt when the shoulder strap pushes against my left shoulder. Aren’t most of these left shoulder injuries? The other thing I’ve wondered about is flipping the cord on my electric lawn mower. Can anyone else relate to either of these? If you live around Springfield, MO, I can recommend Dr. McMurray at St. John’s.
Lillian, My frozen shoulder literally started up overnight. I had no warning signs, and when I woke up with the pain in my left shoulder I thought it was just a pulled muscle or that I had slept wrong on it. I put off seeing a doctor for almost two months. The rest of the story is that I ended up with manipulation under anesthesia, months of physical therapy, got it in my other shoulder, and chiropractic manipulation. I am much better now. My advice, go get seen by an orthopedic surgeon. Women who are post-menopausal, which I am, and /or in their 50’s seem to get frozen shoulder for some reason, often with no prior warning. The earlier you start on exercises and physical therapy, the better off you are getting through it.
Lillian, My frozen shoulder literally started up overnight. I had no warning signs, and when I woke up with the pain in my left shoulder I thought it was just a pulled muscle or that I had slept wrong on it. I put off seeing a doctor for almost two months. The rest of the story is that I ended up with manipulation under anesthesia, months of physical therapy, got it in my other shoulder, and chiropractic manipulation. I am much better now. My advice, go get seen by an orthopedic surgeon. Women who are post-menopausal, which I am, and /or in their 50’s seem to get frozen shoulder for some reason, often with no prior warning. The earlier you start on exercises and physical therapy, the better off you are getting through it.
Hi- I am female, 57 and took a bad fall in April. I landed on my left side with my arm straight up and out. Hurt like crazy but not broken. I went to my chiropractor the next day because my neck and back were “out” after I fell.He checked with xrays to be sure there were no breaks, adjusted me and then gave me several exercised to help me heal and keep my range of motion.
I did fine- until I stopped doing the exercises. I am a wedding florist and the “season” started and I got lazy I guess. Now I am, like a lot of you, in pain and not sleeping well. The tight muscles in my shoulder keep pulling my neck out too so my head feels like it has no comfortable place to be.
I went to the orthopedic surgeon for a consultation after an MRI and more xrays and adhesive capsulitis is the result. Luckily I have a less severe case probably because I do karate and practice it “both sides”. My ROM has been decreasing and pain increasing so something has to happen.
I just started PT and the pain from that throws my neck out. I talked to my chiropractor and he says he has had really good luck working with a pain clinic for blocking or numbing the shoulder and then manipulation to free up the adhesions. He helped a lady recently who could barely move at all and she was almost full ROM and virtually pain free after a few days.
I don’t think I can stand PT and all the rest for months (and years?). I am going to go ahead and have the manipulation under local anesthetic block.
I appreciate all the comments here. I am definately going to drink more water and take better care of myself in general. I will let you know in the next few weeks (not scheduled yet) how it worked. Wish me luck! beth
I fell on my shoulder February 25th and felt great pain and then a “pop.” I neglected going to a doc/pt because my arm was feeling better every day – finally went to doc 2 months later – did x ray (nothing broken) and MR showing possible tear, swelling and frozen shoulder. Tried physical therapy for three weeks but they were charging my insurance co. approx $350 per visit. Stopped pt for three weeks and pain got worse – finally found a new therapist who gave me exercises to do 5 times a day. Started doing them religiously and now my arm/shoulder is hurter more – does this mean the pt is working? Most of the time, the arm is pain free unless I move it funny or reach beyond the height of my shoulder.
I developed adhesive capsulitis after using my computer mouse in a non-ergonomic position. Please get a keyboard tray for your desk to prevent shoulder inflammation which will lead to adhesive capsulitis!
The most effective stretch for me is the one mentioned above where you have a pulley and use the unaffected arm to lift the affected arm. When you have lifted your painful arm as high as possible, gently turn your hand left and right, and move your body left, right, forward, and back, to “work” your shoulder for about 20 seconds, until you can feel one or two of the adhesions tearing loose, or until the pain becomes too severe. Then, release your arm to rest for a moment.
Repeat several times, then put a cold-pack on the shoulder.
At night, put a cold-pack on the shoulder to sleep. If I wake up in pain, I get up and stretch your shoulder again. Tylenol doesn’t work, but an extra pillow to hold my arm in a comfortable position helps.
During the day, do not do anything that hurts. Exercises that pull your arm will help, according to Dr. Mirkin, M.D. These include “upward rows” and “downward lat pulls”. http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/f231.html
The exercises can be done prior to the “frozen” stage. It takes almost two years for the shoulder to be fully healed.