• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Frozen Shoulder

L

Lucitc

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone, I'm just trying to get some advice about frozen shoulder. I have 2 and have had for around 3 years. Still so painful and such limited movement it really affects my day to day life and it's starting to really get me down! The constant pain! The GP has said on more than one occasion to take paracetamol and it will go eventually. Can anyone help or advise please? Thanks.
 
Pain from a frozen shoulder is terrible, you've got my sympathy. Steroid injections help some people, and I found acupuncture was the best treatment for me. Hope you can get some relief soon. Having one was bad enough, i can't imagine having two, ouch.....
 
mine was sorted very quickly (in one short session that is) by a chiropractor doing a cervical manipulation (the neck that is). On another occasion a practitioner cleared one by manipulation of a nodule (knotted nerve) in the upper torso. Neither of my episodes responded to GP or hospital treatment such as heat treatment, or general massage and manipulation or cortisol injections. But the specialists hit the sweet spot immediately and painlessly.
 
You need to find another GP. Paracetamol will be useless for frozen shoulder and he should know that. My wife was prescribed amitriptyline by a consultant and it worked very well. Steroid injections may help general shoulder problems but with true frozen shoulder where the capsule clamps down they probably won't work.
 
Mine is also thawing very slowly but following a steroid injection into the affected area, the pain went. I could not sleep at the time and eventually paid for it.
As I understand it there are 3 stages for this which is called adhesive capulitis:
1) very painful and immobile - exercises won't help but time or better still, a steroid injection will.
2) and 3) are 'thawing' stages and can take up to 5 years to resolve but can include mobility exercises and then strengthening.
I did see the NHS physio who was good at stage 2 but this was just before the pandemic and the decision to shut the NHS down.
As I've said whilst you are in pain the physio can't really help.
 
I've had them on both shoulders, not at the same time. GP = drugs which were useless and kicked off my constipation, got to a physio who slowly undid me and the exercises were the thing that I still do every morning after 5 years and touch wood, not had another. The exercises are essentially the ones in the video @Dark Horse gave the link to. They are not quick and combined with a good physio did the job for me.
Good luck coz they are h***ish.
 
Hi, welcome

I have had three but at different times, I cannot imagine how you cope with both sides at once, how you could sleep, unreal, you have my greatest sympathy

I had injections into my second one, I believe it was £280 with the consultation, doctor said it would take months and I was desperate, it worked for half an hour then the pain came back as bad as ever, so time healed all of mine, I hope you get some relief soon.
 
Hi.
I have had a frozen right shoulder for nearly 3 years and only recently started to get significantly better. Nothing really helped except time, lots of time in my experience.
 
I’m so sorry, both my parents have had this and were in agony but both are now completely better, it just took time and physio (my mum had to try a couple to find a good one and unfortunately went private in the end). I also
used to go to a Iyengar yoga class where a couple of people had shoulder pain (not sure if frozen or not) and got relief from a personalised series of poses (lots of belts and straps, but it worked).
 
I second the suggestions of physio. I've had two frozen shoulders (the first one was ten years ago and the second three years later). The first one was mostly healed after 3 years and the physio I then had helped. The second healed much more quickly because I had physio earlier (or maybe it was just milder). I still can't quite do up my bra behind my back (my original long term aim for recovery) but I've regained almost full mobility and not had pain for years. (Though walking a dog who suddenly pulled at the lead led to a few excruciating moments.)
 
I really do recommend a chiropractor. The process was painless, and the relief was immediate. I am no longer troubled in either shoulder at all. Full rotator cuff mobility. No neck tensions.
 
I'm another who agrees with chiropractor - McTimoney or Mctimoney-Crowley for preference - or a GOOD physiotherapist, for which you will have to go privately, because NHS only offer exercises and don't do any warm-up and cool-down before and after. I was a physio myself for 9 years, and dealt with many many frozen shoulders, which responded to deep massage over a period of weeks. I used essential oils as well (qualified in their use too) and I know people who have used acupuncture and/or homeopathy to very good effect. Most of my frozen-shoulder clients were on statins, and although I couldn't comment on those because of professional constraints, I was allowed to suggest they talked over the situation with their GPs.

Be aware that cortisone injections only mask the symptoms - they don't cure the cause
 
Sorry to hear of your frozen shoulder - a too currently have a frozen shoulder but quite mild (Still got movement just no high reach with little pain so can function day to day) so only doing exercise and occassionaly taking the odd pill when pain and sleep are geting a major issue. The doctor advised me at the time when I went to get confirmation of what it was said Ibuprofen and Ibuprophen gels and excercise. But to be honest Ibuprofen does nothing only Codeine (which I still have a few left from previous things) is the only thing that helps take the pain off to enable sleep for me.

But thnaks for everyone else who have made some other suggestions - was aware of the injection but as not bad thought may be no use to me but may consider the chiropractor or acupucture.
 
I had one a year or so before diagnosis of T2. It was my dominant arm and it literally wouldn’t move at all. Physio was all but impossible as it got worse and steroids did nothing. I ended up on serious painkillers and a zombie as a result. Thus I was sent for surgery (capsular release not manipulation). The surgeon afterwards reported it was a horrific case and was quite excited to show me the pictures of mine, typical frozen shoulders and normal ones. He also shaved the bone due to impingement. Whilst a very painful surgery for the first week or two it did very quickly improve after this, usable within a few more weeks, and continued to do so for about 6 months. I have full range of movement but still 5 yrs later get some nerve pain/aches that ongoing physio just isn’t sorting, though it has recovered the lost strength. I live in fear of another
 
I have read an article on diabetes and pains not so long ago, if my memory is right it mentions frozen shoulder. If I can find it I will post it, it also gives a phone num or email
 
Hi

While not having suffered frozen shoulder I can sympathise.

RTA broke my shoulder and other limbs

While no way the worst injury, the shoulder caused immense pain if moved suddenly .
As I tended to 'twitch: while I was dropping off.

I mention only as it was impossible to get to sleep.(was in hdu 4 weeks)

Prescribed paracetamol & codeine alongside the morphine drop

Repeated requests for better meds or a more thorough investigation of causes,
( Eventually prescribed amitriptyline after
3 torrid nights )

Doctors eventually found its was bursitis under broken shoulder blade

Amitriptyline......

Was the only thing that made sleep possible.

I still take some nights.
And I can attest to the zombie feeling first hour or two after waking , so be aware if you take it .

Best wishes You get some aid for it soon,
Frozen shoulder, sounds horrendous
 

Getting to be over 2 years since mine started. Initially slow , I went to a physio which seemed to help for a while. . Then it got worse , maybe 6 months of real pain. Now easing. Massage certainly helps. As does keeping it mobile. Recently I’ve found these exercises: . It hurts but helps. You have to work gently into it. I’m also trying to keep as low carb as possible without being carnivore. It’s not easy.
 
The only thing which worked for me was seeing an osteopath. Having tried the physio exercises provided and using off the counter pain relief for a long time, the osteopath sorted it in four visits (and some work from me at home). Cost a bit but money well spent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…