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Frozen Shoulder

sanchia07

sanchia07

Active Member
Messages
28
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hello Everyone

I have just be told I have frozen shoulder which I knew nothing about until I start researching it, and it appears it is more common in diabetics, the GP pretty much says there is nothing they can do at the first stage - Freezing stage, there is two more to go the completely frozen and then the thawing stage and this can take up to two years! I am just wondering if anyone else has had this and tried alternative therapies as acupuncture etc with any success.

Thanks
 
Hi sanchia07
i have had frozen shoulder in both shoulders a few times over the years- it is quite painful but if you can , take ibuprofen and get to physio even if you have to pay for it -- also consider a steroid injection if it gets too bad -- i have had one and it does help.

have not tried acupuncture but if it occurs again i would consider it.
 
Thanks for that, I was thinking about physio but my GP said there is no point at this stage - did you find it helped ?
 
your GP is only thinking of the cost if he refers you- which is why I said pay for it if you have to
it is totally beneficial -- it will help you going forward to deal with the pain and react quicker if you feel it starting again in the future

SHAME on your GP
 
sanchia07 said:
Hello Everyone

I have just be told I have frozen shoulder which I knew nothing about until I start researching it, and it appears it is more common in diabetics, the GP pretty much says there is nothing they can do at the first stage - Freezing stage, there is two more to go the completely frozen and then the thawing stage and this can take up to two years! I am just wondering if anyone else has had this and tried alternative therapies as acupuncture etc with any success.

Thanks
Click to expand...
My husband had a painful shoulder for years.
He didn't know it was a frozen shoulder til I bullied him into going to my chiropractor.
(I was sick of the whinging!)

It was amazing. The chiro treated him once and improved it 90%. It cost £45. He was sent home with instructions and exercises to complete the cure.

Of course, he didn't do the exercises, so he is left with some pain, but the improvement is astonishing.

I clearly remember the chiro expressing frustration that so many people (patients and doctors) simply accept the idea that they have to live with the misery of a frozen shoulder. For years.
 
Brunneria said:
My husband had a painful shoulder for years.
He didn't know it was a frozen shoulder til I bullied him into going to my chiropractor.
(I was sick of the whinging!)

It was amazing. The chiro treated him once and improved it 90%. It cost £45. He was sent home with instructions and exercises to complete the cure.

Of course, he didn't do the exercises, so he is left with some pain, but the improvement is astonishing.

I clearly remember the chiro expressing frustration that so many people (patients and doctors) simply accept the idea that they have to live with the misery of a frozen shoulder. For years.
Click to expand...
perhaps it was the bullying that caused it in the first place :D
he wasn't whinging -- it was a constructive dialogue on the merits of intuitive female therapy vs manly silence
 
I have just spent the last 3 nights without any sleep with the pain from frozen shoulder, I cannot move it more than an inch in any direction and was actually sick on the spot yesterday when I knocked it accidentally on the door. I am usually very resistant to pain but I have never had pain like this!
I could quite happily chew my arm off!


Was at the docs Tuesday and got a phone call this morning to go for injections next Thursday morning. I also have on the same side a large lipoma- it's massive about the size of a Easter egg and doc said get it removed at hospital as too big for minor surgery in GPs - well got a letter this morning to go get it removed next Thursday morning !!! - tried to get in touch with GP to see what has priority but no joy today.

I have found that using deep heat pads and using a V shaped pillow in bed has helped a bit, painkillers hardly touched it
 
Hi. Your GP may have diagnosed true frozen shoulder (adhesive encapsulitis) and there is effectively no treatment other than time. Note that steroids will not help with true frozen shoulder; they only hlep with fibromyalgia type shoulder isssues. My wife had three frozen shoulders over 3 years. it can be depressing but at least her excellent consultant prescribed amitriptyline which really helped with the pain. This drug which at normal dose is an anti-depressant can be used very effectively at a much lower dose for pain relief. In summary for true frozen shoulder there is no treatment other than pain relief and time; sorry.
 
sanchia07 said:
Thanks for that, I was thinking about physio but my GP said there is no point at this stage - did you find it helped ?
Click to expand...

Hi I have frozen shoulder in both, left and right. I had a cortisone injection in the left one, about 11 years ago now, which was very painful and physio from my hospital and exercises to do at home, the physio was a big help. I have had this condition for years, it affects my back too,on the right side only, and I take prescribed painkillers when It s very painful, but you live with it and keep moving the shoulder and keep active with good and stable control. It is more common in females.

Best wishes RRB
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have a frozen shoulder, had it for just over a year, been to several different physios which didn't help at all, I have been given pain killers that list every bad thing in the world as side effects, the last thing on the list is, and I quote "out of body experience" lol so I haven't taken any, sleeping and getting dressed are the worst apart from an itch on the opposite shoulder blade when you should see my balloo on the palm tree impression, hitting it against things is pretty mind bogglingly painful, I trapped a finger recently and as a reaction I yanked my hand from under the thing that trapped it, wow that's a whole nother experience

Hope it gets better soon, sorry I couldnt help
 
In January, I suddenly developed pain and restiction of movement of my right shoulder. Knowing that referral to NHS physiotherapy would take weeks, I decided to consult a private physio, who I happened to know through mountain racing. Probably the best £35 I ever spent. She assessed thoroughly, prescribed several exercises, including giving me a section of thera band to use as both a tied loop and a strip, and advised about using 2 pillows to lie on side, improving posture when using laptop etc. I did all this, plus continued to run and doing several jobs which involved heavy lifting etc, and things didn't get worse. Then, last week, when doing exercises, shoulder suddenly "popped" back into alignment, range of movement improved etc. I need to continue both stretches and muscle strengthening exercises to get same range of movement as on left side, but at last it feels OK. She advised me to see GP if things got worse or didn't improve, and wrote a letter to give the to add to my records. I did see GP for another issue and handed over letter, and got some ibuprofen 400mg tablets on presciption, which I used if arm was stiff after a poor night's sleep, for example, and to enable me to do exercises properly. He offered to do steroid injection if needed. I'll enjoy telling him about improvement, when I'm back home after a period of working away from home.
 
sanchia07 said:
Hello Everyone

I have just be told I have frozen shoulder which I knew nothing about until I start researching it, and it appears it is more common in diabetics, the GP pretty much says there is nothing they can do at the first stage - Freezing stage, there is two more to go the completely frozen and then the thawing stage and this can take up to two years! I am just wondering if anyone else has had this and tried alternative therapies as acupuncture etc with any success.

Thanks
Click to expand...
My surgery was completely clueless as to what was going on.... strong pain killers, which did nothing but bung up my dumps big time... X-Rays and more pain killers... finally persuaded them I wanted to try physio, my work covered it.... deep deep massages and exercises.... lying on floor, face up, arms by side, lift arm to ceiling and then to the floor behind head to touch with fingers.... it was months till I actually touched..... took a long time but it really beat the pain killers that really did nothing good... I would strongly recommend a physio...
 
I had frozen right shoulder, started in Feb and by the time it was correctly diagnosed in June it had completely frozen (beyond physio) Paid to see a specialist surgeon and he confirmed I'd zero movement and was thankful I'd not had steroid injection. Had to wait for surgery until Oct 31st and was so thankful... The most painful bit was rebuilding & strengthening arm/shoulder muscles through physio exercises 3 x a day. Have regained 90% movement (limited behind my back but apparently it's excellent)... Best advice I can give is to get physio ASAP! Good luck x
 
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