I fell when out walking, put my hand out to stop the fall and jarred my left arm. About 6 weeks later I was in great pain & unable to sleep. I went to a chiropractor who treated me and recommended physio. After 6 physio sessions, I was advised to see my GP. Since then I've had an X-ray (nothing showed up) and today have been to see an osteopath at the hospital. He diagnosed adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder and offered an operation. I am undecided because there are risks with any operation under general anaesthetic and the pain has definitely got better. I have limited movement in my shoulder e.g. cannot put my arm up my back although I can drive, dress and do my hair so may, in the end, decide to accept that and just keep exercising to keep my joints as mobile as possible.
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I had shoulder pain for a few months, which I thought was arthritis (I am 65) SO i did not bother to go to see the Doctor. Whilst on holiday, I was still in severe pain if my arm was moved awkardly or I jarred it at all.
I finally went to see my Doctor at the beginning of May, after my holidays. He told me it was a Frozen shoulder. Gave me pain killers, and cream.
After 3 more weeks, I returned and had the injection. Still no better, so I have now had a blood test and am awaiting to go to see a pyshio. I was told if it did not inprove then, I would have to see a specialist.
I also have a problem sleeping , as I do sleep on my side and it is painful to sleep on my side, with my shoulder.
i must admit,I must either be getting used to the pain now, as sometimes I do not think it hurts as much, but then one movement, and I can be in a lot of pain again.
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Ten years ago I suffered with a frozen left shoulder, after 2 years of pain my Doctor eventually gave me a cortisone injection, whether this helped or whether it had taken it's course I do not know, but the pain subsided and I was able to lead a normal life again.
Now I am suffering again with the pain in my right shoulder, I have had an ultra scan and am due to go for physio treatment. The consultant at the hospital told me that exercises would help, also physio (I will try anything), he also said it was like a common cold - if you take medication it will go in 7 days, if you don't it will go in a week! I thanked him for those words.
I can only liken the pain to toothache - would anyone suffer with toothache for 2 years? Surely something effective can be done to help us sufferers?
Both my Mother and sister suffered with frozen shoulders.
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I've just been diagnose with a frozen shoulder and while the pain is not agonising it is constant. Tried a TENS machine last night and that helped for a while but the effect wore off quite quickly. I've found that by sleeping (or attempting to sleep) with my affected shoulder/arm face down over a pillow helps.
Linda :headhurts:
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I have just been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder after 3 months visiting the doctor and receiving physio treatment! The physio treatment I receive is very painful and half the time I am unable to do the exercises.
My GP has kept me off work for the last 6 weeks as my job entails a lot of typing and I am unable to do this for long periods of time.
I don't think people understand the pain I am in when I use my arm or sometimes forgetting I reach out and the pain is so severe I feel that someone is pulling my arm out of the socket.
I am seriously considering acupuncture.
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I have had a frozen shoulder since April this year. At the end of May my doctor gave me a steroid injection but it made no difference at all.
I am having treatment at the frozen shoulder clinic using the Niel-Asher Technique & have just had my forth treatment. It is better than it was but is still painfull in bed.
After my second treatment it was very much better & I thought I was on the mend but after my third it seemed to flare up again. I had my forth yesterday & it is a lot better than it was last week.
Its at night that its always worse & I always wake up at least three times in the night. I am hoping that with the treatment it will not take the two or three years I read that it can take to resolve!
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hi,I have just been diagnosed with frozen shoulder and appreciated hearing other peoples comments about frozen shoulder as I dont no what to expect as my doctor said that steriods would treat the problem but I have my doubts about taking steriods.
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I woke up last thursday night with excrutiating pain in my right shoulder I struggled into work and made an appointment for that afternoon at the doctors, he diagnosed frozen shoulder and promtly gave me a steroid injection, I am already on steroids for crohns disease so I thought that combined they should sort out the problem. How wrong could I be twice over the weekend I dropped the kettle because of the pain and struggled to dress myself to go to work on monday and talk about a bad hair day as there was no way I could raise my arm to bolow dry my hair. I thought I would look on the internet for any information on the condition well that finished my day discovering that it could be years before all is well (if ever) not what I wanted to hear, so if anyone has any ground breaking news on how to help deal with the pain I would be eternally grateful.
:roll:
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Hi all, I have had frozen shoulder for 4 months and have just had my first physio appointment this weeks. It was very painful and the next morning I could hardly move my arm at all. It is always worse in the mornings anyway and I never sleep through the night because every time I move it wakes me up. If only I could get some relief from the pain. I have to go to physio once a week but I am not looking forward to it. It is very difficult to do everyday things such as washing my hair, getting dressed and undressed, etc. Val.
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I feel exactly the same. To someone who has not suffered frozen shoulder, they cannot possibly understand the pain. It is excutiating. You can put up with the "frozen" part but something should be done to help the pain. I too am considering acupuncture as physio does not help, it just seems to agrivate it.
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I have had a frozen shoulder for about 18 months now. I haven't been to a doctor and have had no real treatment, aside from 3 sessions with a physio who told me that it would go onit's own eventually. She gave me Tens and a few exercises which I didn't do anyway. I found ibuprofen for a couple of weeks really helped, coupled with wearing heat patches over the affected area. I also found having a soak in a hot bath greatly improved the discomfort at night. I now have 99% movement back in my shoulder and it no longer affects my everydsay life. It gradully got better on it's own
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In the year 2000 I had a frozen should on my right side. It cleared up after 1.5-2 years and I regained almost full movement in my shoulder and arm. I now have a frozen shoulder on my left side (for the last couple of months and getting progressively worse). The pain is excrutiating (worse than last time) and radiates down my arm. I wake up at night when lying on my left side and can't find a comfortable position. The worst thing is when I make a sudden, unexpected movement and jar my shoulder/arm (such as slipping on a wet surface and trying to correct it instinctively). The pain is so terrible I almost vomit from it and often resort to tears (very out-of-character for me). I don't know what to say to encourage you, but I DO know what you're going through - believe me! Jan
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I developed frozen shoulder after having an unresolved rotator cuff injury. I started physio therapy in June. My usual treatment includes manual muscle stretches, electronic muscle stimulation, acupuncture and traction for an unstable cervical disc. My range of motion has improved, but not as much as the therapist would like to see. My physio therapist has been laid off -cutbacks- and my case has been turned over to the clinic acupuncturist, who is also a physio therapist.
I don't remember what sleeping through the night is.
I manage pain with a TENS machine, acupuncture tacks that are left in my ear and medication. I just had a cortisone shot in the shoulder yesterday. That cure seems almost as bad as the condition, but I understand that post cortisone pain resolves in a day or so.
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I read your comments about your frozen shoulder on Patient Leaflets UK - I am from the USA and have heard about the Niel-Asher treatment and am considering doing it. There is a woman in Philadelphia, Pa. who does the treatment here, but I am from Florida and it is a considerable distance But I AM WILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR RELIEF as you know !! I have been suffering from April of this year. Have been out of work for 8 weeks, the pain has lessened some but the range of motion has not improved at all. I get so terribly depressed - please stay in touch with me via e mail. I would like to know how your Niel-Asher treatment works as to date nothing else has
Waiting for hear from You
Carol Gorey
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would like to know if anyone has tried acupuncture and how helpful it has been because I am at that point also after 8 months of constant pain.
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Hi Carol
I'm from Vancouver, Britis hColumbia
I have the adhesive capsulitis since one year, but I don't sleep and the pain is getting worse
since 4 months. I tried physio, interferential current (was good for the pain but gave me arithmia so I had to stop)
massage, chiropractor. Sometime I'm really depressed too and frustrated because I don't see the end of this. I can't stay in front of the computer too much because it causes more pain to my left arm
They gave me Celebrex, didn't work. Tried tylenol3 twice: two hours of relief then a lot of bad effect
from codeine for two days. Do you know if there is a forum to talk to other patients in NorthAmerica?
I would like to talk and find out why and what could help everybody and not only to be a waste of time and money
Hope to hear back from you and everybody else
Annabella
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Hi
I work with computers and I use the mouse constantly with my right hand. This requires my right harm to move in an unnatural way, due to this I believe I have contracted Frozen Shoulder.
I have suffered with mild pain on my right shoulder for at least 10 years but since June I experienced like most other readers about 3 months of excruciating pain. Could not sleep at night and could not carryout even the simplest of task without getting a stabbing pain on the shoulder and neck I have not been to the doctor or the physiotherapist, you may say very stupid! But I believe in self help, and since as they say there is no cure I decided to put up with the pain and do my own physio as and when I can.
Now the bad pain has gone even though I still get twinges constantly. I can sleep at night and do most things with my right harm. It is however unconfortable to use the mouse.
Peter
:D:D
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I too am sufering with my shoulder. As I am terrified of needles acupuncture did not seem like an attractive treatment but in desperation I had a go and can honestly say it wasn't bad at all. The tiny needle was inserted into my right shin(it's my rt shoulder that is bad) and felt very strange sensations which travelled up & down the leg. Pleased to say it did give me a bit more movement. So I would say try it:D
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Same with me entirely but I couldn't sleep so eventually had the injection. i did nothing much with the arm for a few days as somewhat uncomfortable (not really a pain but more of an ache) probably due to the actual needle into the muscle, but within 3 weeks the pain had reduced and now 2 months on it feels 80% normal though ocassional pain in bed when sleeping on that side.
Worth a try depending on what discomfort level you have.
JL
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I have had a frozen shouldr since July with all the accompanied pain and problems mentioned by everyone with same. Mine was caused by using an electric hand saw to cut out pieces of wood from a board at an uncomfortable angle and the vibration and repetativeness of the action contributed. Just overdid it! I am 61 and normally very flexible and healthy. I have tried physio,then chiropractor who was much more informed and helpful than the physiotherapist and told me he could do no more eventually so I returned to docs and today had a steroid injection which I found very painful afterwards for some hours! For managing the pain since July I have found hot baths with Radox muscle soak powder {from Boots chemist} soothes and relaxes the tense arm muscles (since my pain seems to register further down my arm) and then apply ice pack and take Nurofen and Codeine which I have on prescription from docs as can get stronger than the normal version you buy. I've been told that the steroid injection will enable me to do exercises with the physiotherapist without pain - and if that doesnt work in two months, manipulation under anaesthetic will be the next thing. Its all just to speed up the healing which otherwise can take years apparently! Do try the baths etc especially before bed and dont lie on your bad shoulder. Also the aim is to cool down the inflamation as I understand it so ice packs after the hot bath - on the shoulder only! Good luck and I hope the Codein doesn't give anybody nightmares - it does me!! and get well soon.
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