Archive of Capsulitis Experience and Replies from 2005

Bones, joints and muscles
21

I started having shoulder pain one morning about 3 months ago. I woke up and it was there.... It progressively got worse. After two sets of x-rays, and MRI, the orthopedic doctor said it was frozen shoulder. I am in excrutiating pain, it is hard to sleep. I am a teacher and it is causing me to be a "grump" in my classroom...I love to teach, so this has been difficult.

Here is my problem: Two years ago I took a fall backwards off a chair while student teaching. I suffered severe whiplash and have been getting treated ever since. This frozen shoulder feels like the nerves in my neck are swollen. I have been saying I felt like it was coming from my neck. The nerves in my arm and hand are now tingling. The doctor also did an MRI on my neck and found spurring on the C3, C5 area... It said I have moderate to severe nerve impingment as a result of the spurring... DOes anyone know if this can lead to frozen shoudler? I am absolutely certain this is all a part of this accident... Any information would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

Thanks for your time... DMB....:roll::roll::roll::roll:

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22

I have frozen shoulder and had one hour of acupuncture and cupping twice a week for six weeks. It wasn't painful but the results were minimal. Just slightly more ability to reach behind with my affected arm. When I completed the acupuncture course the pain and immobility returned when I accidentally caught the sleeve on my bad arm on a door knob and wrenched my shoulder badly. I would recommend you try acupuncture. It can do no harm.

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23

Helo fellow sufferers, and random surfers ...I'm just into the 'middle phase' on my right shoulder, having experienced the 'joys' of this condition, in my left, some three or so years ago. This time round it's noticably more 'of a pain' (in all senses of the word) as I'm right handed! - although ...one hidden benefit ...I rekon I might be ambidextrous in a year or two :lol: Anyway, I haven't bothered with the injections etc. this time 'cause, for me at least, they made no difference ...but I have been taking Glucosomine Sulphate, which I feel might be helping (if only as a pacibo perhaps!). Finally, I find a bit of gentle stretching, followed by a hot soak in the bath before bed, coupled with a big fluffy pillow under the affected shoulder (as a cushion ...but also as an anti-turn-on-your-side device) helps at night.

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24

After a fall from a ladder in October 06, the frozen shoulder deveoped over several months, despite treatment from the osteopath and physiotherapist and painkillers - Paracetemol, Ibuprofen, Co Codamol and Tramadol, the condition has not improved. I am now going into hospital for the manipulation treatment under anaesthetic in a couple of weeks. After reading comments from person in Box No. 20, I am not looking forward to it at all.

Has anyone else had this treatment and how successful has it been?

I have been signed off work but obviously cannot be off indefinately because I will be putting my job on the line?

Does anyone know how long you need to have off work after the manipulation treatment?

Like many of the other correspondents, I also look forward to a good nights sleep!!:?:?

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25

Dear Kath

I've been suffering 6 months now. Pain like I've never known before- even drove me to tears! I too was refered to a specialist (took 10 weeks for that apt. to come thru&#39 ...the injection never touched the pain & am now awaiting a general anaesthetic op. to manipulate my shoulder free (up to 12 weeks wait!). What has helped the pain albeit a double edged sword is taking BOTH the anti inflamatory diclofenac & the dihydrocodeine painkillers (both prescribed).Down side is nly 1 nightmare so far; one drug constipates & the other gives the runs...nausia is another side effect I suffer. So I get times when the stomach &/or bowel cramps just take hold for a day, 1 or 2 times a week. But I can now sleep thru' the night & am free of that awful pain!!!!!!!!!

I also use heat bags on it & hot showers to loosen it up in a morning.

Am getting physio once a week & am determined to avoid an op. as the condition is 'self limiting' apparantly, an op. seems overkill in my mind.

Hope this is of some help.

Liz

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26

Hi Liz

Please see reply to you coments under no 17 cheers kath

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27

A friend of mine who had recently completed a massage course told me of two excercises for frozen shoulder.

1, Take a leather belt and hold it with the 'good hand' over the 'good' shoulder and let the belt dangle over your back. Grasp the lower end of belt with the hand belonging to your frozen shoulder. Then gentle raise and lower the belt to gently exercise the frozen shoulder (10 repitions 3 times a day).

2. Lay on your back on the floor with your arms by your side and palms to the floor. Gentle raise both your arms similtanously in an ark over you head to touch the floor behind your head. At first, only go as far as your frozen shoulder will allow but your flexibility should hopefully improve with this excercise (10 repititions 3 times a day).

Hope this helps fellow suffers and don't forget to try to keep smiling. It could be worse.

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28

Greetings fellow shoulder sufferers~

I am grateful to have found this website and thankful for all of your comments.. for years now both of my shoulders would "pop and click" without any real discomfort.. mostly in my sleep. One night in October my left shoulder popped so loud it woke us up and this time with excruciating pain! Since then I have lost most of my range of motion. Cannot hook my bra, do my hair, or God forbid shave my pits!!! Sleep... what's that? Vicodine (?) cortizone shots don't help.. Aspercream, massage, hot tub and an occasional sleep aid do some good. I sleep on the couch with my arm cradled and propped and don't move! I am scheduled for the manipulation under anesthesia on April 6th and am hopeful that this will be helpful.. It can't be much worse, I imagine, than what I have been dealing with on a daily basis... Also am taking glucosomine which should be helpful..can't hurt I suppose and then months of pys. therapy.. Any fabulous comments are appreciated and again, it's good to know that there are others who share in my suffering.. blessings, Elizabeth* :magic:

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29

I have tried exercise 1, but unfortunately my shoulder is so frozen that I'm unable to raise or lower the belt to any level whatsoever.

Exercise 2 is also extremely difficulty for the arm which is frozen but the good arm is getting lots of exercise!!

I will try to keep smiling and of course any other exercises or suggestions are always welcome. :ill:

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30

I have had a frozen shoulder since July 06. I am now under a rheumatologist and have had 2 steroid injections and latterly a nerve block injection which was an immense help. They are not painful injections. Now I have pain in my other shoulder and today received a steroid injection in that. I am a typist and I am certain this doesnt help my pain but unable to have time off work. There is a slight improvement in the movement of my first painful shoulder but hopefully I wont have to go through the pain I suffered second time around! I found Arcoxia a great help - one a day - it helped the pain almost immediately, as the steroid injection soon wore off very quickly - not the nerve block injection - it was great. Sleeping with a soft pillow or even a rolled up towel supporting the shoulder does help.

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31

Developed pain two weeks ago and thought I was having a heart attack. Severe pain from shoulder to fingers initially. Some tingling in fingers, felt faint and dizzy when climbing stairs. Slight feeling of sickness. I attended local hospital who checked me out and suggested muscle strain to shoulder.

I had not moved or done anthyhing that I can attribute the shoulder pain too. It grew gradually worse over the course of a normal day. I am not involved in manual labour. Normal work routine involves appearing in court, some work at desk and PC and some driving.

I have been taking ibubrofen for pain relief and a stronger pain killer at night to enable me to get some sleep.

Pain does not seem to be diminishing. Although no naseau or dizziness now, I still get spasms of pain that are on a scale of 1 to 10 = 8

Have visited an osteopath but treatment seems to be ineffective. Will try further treatments before conclude anything.

I intend developing an exercise routine to attempt to avoid any muscle atrophy and hope it does not exasarbate the condition. Meanwhile screaming to myself and boring my family rigid with cries of "This really is bloody painful"

Thought your website was useful and informative. Maybe some facility for local groups of sufferers to communicate would be good.

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32

I experienced a frozen shoulder thre years ago,female, aged 56. Carrying heavy bags of books, (as a teacher), I think contributed to the problem.

The original pain was excruciating and I was often in tears with the pain and lack of mobility of my right arm. I was unable to lift it more than a few degrees for many weeks and the pain lying down at night was constant.

I did not consider taking any time off work, which I now think was helpful in distracting me and keeping me moving. I learned to write on the board using my left hand.I did drive, but in retrospect it was probably rather risky, as my right arm was held close to my ribs.

Keeping moving,walking, helped to relieve the pain which was very intense in the first stage.

I would frequently get up at night and walk briskly( often sobbing and cursing) around the garden to get my blood flow going, before trying to return to sleep for another couple of hours. I eventually returned to aquarobic sessions weekly and did what I could with restricted movement and I think that it really helped.

A hot shower with pressure on the affected area also gave some relief especially in the mornings.A small electric heat pad and microwavable cereal/grain/lavender bagl were also helpful pain relievers sometimes.

The consultant's advice was accurate and it was two years before everything was almost back to normal. I now try swim regularly and my backstroke arm movement is pretty good.

The prescribed anti-inflammatory tablets made me feel sick so I had very few, supplemented by aspirin when things were very bad.

Gentle manipulation and massage by an excellent physio,towards the end of the second stage when the pain was less intense was beneficial.

The notes and advice given by consultant, CR Constant MA LLM MCh FRCS were helpful, accurate, and reassuring. Finding out as much as I could about the problem also helped me to decide what to do to help myself.

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33

I like the others above suffered from frozen shoulder for a period of 9 months last year. I paid private and had NHS physiotherepy I had two small cortisone injections by GP , weeks apart, hydropool therepy, MRI and numerous x-rays ,accupuncture all to no avail until I saw consultant and had three 50ml cortisone injections at fortnight intervals. The pain before these injections was dreadful but they seemed to work over a time and I returned to work with 98% movement. That was 6 months ago but the familiar pain seems to have returned to my other arm this past 5 weeks and is getting worse dispite the hopeful exercises that I am doing. I have had no accident and have no reason for either conditions.

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34

Thankyou for your comments about your pai9nful frozen shoulder. I particularly identified with your comment about screaming to yourself with the pain and boring the family rigid with cries of "this is really painful". My frozen shoulder seem sto have come on montsh after a shoulder rotator cuff injuury. It is particularly difficult as I am very tied up trying to help my youngest daughter with her 1 and 3/4 year old twins as she expect another child in August. And so many movements hurt such a lot so I feel pretty useless. Luckily my husband is carrying a lot of the grandparent load for me, but I long for some respite. The phsio has now referred me to aconsultant so hope for some help. Good luck with your diffilties, it really is bloody I agree!:roll::roll::roll::roll:

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35

Following a rotator cuff injury last summer I had some trouble with my painful shoulder. But I fell whilst walking about 4 months ago and have since had a frozen shoulder. The GP suggested phsiotherap;y, which was pretty painful,but did restore a bit of movement in the arm. Because it hurst so much it was beginning to just hang uselessly whilst I used my left hand more and more. Now the phsio has said its not improving, is very stuck nnd has referred me to a conultant. It was cheering to read everyone elses' comments as the pain just gets you down, and the limits to what you can do. As I am helping with two little twin grandaughter under two, and their Mum expectg another in summer the limitations are hard to bear as well as the pain. But what helps is:painkllers warmth proper estiopathic pillow (bought in large store) also walking and swinging arms for aqbout an hour a day if I can manage it. Sometimes its too painful to do anything, or exercises. Lets hope time heals (and soon!) Madeleine.

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36

Hello, i've had a frozen shoulder since last september, never knew anything could be so painful, had five steroid injections, physio, but am still in pain. not sure what to do next:cheers:

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37

Not really sure if I've got frozen shoulder or not as I haven't seen anyone about it yet. Just wondered if you guys can help? Virtually every night for the last few months I've been waking up with extreme pain in my shoulder, I move my arm and the pain gets worse for a little while then goes away. I get this pain in either shoulder, it all depends what side I'm lying on, and I also get it when I lay on my front. I don't get any pain during the day. Wondering if this is frozen shoulder?:?

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38

Hi fellow sufferers,

It's great to talk to other people with the same complaint because if you've never had the condition you can't possibly imagine the discomfort and pain. I had a frozen shoulder in my right shoulder about 10 years ago and left it far too long before going to the doctor. He recommended an injection but I hadn't heard good things about them so I decided on a course of physiotherapy. It was absloute agony but really helped and within 4 months I was cured. 10 years later I've now got a frozen shoulder in my left shoulder and immediately contacted the same physiotherapist who was luckily still practising. I've had about 6 sessions with him now and can really feel the improvement. The pain is still there but the mobility is a lot better.

I've found that the following things really help - a warm bath in the morning, rubbing my shoulder with a pain relieving cream (Joint & Muscle cream containing Emu oil has been a real life saver - I ordered it on internet) doing lots of exercises at home - one of the best is using a pully which I've attached to a screw in the ceiling, taking Glucosamine, a painkiller before I go to sleep and sleeping with a soft cushion under my afflicted shoulder.

I'm afraid it's really a question of gritting your teeth and doing all the horrible exercises and slowly but surely it does get better.

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39

I went to the doctors just over a month ago with a very painful shoulder and told him the pain extended down the length of my arm and up my neck during the course of the day, and that I was unable to sleep at night. I also found getting dressed and undressed very painful. He prescribed Diclofenax and CoCodamol for 3 weeks and told me to come back, he said he didn't know what it was. I went yesterday to see his colleage (I made a point of asking for another doctor)who diagnosed Frozen Shoulder within 30 seconds. He gave me a cortisone injection straight into the shoulder and has prescribed Dicolfenax and CoCodamol again. I have to go back for another injection next week.

I do sympathise with everyone who has posted here - the condition is very painful and I'm not sure non-suffers get just how debilitating it is - my daughter has to help me get dressed and I'm only 42. I'm encouraged to read that it goes away after a period of time but at the moment it's just getting worse even with the injection and other drugs.

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