So I had an MRI mid August this year,that revealed the source of my right shoulder pain,which happened to be due to Frozen Shoulder. I'm confused because it feels like not alot of doctors in my area even know what Frozen Shoulder is,or how to treat it. So I've been living with this awful pain in my shoulder,not really knowing how FS is treated..nobody really knows I'm in so much physical pain,because I fake a smile like I'm ok. When really on most days,my shoulder pain is between a 8-10 on a pain scale. Anybody know how doctors treat FS,and what treatments if any help ease with pain relief? I'm just tired of dealing with FS..
I'm sorry you are I. So much pain. I am now in recovery after about 18 months. Most of the doctors I have seen all seem to say the same thing. This condition has three stages. The first ( I think that's what you are in ) is the most painful. Second stage is the frozen stage. In this stage pain starts to decrease but range of motion may still decrease. Third and last stage is called thawing. In this stage and it lasts the longest pain is gone and range of motion comes back. Slowly ever so slowly. Usually the first two stages last between 4 to 6 months, the last can last a year or more. I was told to just keep my arm moving as best I could. I did pendulums and Codman circles and didn't push it to hard. Sometimes if you try to push it along you can make the condition worse.
I hope that that helps you a bit. Take care of yourself, don't overdo it, and know that it will get better.
I have had frozen Shoulder for 2 months now and pain and stiffness in arm and shoulder is unbearable at times . I am aware it could last a long time but how do you cope with this daily pain , it seems just to take over your life and is getting me down .. people don't want to hear how you feel . I have had a steroid injection over a week ago which did not help should I request a x-ray and Physiology ? This has not been offered yet . I saw an osteopath last week which gave me temporary relief . I just wondered how you guys cope without it getting you down. Any advice would really help right now feeling down about it all xxx
I had mua and then a lot of physical therapy. A year since my fs began (4 months since mua) I have most of my rom back and am almost pain free.
Icing, warm baths with epsom salt, massage, Physical therapy, ibuprofen, Tylenol, stretching-
These are all things I am doing the pain is lessening some- but some days it just transfers to a new location and does not go away! Good luck! It is really a time thing... unless you are going to have a procedure like MUA which I opted not to do. It seemed to have quickened other people's progress of healing.
It's sounds like your description is dead on! I having been doing it since June although my is from shoulder surgery I seem to be having the same timeline as everyone else! I litterally was at the end of my rope at my last dr apt! She recommended surgery and I told her that I would schedule surgery for nov 30 which would put me at the 6 month time frame! About 3 weeks after that apt something changed and I woke up with less pain! I shot up in bed and was like something is different and sure enough since that morning my pain has been less! I did quit pt when I saw my dr and I think the rest def helped! But it could just be timing hard to say but it was pretty much at the 4 month mark when the pain dropped! It's not gone but it's livable! So I have 2 months till surgery! So I will decide whether or not to ride it out! It's hard to think about going back in pain after just getting out of it! Hold on the pain will decrease but it sure is hard to stay positive during that 1 st period! Pain pills, hot and cold packs, you can do it!
Hi Queen,
I had frozen shoulder in both of my shoulders, 2 years apart. I had surgery in my left shoulder to repair a torn labrum and remove some scar tissue created by the frozen shoulder. The recovery included intensely painful physical therapy which took about a year. When I developed frozen shoulder in my right shoulder 2 years later, I opted to NOT do physical therapy, and do the exercises I learned from the first FS but, without forcing the range of motion. The recover took about a year for the right shoulder. I cannot tolerate pain pills and function so I opted for more natural pain relief remedies which included massage and accupuncture several times per week. Warm baths, icing, analgesic creams, ibuprophen, tylenol, avoiding any kind of sudden movement or tensing of the body.
Best of luck, it will get better, I promise.
I know that it seems like it will never end. Hot showers heat packs, tens machine. They all offer temporary relief. I never found any pain meds that worked. Pain was awful with movement and at rest, night time was the worst and sleep was almost nonexistent. The first stage is the worst. The shoulder joint gets more and more inflamed during this stage. I don't know why but as you progress it just stops. Hold on and stay strong. You will get through this.
I went to an Orthopedic doctor office,and at my appointment,I specifically requested that I needed to have some sort of diagnostic test done on my right shoulder,so they faxed over an order for me to have an MRI done. Nothing showed up on the x-ray,but on the MRI,that's when the FS was found. A Physiology,and MRI is what helped detect my diagnosis of Frozen Shoulder. The Orthopedic doctor I saw,overlooked the part of the MRI results,where Frozen Shoulder was listed as a diagnosis..I had to investigate the written results myself,and that's when I found out what was wrong with my shoulder. If you do have an MRI done,I would strongly advise to look over the written results yourself,just in case the doctor overlooks a diagnosis,like my doctor did. Hoping my new PCP I'm seeing tomorrow,can help put me on the path to pain relief from FS,even if he has to give me a referral to a Pain Management Specialist. Hoping you find out what what's wrong with your shoulder,and can be on the road to pain relief
I've heard physical therapy helps out more then anything for pain relief,from Frozen Shoulder. Hoping I can start physical therapy here soon. I just want normal function of my right shoulder back..I'm in the 1st stage of FS right now
That's some great advice I've been trying to ride out the pain for a while now,without the aid of pain pills,but at this point,I think pain pills will help make the Frozen Shoulder more bearable..If surgery is brought up as a treatment option,I'm probably gonna opt for that. I see my new PCP tomorrow morning,hopefully he can recommend some treatment options for my FS. And good luck with the surgery,hope all goes well
I'm honestly willing to try any form of pain relief from Frozen Shoulder. Hoping I can start physical therapy here soon..but if having a procedure done on my shoulder is brought up by the doctor,I don't know if i wanna do that. However,I just want to help quicken the recovery time from my FS..
My experience was the pt was not helpful during the first phase I did pt 3 times a week, at home exercises and had a dyno split ! Pt would move my range so far and it was exciting to see them lift my arm up even though I was screaming in pain! But as I drove home I could litterally feel it freezing back home and by the time I got home it was back so painful and had less rom!
Hi QueenOfTheReich,
During the worst part of FS1 pain for me, and knowing that the PT I was doing was counter-productive, the doctor suggested long-acting codeine, with regular codeine for breakthrough pain. I was thankful he appreciated the kind of pain FS inflicts, and the long-acting version helped me sleep a bit longer before having to reshuffle the pillows or move elsewhere. Sleep deprivation seems to be half the battle.
This list of tips posted quite a while ago by Frosty is helpful: https://patient.info/forums/discuss/helpful-tips-28439?page=0#82787
The key is to find what works for you, as there are all sorts of opinions and options it seems. Reading back through this forum will help too! Liane
Xiaflex was a life savor for my fs shoulder. IN the US ITS approved for several issues Xiaflex is a protien injection that breaks up the collagen in the shoulder .
Hi...ur response to Queen is spot on according to my experience...all the best Queen..nd Gale.
My MRI did not show frozen shoulder, but that is the diagnosis I received. It showed probable torn labrum. I have minimal range of motion in this shoulder and lots of pain. Does MRI always diagnosis frozen shoulder?
Reading everybody's responses I would definitely say I'm in the right place. FS sucks!!! I like to workout a little too much, my body told me so in May of this year when I ripped my chest muscle off the bone (pectoralis major avulsion), I had surgical reattachment in May and since then, FS from being in the sling. I am encroaching on the 5 month mark of FS and have been going to PT 3 times a week, I took a cortisone shot once in the shoulder.....did absolutely nothing, I don't take pain medications I've never liked them. PT has been a waste of time for me as well. All I did was reach a sticking point in therapy and constant pain. A few weeks ago I decided to be more aggressive and get back to more of my normal routine with exercising so started more of a bodybuilder workout and kickboxing and rather quickly I saw better improvements in a short period of time and better range of motion. I'm seeing my doctor this week to discuss MUA, I'm really on the fence about doing it I see the positives and negatives of this procedure and being in the medical field doesn't help at all, I think it just adds to the complexity of the decision for me.
The more I've researched FS the more I find there is not an easy solution to it, outside of chopping off your arm, which for some reason, my doctor seems to be against that idea. From personal experience I've found by increasing my exercises doing weights, running, kickboxing it incorporates alot of rotator cuff movement and strengthening along with stretching everyday I find the pain is less and ROM has increased as opposed to doing less and just going to PT I was getting worse. Either way I'm going to be in pain so decided to keep it active and have less pain is the way to go for me. I've also started more of a bodybuilder diet with heavy increase in amino acids like l-glutamine to help with repair and incorporating anti-inflammatory diet....3 weeks later since starting....I'm definitely in a much better condition mentally, emotionally and physically along with less pain.
I know the mental and emotional aspect of FS is very taxing. You try to explain it to friends and family and of course they just don't understand it unless they have been through it. It wears you out quite a bit to be in pain everyday. When I feel it starts to get to me emotionally I just tell myself "this pain isn't going to last forever I will get through this", then I shift my attention to something more important like torturing my Yorkie or beating up my girlfriend. My girlfriend has been great to me during this time, she's even offered to do the MUA for me since she's seen a youtube video on it, so she feels confident she can perform it for me plus the constant threat of punching me in the shoulder. My friends and family are all a bunch of comedians so keeping humor also helps!
Bottom line is there is no quick and easy fix that I've found. Unfortunately we have to travel down this path. Since we are all different we don't know what will be best for us. I've seen some people go through MUA or MUA plus surgery and have great success, I've seen other's do the same and have more pain and also need repeat procedures. Some people do nothing and it resolves in less than a year for others it goes on for over 2 years. I can't control those variables but what I can control is how I deal with it emotionally.
As patients we want control in our lives, over our health and to know we are doing everything we possibly can to benefit us and overcome our afflictions, hence arriving at message boards seeking answers. I feel good knowing I'm doing the best I can and understand this is just something that takes time and won't go on forever. I'm often reminded of something I read once.
What's stronger? A blade of grass or a tree? During a heavy storm the tree does not bend to the forces of nature so it can be ripped out of the ground and toppled but grass just simply blows with the wind instead of fighting against it. So you can either fight against the pain, become depressed, "this isn't fair", "I'm sick of this" or you can just go with it, not wear yourself out emotionally, tell yourself this is just a moment in time it won't last forever and find something to take your mind off of it. Go for a walk, run, get busy doing some hobby, get lost in a good movie or book, research ways to improve your day.
It's funny I've told my patients in the ER stuff like this for years and my bs actually works since I'm telling myself the same things now! Good luck to all going through this!
I am sorry to say there is no cure or special treament, therapists can help with the pain only. Ibuprofen helps with the inflammation and paracetamol with codeine helps with the pain. be careful with ibuprofen as it can damage the lining of the stomach, volterol helps, it will relief the pain, but do not over use as the drug can be harmful, take a break from it.
Hot and cold packs 20mins with cold 20mins with hot. A warming bean bag that can be heated in microwave is very comforting at night time, sleep with pillow under frozen arm shoulder to support it, see a physio for gentle excercise to keep the muscles working. take magnesium this is good for the muscles. It will be 3 months pain, 3 months freezing and 3months thawing, in some cases a lot longer. there maybe operations and all kinds of treatments, with little success and the shoulder will freeze up again. check with doctor for diabetes, frozen should can be symptom of diabetics, also hypothryrodism. If from injury, than it will take time, rest and take care of yourself. also check there is no swelling if you have a temperature with it see your doctor as once as this can be a sign of sepsis. also have read that woman in their fifties get FS due to menopause, lack of estrogen, which oils the joints. laser treatment can help a osteopaths can offer this treatment and neil asher manipulation.
I hope this helps, I have FS for nearly 8 months, and have researchedon the internet. I am now in phase of frozen, in my right and partially in my left, my is from injury, have spent a lot of money on therapy with some results mostly with the osteopath, do not over work your arm and try not to exert it in any way, be gentle and let it heal. If you can go to swimming pool the coolness of the water will relieve the pain, the water will support the arm, you can do some gentle stretches and excercise.
Niether an xray or a MRI wil help diagnose a frozen shoulder. They will however show you have no osteoarthritis or any dangerous diseases. Did you post previouisly and say your age was 20 something?