It seems from what I read that the frozen stage entails little pain and I see references to this often here. Question: When referring to little pain in the frozen stage, does that also include pain with movement of the arm/shoulder or is this more a reduction in the overall pain that is not precipitated by movement?
I have one shoulder in frozen and the other in freezing stage. The frozen one is less constant pain or shooting pains. But still get that exrcuiating pain when my arm is knocked or I move it too far or try to roll on to that shoulder. That pain is the same and sometime worse when I move it. The better part is that the constant pain that is slowly killing me in my freezing shoulder is gone in my frozen one. Not sure if that's the same for everyone.
I am 7 months into my second frozen shoulder and I am now in the frozen stage. I no longer have constant pain or experience excruciating pain when I bump my arm however, I do still have pain if I overuse it or move it past its rom. I still find sleeping difficult and have to sleep resting it on a pillow. I can get by without pain killers though.
Ask your dr about xiaflex injections if you are a candidate for this proceedure. It improved my rom. Did weeks of therapy and after 8 months full rom restored.. It's a protien injection that only targets the facia material build up called collagen that causes pain and los of rom.
My shoulders missed the memo about how the pain patterns are supposed to work. I have had terrible constant pain, which only became bearable very recently when my ROM started to improve. It seems more like I had an exceptionally long, painful freezing stage, followed by a thawing stage with less pain.
I would have to agree with jo61894. I think I'm at this same point where I can get through the day fairly easy unless I over do something and sleeping is still the hardest but that is imporving as well. I am 8 months into this and am finally starting to believe that it may end at some point in the near future when my ROM returns.
Yes I can say that my experience is exactly as you summarized
I had two frozen shoulders at different times. I don't remember them ever being less painful. As I got my range of motion back I eventually got more and more out of pain. Thank God that's over.
That's great. Are you in the UK? I'm in the U.S. and am wondering if these injections are available here. Any downside to them?
I am also in the US. Do a google search on Xiaflex there will be a lot more info and hopefully u can find a dr experienced in your area.
Thanks for the feedback and replies. Like with everything, no two cases are exactly the same and this is helpful. I am in the freezing stage but have not thus far had pain to the degree/severity that many describe. I have had a few painful zingers and oh my I would hate to have those often as they definitely get your attention! I have some pain at night and have trouble sleeping, but the most bothersome thing to me is the pain with moving and especially any movement that attempts to push past my ROM. I was hoping that once frozen that at least most of the discomfort of that would at least go away, but that definitely does not sound to be the case based on experiences expressed in these replies. Oh well - I will just continue to settle in for the ride and continue to try to believe this will pass sooner rather than later. I'm learning that there needs to be a balance of acceptance along with hope.
The freezing stage is very painful especially at night I'd wake up screaming because I'd moved the wrong way, this lasted close to 3 months, the frozen stage the pain all but goes except when moving your arm above close to or past where it can go. The frozen part is a relief compared to the freezing stage