I am curious as to how many others with this condition were experiencing some kind of stress when it started? I was selling house and moving across country away from son and grandkids when it started. I was also doing a lot of painting and was not to active before that for a couple years. So I think combo of moving a lot and stress brought it on. Once I moved and had family come visit I started thawing. Just curious as to others with stress.
Hi Lisa,
Absolutely I was very sad and stressed out before both frozen shoulders started...I have wondered if it is due to the tightening of muscles around the neck and shoulder areas. Interestingly I have also noticed during the active part of it I had much more pain at night if I was anxios or worried about something. I brought this up to my Dr. and basically any kind of stress has a negative effect on any condition and I believe can bring any sickness on. This being said, in a curious way it has brought my attention to how I handle life's stressor's. I now work on excepting what is and just making the best of every situation, even frozen shoulder. Try and see your move in a positive light,
exploring a different part of the country,meeting new people and then sharing that experience with your son and grandkids.
Thanks for bringing this topic up I will also be curious if others had the same experience.
Lisa,
I had just went through the worst year of my life. I won't bore anyone with the details but my family dealt with enough last year to bring anyone to their knees. Things have changed for the better now but I definitely feel that stress has contributed to my health. Hoping to reverse those affects this year.
Hi. I'm thankfully out the other side of x2 frozen shoulders. I posted 2 years ago regarding the correlation with stress and FS. It created a fair debate if I remember rightly, I was clutching at anything to try and find a solution to this hideous condition. I strongly believe it is associated with stress and hormonal changes.. I have since changed my diet and my outlook on life. I found this site and it's community an amazing support when I needed them most. I wish everyone a speedy recovery.
Yes, to some degree. I also had recently bought an old house, did a lot of repetitive motion wallpaper removal, etc and had done way too much shoveling as it was a heavy snow winter. Doctor seemed to think the work could have brought it on. The whole process began with one event however. I was in bed and had gotten up on one elbow. I thought I had been stabbed in my my shoulder. From that day on I couldn't move my arm without excruciating pain. I did recount the incident to the doctor, but he said that FS "doesn't start that way". Mine sure did.. There was apparently no sign of a cuff tear because I was never treated for one.
But the 2nd and less severe one was during less strenuous times and just started gradually. Had acupuncture and it faded away..
Yes! The onset of my first shoulder was very shortly after giving birth. I ignored it for probably 2 months due to being so tired and preoccupied. With the second one its hard to say... I'm always pretty stressed and have always had trouble sleeping since the first one.
I do believe the hormones have something to do with it also. I have started menopause, I think, a few months before but I think those issues were all due to stress also. I definitely am changing the way I look at things and am thankful for everyday. I am trying to get back on a better diet and exercise again also. Thanks for your thoughts and advice.
A fall caused mine. I had just finished the evening shift of a job I loved and I had been in the job a year. It was the best year of my life. Then it all changed in seconds with that one fall. I didn't even fall over anything. It was a totally flat surface. Strange. Absolutely no stress that day, but plenty since then because my work requires optimal health, mobility and range of motion. This site reminds me how fortunate I am because there are people here with two frozen shoulders or children depending on them, etc...a whole variety of challenges that makes me wish I lived close to all of you so I could offer day-to-day assistance. :-)
Hoping I'm not about to go through menopause.
Seriously though, as rare as this is for women it's even more rare for men. I'm not sure what caused mine. My shoulders have always been a pain point for me since about the age of 30. All I know is that it's here, I'm not dying, and it will go away eventually. I take solace in knowing there could be way worse things for me to have happen. We will all return to normally eventually. Chins up!
No literally, chins up and shoulders back it will help.
Hi .
I feel in my case it's a combo of stress and hormonal..because my right shoulder was frozen with no clear explanation and I recovered completely after 2 years ..now I feel my left shoulder acting up ..
Thanks for your reply and I hope everything turns around for you. I have a different outlook on life in general now and don't take anything for granted. Good luck on your recovery all around.
Hi Cindy I am month 7 of frozen shoulder and I do think it is related to hormonal changes (I am 54. It literally came out of the blue...within a week, had limited rom and was in PT. I also have a torn rotator cuff, partial, full thickness tear. Can you summarize how you changed your diet? I need to research low inflammation diets.
Hi there. I have dabbled with my diet for around 4 years now as I believe I started going through 'the change ' quite early; I was feeling sluggish; emotional and achy. I then had a period of extreme stress quickly followed by FS's. I firstly cut out processed foods ; bread and sugar; as I found all of these to be having a negative affect on my health.
I am also now a vegetarian, and I ensure I get lots of ginger and turmeric in my diet. I try to eat mainly plant based food's and i use plant based milk in drinks. Im no diet expert but im a strong believer of 'listen to your body and mine was crying out for change, I feel loads better, more alive.
I hope you are out of this awful condition soon. Take care.
Good for you Lisa. I hope your positive outlook is bringing you great happiness; thank you for bringing the stress /hormonal debate to light again . I feel the doctors should listen but they just don't seem interested and seem utterly clueless on how to treat Frozen Shoulder.
When I had my first (and major) FS I asked my GP if menopause had anything to do with it and he said it did not. I did my own research and found out that most females affected were menopausal. Wrote my doctor a note in hopes he would do a little research of his own to be better informed the next time a menopausal woman with FS asked. Not that it makes any difference ultimately, but being as informed as possible can only help.
Re low inflammation diet info is everywhere.
Of course, reading about them & sticking to them are two different things.. I do eat more vegetables and fruit, but I always crave protein and nothing but fish, poultry and meat work for me. My digestive system does not like too many green leafy vegetables or too much soy. Avoiding carbs is just impossible for me so I eat as few as possible (for me) and stick to whole grain and some gluten free. I like variety. I may be all wrong in my approach, but I'm doing what is feasible for me.
I also take a weekly Qi Gong/Tai Chi class in order to stretch and do as much walking as I can.
I don't agree with hormonal changes being a cause. My naturopath just check all of my levels and I am fine. Plus I'm a man and doubt we have the same changes anyway lol. Stress however does play a factor in my opinion.
Another question for the group. Could it be hereditary? I just found out that my late mother had it years ago. My step-dad just told me over the weekend. Anyone else had a family member have it too?
Thanks Cindy. I also have been taking a lot of vitamin supplements through this. I have turmeric, ginger, glucosamine, collagen 2 and a couple others that I really think have helped. Like you stated the doctors don't listen so I don't waste my money or time on them. I also am grateful for this forum it is helpful to hear others opinions that have been through this, although I would not wish this condition on anyone. Thanks again.
My parents have never heard of the condition. Maybe you are starting another new thing with male menopause, lol. I think one of the most stressful things with this is not knowing how it happens and trying to make sure it doesn't happen again. We all appreciate any input everyone has. I did just post that I was also taking glucosamine, collagen 2, turmeric and a few other vitamins which I think helped with recovery. Good luck with your recovery
The fact that most women get it at or after menopause does not mean it is caused by hormone deficiency. It means changes in levels could be a factor. I don't know your age, but men's hormones change as well.
I may have mentioned in this thread (or in another ?) that my father did have FS. He also had Dupuytren's which I have. Lucky me. The good news is I seem to have inherited his curious mind and love of reading. We have to deal with the good & bad 
"The prevalence of frozen shoulder is estimated to be 2 to 5 percent of the general population. The condition is most common in the fifth and sixth decades of life, with the peak age in the mid-50s. Onset before the age of 40 is rare. Women are more often affected than men" (according to medicalnewstoday).
I seem to recall one doctor saying that golfers are prone to get it, but I'm sure that was anecdotal.
Another question. Seems I have a lot of them.
Has anyone ever had it twice in the same shoulder? I assumed once it was done it was done and wouldn't happen again. Like Chickenpox. 