My shoulder problems started beginning of this year after stripping six layers of wallpaper in the lounge which was quite extreme DIY. Shoulder started to hurt and I carried on working. It hurt even more but I carried on thinking it will pass. It didn't and it got more painful, eventually restricting the movement. I had a blind cortisone shot which did nothing and then had an MRI which showed \"impingement bursitis and bone spurs\". The pain got to the point where I was not functioning, not sleeping, was off sick and I paid to see a consultant privately (not cheap!). He \"rubbished\" the MRI results and said I had now developed a frozen shoulder and it was that was causing the pain. I paid for my own physio as the NHS wiating list was 2 months and I was in agony. I had five sessions which did nothing. I was then referred for an ultrasound guided cotisone injection in June. Two months later I am still waiting for the date ! In the meantime, enough was enough and I paid for it privately given the pain I was in. It did very little, but I believe I had now gone into phase 2 whereby you still get excruciating pain upon movement, but not necessarily the CONSTANT excruciating pain. Nothing has helped - including the NHS !! Physio did not help. Cortisone shots did not help. To me it seems it is something that will run its course.
I spoke to a friend of mine who had a frozen shoulder and he had capsular release, performed by Richard **** who is a private consultant, but he also does some work on the NHS. He is based at a hospital near Windsor and your GP can refer you to him. I would say keep on going to your GP - go every day if necessary - it is his duty to refer you to a consultant.
The only relief I get is when I see a therapist who practices Tuina - quite an aggressive, intensive massage therapy using heat. I was referred to him by my boss who was on the verge of having neck surgery and was in extreme pain - he sorted him out permanently and never needed the surgery. I am very cynical with alternative therapies myself but this is not necessarily an alternative therapy as such as it is totally hands-on, manipulative therapy. He reckons five sessions and I should be a whole lot better and I must say I am better after two - but you will need to pay for it.
I always found I was better off sleeping with three pillows at a 45 dgree angle, rather than having something just under my shoulder/arm as I found it was an unnatural position. I have recently put a thick soft duvet under my side of the bed which makes it a lot softer and more comfortable.
Painkillers did not work. I even took Tramadol (like Morphine) which did not take the pain away. I do get relief when I rub Chinese Wood Lock oil on my shoulder and arm - it is a treatment like Deep Heat but a lot stronger and makes your shoulder get really hot, bringing blood to the area. Recommended to me by the therapist and it does not cost much,
The consultant put me on the waiting list for Manipulation Under Anaesthesia which is quite controlversial - I do not know if I will go ahead with it. I am optimistic that I will get further good results with the Tuina, enabling me to be relatively pain free and able to go back to work and function semi-normally !
It is a terribly debilitating, excruciatingly painful condition that very few people realise. Do go back to your GP, again and again. I threatened to also go to A&E if my GP hadn;t done anything. You must persist - it is your right to get a consultants opinion.
Chris
(Sorry but Patient Admin have removed a Doctor, Consultant and or Hospital name from this posting, as it is the policy of Patient UK not to publish these on this forum.)