Frozen Shoulder

Bones, joints and muscles
1

My case of Frozen Shoulder was a horrifying yet strengthening experience in so many ways.  I suffered horribly in silence without understanding what was happening.  

My entire upbringing and genetics each have combined to have created me to be a pain enduring stoic individual.  I was brought up to endure pain in silence and offer up the suffering and to endure it like a good soldier or Marine Corp member.

Frozen Shoulder came upon me at an inopportune time when I had many difficulties going on regarding the health of family.  As the pain increased and the mobility declined I made rationalizations as to why these things were happening.

After several months with my left arm nearly immobilized and in excruciating pain day and night I visited an Orthopedic surgeon.  I saw a total of four different Orthopedic surgeons and finally realized that the only cure for me would be serious physical therapy.

I endured three and four day a week hour long sessions of grinding painful pulling, pushing, stretching, lifting, tugging on my arm.  I hung from gymnastic bars, monkey bars in parks, pulled levers, pulled pullies, pulled rubber bands, lifted weights and had my Physical Therapist twisting, pulling,  stretching and tugging my arm in various directions and to the point of excruciating pain.

My lead Orthopedic surgeon was a highly successful man with excellent pedigree and academic and professional background in Orthopedic surgery.  He was about 60 years old and in the prime of his life.  He was in great physical shape and looked young.

He told me so many times, "No Pain--No Gain" and he instilled in me this doctrine.  I resisted his directives initially.  When he questioned me and my Physical Therapist about my attendance (or lack of attendance) and my level of effort in the P.T. sessions he quickly discerned that I was not giving it even a 50 percent effort in my P.T. classes.

He nearly hollered at me and said "No Pain--No Gain" with an almost Marine Corp Drill Instructor's voice and tone.  I was shocked and tried to explain that I was trying and making slow progress when he nearly yelled again stating loudly--"NO Pain---NO Gain!!!"  

His nurse and I recoiled and shrunk down seeing his angry countenance.  I humbly agreed to follow his direction.  I left his office determined to get serious about the P.T.

The pain I endured as my Physical Therapist stretched and tore the Adhesive Capsulitis and the horrible Adhesions that had my arm bound and almost paralyzed.

Over four months I endured three and four sessions of stretching, pulling, and lifting my arm.  I hung from bars and stretched the Adhesions and my Therapist pulled, tugged, lifted and pushed my arm in all manner of positions to break up and tear the cobweb-like Adhesions that had my arm so tightly bound up.

After four months of nightmarish pain and suffering my level of movement and range of motion had improved markedly from where it had been when I entered the P.T. sessions.

I learned from this experience that it is really true that "No Pain--No Gain".  

In order to get real results one has to endure pain and suffering.  There is not tender way to say this reality.  If you want to really improve your range of motion and expedite the healing process regarding Frozen Shoulder then my advice is the same advice my best surgeon offered to me---NO PAIN--NO GAIN!!!!

I am a healthy male with no diabetes, no thyroid problems, no injuries to my arms, no history of illnesses of any kind or type.  I am svelte and in great shape.  The Frozen Shoulder afflicted me for no known reason.

Had I known then more about M.U.A. or manipulation under anesthesia I would have probably undergone this procedure.  As it worked out though---I gained a tremendous amount of emotional and personal mental strength by enduring the pain of P.T. and looking back I am a much better person for having endured the pain and by having offered up the pain to the Triune God in Heaven---Yahweh aka Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

I encourage all F.S. sufferers to be brave and be prepared to endure pain as you work out in P.T. sessions.

And always remember the words my excellent Orthopedic Surgeon told me---NO PAIN---NO GAIN!!!

2

I know everyone's circumstance is different - but I have to disagree that it always has to be "no pain, no gain".  I had a very bad case of frozen shoulder after a shoulder surgery.  I went to several therapists that wanted to go the "no pain, no gain" route as they said it was the only way.  It was agony and it only made my range of motion and pain worse.  My surgeon even wanted to do the MUA and said I would not recover without it.

Well, I found a therapist with a different approach.  This is not to say the treatment was pleasant - yes, it was uncomfortable.  But not tortuous and painful.  In fact he stressed NOT to go to the point of pain.  Right after the very first visit I found my range of motion increasing and my pain decreasing.  I worked hard at it and now, after a few months, my frozen shoulder is gone.  I am back to doing all the things I love including working out at the gym and caring for/riding my eight horses.

So I would say listen to your body and do what's right for YOU.  The conventional wisdom doesn't always have to be the right answer.

3

I'm sorry but what you say is simply not true.  Frozen shoulders in themselves are extremely painful but even without treatment, exercise, etc, most will get better in time.  Both my frozen shoulders were treated successfully by hydrodilatation and gentle exercise and physio, always stopping if it hurt.  The consultant (professor) I saw is a shoulder expert, has been involved in much research and lectures round the world in the treatment of frozen shoulders.  The physiotherapist was recommended and is know personally to him - she was horrified to hear of the "no pain, no gain" regime recommended by some on here.

I would say you most likely got better despite your treatment, rather than because of it.  There is no glory in suffering unnecessarily and the "no pain, no gain" regime can cause more harm than good. 

 

4

Thank you for your post.  I have struggled with FS for 6 months.  I decided 2 weeks ago that I was going to push through the pain and reclaim my life.

I live in Houston and lost my home to Harvey.  We rebuilt and are now back in our home.  Unpacking came to a standstill because I was unable to use my arm.  My husband could only do so much.  I have been working with a PT but I push my shoulder much more than he does.

I saw my Dr. this week and he agrees I am no longer frozen and in my way to thawing.  6 months of excruciating pain 24/7, insurmountable tears and depression are lifting.  At the end of the day when I have pushed my arm past it’s capability I still take pain medication.  Sleeping is better although I long to sleep on my FS.

For all of you who are suffering, know that those of us who have dealt with this issue do understand and are pulling for you!  No one can begin to understand your FS.  It’s frustrating at best.

Don’t give up, keep pushing and vent to this forum.  You have a friend(s) here.  God Bless and take care.

5

I too am sorry and what I say is simply absolutely true.  My expert is an M.D. and professor and he is a highly accomplished and supremely successful Orthopedic Surgeon and professor.  He is additionally a father of four excellent adult progeny and he is a devout Roman Catholic Christian man.  

Why you suggested anything about "glory" is baffling because there was never anything mentioned in my post about "glory".  

The reality is that by working out hard in Physical Therapy to the point of really having an effect on the Adhesions that bind the arm up with Frozen Shoulder is a very great thing to do.  The sage advice of "NO Pain--NO Gain" is extraordinarily great and wise advice that has helped countless thousands of people to recover well and more quickly from Frozen Shoulder.  

I asked a friend of mine who graduated as an Orthopedist M.D. and as a Professor and he said unequivocally, "Yes, No Pain---No Gain".   My Surgeon Professor friend explained that most victims of Frozen Shoulder are not the types to deal well with pain of any kind--neither physical or mental pain.  He explained that the massive opioid epidemic in America shows clearly that many people cannot handle pain at all and demand pain avoidance up to and including powerful opiates to numb their pain.

Dealing with Frozen Shoulder is best done with a brave, stalwart and courageous willingness to deal with pain.  Stretching the Adhesions that bind the arm up must be done in order to recover more quickly and properly.  The "NO Pain--NO Gain" sage advice is absolutely excellent and is absolute wisdom.

For those who cannot handle pain then M.U.A. allows the Adhesions to be torn and stretched without feeling the pain because the person is sedated.

The Pain of M.U.A. would be felt by the stretching, tearing and ripping of the Adhesions that bind the arm in Frozen Shoulder however because of the sedation the patient does not feel the pain.

Remember that like the aphorism that says "You've gotta be cruel to be kind" and the doctrine of "Felix Culpa"---the wise aphorism of "NO Pain--NO Gain" is exceedingly apt, sage and wise advice.

6

It is great to hear about your victory over Frozen Shoulder Camille!  Your courageous facing Frozen Shoulder with a "Full Frontal Assault" was supremely excellent and heartening!

I did exactly what you did after my great Orthopedic surgeon excoriated me and upbraided me with his scathing command of "NO Pain--NO Gain".  His denigration of my half-hearted and moderate workouts in Physical Therapy is what inspired me to really embrace the Pain and Dig In with Courage and Pain Tolerance as I fought what was a pitched battle of "Hand to Hand Combat" with Frozen Shoulder.

I screamed and yelled in my Physical Therapy sessions and I was so loud that the administrators and office personnel would smile and close their doors so as to concentrate on their clerical and computer based desk jobs.

My therapist was a strong cute female former college athlete and she was in tip top condition.  She arrived at 06:00 every morning and we would engage in a "Hand to Hand Combat" with my enemy---Frozen Shoulder.

After 4 months of faithfully attending my P.T. workout sessions I too defeated the enemy of Frozen Shoulder but I only achieved the results because---like you did---I faced the Pain with a Full and All Out Frontal Assault of Hand to Hand Combat.  I gritted my teeth (wearing a mouthguard) and yelled like a Teutonic Tribesman charging the Roman Legions in the forests of Germania in the first century A.D.  

Incidentally, the Teutonic Tribes WON the famous battle of Teutoburg Forest in 9 A.D.  The brave Teutonic German Tribes DEFEATED the famed Roman Legions and they destroyed 3 Roman Legions or 36,000 of Caesar's famed troops!

So, like the Brave Teutonic Germanic Tribesman fighting the 3 Legions of the Roman Empire---I used "Hand to Hand" combat in a "Full Frontal Assault" on my enemy of Frozen Shoulder.  Like the Teutonic Tribes in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 A.D. I won the battle over the Legions of Adhesions on my Capsules and I destroyed the Adhesions just as my ancestors the Teutonic German Tribesman defeated the 3 Legions of the Imperial Army of Rome.

The Roman Empire never completely recovered from the loss at Teutoburg Forest and for years Caesar was overheard lamenting and saying aloud, "Give Me Back My Legions".

Teutonic Men Destroyed the Legions and I destroyed the Adhesions by embracing the Pain and Facing the Fear and the Enemy with Courage and the attitude of "NO Pain--NO Gain"!!!

All my best and I lived in Galveston for five years and Corpus and Beaumont and I know Houston very well.  I really feel for you suffering then!  And am impressed and inspired by your courageous victory over Frozen Shoulder/Adhesive Capsulitis!

7

I'm not going to argue about words but you do seem to wear your ability to put up with pain as some sort of a badge of honour.  We all have had to endure pain through our frozen shoulders and some people cope better than others.  I'm not going to enter into a protracted argument with you - you are entitled to your opinion but I strongly disagree with it and would urge anyone reading this to seek other opinions too before deciding on the best course of treatment for them.  Even the "experts" seem to have differing opinions on how to treat this condition but the "no pain no gain" regime seems much less prevalent in the UK - and not because we are all wimps, I hasten to add. 

I'm not sure what the family or religious status of your consultant has to do with anything - all I know is that mine gets proven results from his treatment and I can personally testify to that.  If others want to follow your lead, it's entirely up to them - but it is certainly not the only way to get through this awful condition.

8

I addressed my current status with my FS and failed to begin at the beginning.  I am enjoying this forum so much and the experiences you have written about that I thought I should add this to my plight.

After my MRI I saw my shoulder specialist and was injected with a steroid shot around 4:0O in the afternoon.  I finally got to sleep at 3:30am.  I decided then and there I was not a fan on the injection.

I began seeing a Thai masseuse who was a PA for treatment.  She used all Eastern practices.  I saw her for 7 sessions.  She scraped my arm to increase the blood flow, massaged my arm to the point of bruising and used reflexoloy.  The sessions were grueling but with her help my range of motion was greatly improved.

After seeing her my shoulder was better as far as my range of motion but her sessions were very expensive and she always worked on me 45 minutes past my scheduled time.  I loved her!

Weeks later my pain was still terrible as I was still in the frozen stage.  I returned to my shoulder specialist and got another injection and a prescription for a very strong Prednisone pack.

3 weeks later I was hospitalized for 4 days with Cdiff.   Personally speaking I think my immune system was so compromised that the Prednisone led me to the abdominal infection.

I lost my father June 1, 2017 and lost my home and everything in it August 28 while in Montana at a family wedding.  I have never experienced such devastation.  My husband and I were fortunate to find a home builder to work with us and we have rebuilt and are now back home in our beloved Houston.

This year has been a trying one.  My FS is only part of my unfortunate year.  I’ve learned many lessons from my experiences.  A FS is not fatal.  It’s not cancer.  It’s horrible but I don’t have to look far to find someone who has a worse situation.

Bottom line is it will improve but in it’s own time.  

Blessings to all readers.  Thank you for reading the beginning and middle of my story.  I posted out of sequence.  Sorry!