does this sound like frozen shoulder?

Posted , 2 users are following.

I first experienced shoulder pain in 2018 - at that time it was just a pinching sensation. I was very careful about use of my shoulder, and it went away in a few months. I seemed to be in the clear. But more recently the pain came back, in a more severe form.

After battling with shoulder pain for at least 6 months now which has gotten progressively worse and more painful I've received a diagnosis of frozen shoulder. I would like to get some feedback from others with this to know if this sounds right, because I was told there isn't much that can be done about it, except to wait a couple of years!

Just to clarify, I never had an acute injury that would explain what's going on with my shoulder. The only thing I can figure is repetitive strain from computer use over the years.

Also most of the pain I feel is not in my shoulder. When I feel pain it is usually in my biceps, or I also get electric/burning sensations going down my upper arm to my elbow, or sometimes also to my hand.

It was about six months ago that I began to have shoulder pain - I only had pain while making a select number of movements: reaching behind back, trying to stretch my arms when waking up in the morning, putting on shirts/jackets, etc. So long as I didn't make these movements I was pain free.

I was given exercises from a physical therapist which I did religiously every day but I never noticed any change. However I was able to do the exercises without pain. At this time I was still able to reach my arm upward and to the side without pain.

Then about two months ago things took a definite turn for the worse. I started noticing that I could not make the same movements I made before without severe pain. I could no longer do the therapy exercises, or even more moderate versions of the exercises.

Now things are really bad. I can't do any stretches or exercises at all without severe pain. There are only a very limited number of movements I can make with my arm which are pain free. I experience intense "burning pain" on the inside of my upper arm with most other movements. Just about anything I do leads to pain in my arm: putting pressure on the arm itself, like pushing down on the juicer to juice an orange or pushing down on my right arm to get up from a reclining position leads to pain. If I shrug my shoulders I feel intense pain in the shoulder area. But most other movements cause pain in my upper and lower arm, like putting on clothing, reaching behind my back, crossing my arm over my chest. I can no longer stand with arms akimbo without intense pain in my upper right arm. Even just sitting in an easy chair with arm rests, I need to keep my arms pointing forward for the least pain. If I bend my arms inward toward me at the elbow - intense pain shooting down from shoulder through inner upper arm.

I feel like my arm is "weak" and my range of motion is getting more and more limited. I am also experiencing a constant throbbing/stabbing pain in my biceps area which sometimes lasts all day and night. It's often worst when I wake up and sometimes I wake up at night in terrible pain. I do not sleep on my shoulder, but on my back or the opposite side, but it seems no matter what sleeping position I adopt, I still feel pain in the bad shoulder.

Does this sound like frozen shoulder to you? Also, if someone with similar symptoms found something that reduced pain for them or helped relieve the issue, I would love to hear about it!

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Edited

    hi Alex

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    seems strange that the shoulder has been on and off since 2018. you say throbbing pain.

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    you probably googled this alot like we all have. and tried and tried all things like we all do . and are so obsessed with your range of motion.

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    usually frozen joint attack you so much and constantly for the first 6 months . you dont know if you are coming or going due to lack of sleep. and dominates your life 24/7.

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    i did have both shoulders freeze up . the right one 2nd to fail had froze but i had a different kind a feeling to it. it was over use that caused it to freeze and follow the first joint.

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    that joint was impinged ( google sub acromium decompression ). still frozen but the pain was caused by aggravating the bursa .

    from 2018 frozen shoulder would have played out with the ache. ask for an MRI from the doctor. or get one done private. a single shoulder MRI is £350 and you get a expert report from the radiologist as well.

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    i did this last month. had it done sunday. report link sent wednesday with a report.

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    colin

    • Edited

      Thanks for your reply colin.

      Yes I do feel throbbing and also stabbing, often in the upper shoulder and biceps area, and now it seems be getting worse at night, apparently because the shoulder is in a state of rest? When I went to bed last night there was no stabbing, things seemed pretty good but I woke up after three hours of sleep with the most terrible stabbing pain I've ever felt. Is this not characteristic of frozen shoulder?

      To clarify it hasn't been on and off again since 2018..2018 is simply the first time I experienced a chronic shoulder pain that worried me, but it was just a pinching in the shoulder when I raised my arm. No limit to ROM or any other sort of pain. It went away after a few months and I seemed fine.

      Until 2022. I just looked it up and it actually started in August. So it has been 9 months so far, not six. What was going on them was much worse than what I six in 2018 and two months ago became suddenly much more severe - my current condition.

      Does a shoulder MRI require the use of dye to be effective? I could do one but only without the dye. (I was injured by the contrast dye in the past). If it requires dye, are there any alternatives that might be worth requesting?

    • Posted

      Hi Alex

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      i had an MRI three weeks ago just to see what post op issues there were. the radiographer picked up that i have had FS by the thickness of the capsule .

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      no dye involved or markers involved.

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      yup its a harsh suffering. apart from a decent guided steroid injection . there is not much that helps.

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      even full 360° capsular release . you have to sit through the ache all over again while the capsule tries to re scar.

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      worth a referral from the GP if you can .

      i just could not wait due to the ache and paid.

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      good luck on this and keep us informed

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      colin

    • Edited

      hi again alex

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      i have tried most gadgets on the market. after work i use to ise a cyro cuff. frozen water pumped over the shoulder. instant relief better than codeine but it only lasts as long as it cold.

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      in the mornings i use an electro magnetic heated sleeve i found warming the joint up helped and i was not starting from a cold shoulder.

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      all the GP seem to do is throw pain killers at you.

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      this is a marmite one. i have sport injury physio each week. some hate it some love it. she was brutal and aggressive. i found alot of muscles in spasm due to the shoulder. all the back was in knotts. stiff neck and sore bicep. its all inter connected

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      there was no way to break the scaring but i felt more relaxed post physio and less ache for a few days.

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      then she set the muscles with rock tape. again love or hate. it stopped that feeling of having to pinch the top of your shoulder.

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      colin

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