Frozen Shoulder My Experience and Should I Have MUA?

It appears that I am the lone male member of the Frozen Shoulder Forum.  I have been reading many of the posts and my heart goes out to all--especially those in the early stages where the dread, fear, pain and horror are at the highest levels.

I am a healthy 50 year old manly man, not a diabetic and I have no thyroid issues--no illnesses or diseases.  I am svelte and in good shape.  

The onset of the hellish Frozen Shoulder in my life began about 17-18 months ago.  The first 6 months were a true "Season in Hell".  Under extreme stress and darkness as a loved one had been placed in various I.C.U. wards I will always wonder if somehow the condition/disease appeared due to stress and stress hormones/reaction.

As my arm froze and I could not sleep I soldiered on believing that it was some sort of short term muscle issue.  Hoping against hope as they say--this "denial" continued until I had to prop my arm up in bizarre postions with pillows, laundry and contraptions in a "lost cause" attempt to find a pain free way to sleep.

All my positioning of my arm was to no avail.  I would lie in bed disconsolate and demoralized in agony.  No amount of Aleve medication would help and I feared to take too much after having seen one friend die of renal failure and another from liver failure after a lifetime of tylenol pill popping.

The pain and loss of motion became so intense that after about 4 months of absolute dark, horrific, hellishly nightmarish enduring the malady I sought out an Orthopaedic Surgeon.  

He administered a steroid injection into my left (non-dominant) shoulder and encouraged P.T.  His female nurses were surly, mean-spirited and officious types which served to make me feel worse.

After a few weeks of high priced and silly P.T. with a group of "money-makers" I gave up on going to P.T.

I went back to the Doctor and demanded surgery.  The nurses were even more vicious to me and the doctor agreed to do the surgery.  At the last minute one of my brothers intervened and strongly importuned me to delay the surgery.   He feared that the Doctor was merely after some easy "Cha Ching".

I delayed and sought out second opinions.  I was directed to a noted surgeon who devotes his entire practice to "The Arm".

Dr. Second Opinion or hereafter Dr. Arm Specialist quickly diagnosed the malady.  Dr. Arm Specialist told me that I had a "Severe Case" of "Frozen Shoulder" and that he "Would not do surgery for at least 3-4 months".

The Arm Specialist doctor told me that I had to perform months of P.T. and verify that I had done it before he would even consider surgery on me.

I went to a big strong P.T. lady who worked me and stretched me unmercifully---but it helped.

I would scream and yell as she pulled and tore the Hellish Adhesions inside my arm.  The office staff would close their doors because of my screaming.  The other patients would stare at me with pained and angry expressions--but I did not care because of the pain and the need to rip the Adhesions apart.

I would think of hardened super glue looking "Spider Webs" holding my arm in the  Frozen Postion as my P.T. and her helper would actually "Rip and Tear" the Adhesions as they pulled my arm this way and that way.

I had to do my own stretches and strengthening exercises and movements on my own.

After about 4 months (and several Cha Ching visits he demaned during the time!)  Doctor Arm Specialist said that I had regained about 60 percent of my motion.  

The "at rest" pain had diminished quite a lot but the stretching pain was still very much alive and well.

The doctor agreed to peform a "Manipulation Under with Pin Hole Arthro" during the manipulation if he felt it necessary.

He said that if he were advising himself or his son/brother he would say avoid the surgery and keep working the arm in P.T. and/or on my own.

He knew I did not want to miss work and he said there was/is no certainty that the MUA would/will work well or at all.  He also said that the Frozen Shoulder could come right back and become worse than before after the MUA.

I have waited until now and finally sought out forums and found this forum site.

I have about 75 percent of motion back and the pain is there when I stretch.  

I feel that I am not the full healthy person I was before because of this condition.

I am considering the MUA if Dr. Arm specialist is still willing to perform it or if he won't then I can seek out another Specialist who will.

I hope some kind readers will tell me how their MUA experiences/surgery and recoveries went and any thoughts they might offer on my decision on whether or not to have the MUA performed.

The good news is that my Frozen Shoulder Nightmarish Odyssey did improve to a degree from the worst Frozen/Pain stage.  But, the range of motion is still greatly diminished and the pain is there when I stretch.

It feels like a full and horrid Super Glue Hardened Spider Web Holding My Left Arm to a certain limited range of movement.  If I pull really hard the pain is quite bad and I can feel those Hideous "Adhesive Super Glue Spider Web Type Adhesions" being pulled and pulled.

In a bizarre psychological/emotional form of what Emerson called "Compensation" I have tried to find some joy in the recovery and the process of struggling to get better.

My faith in Christ and God has increased during this episode.

I may have neglected to mention that the onset was "Idiopathic" and "Insidious".  I did not sustain any memorable injury and I was not involved in any accident.

I am aware that men are afflicted in about 30 percent of cases and that usually folks with Diabetes and/or Thyroid issues are afflicted.

I have no diseases or maladies and I am very very manly and male.

I empathize with all who are reading this post and who have suffered with the vile and insidiously horrific malady of "Frozen Shoulder".

One thing I try to keep in mind is the idea of Albert Schwitzer the famous protestant missionary convert who said "if you are feeling sorry for yourself...go find some people or person who has "it worse" than you do and spend time helping and visiting with them".

Thank you!

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