Frozen shoulder
Posted , 8 users are following.
I just saw a shoulder doctor yesterday because I'm developing frozen shoulder in my left (just got rid of the two year ordeal in my right shoulder!). He said with a cortisone shot and therapy I will reverse it in 4 weeks instead of 18/24 months. But you have to catch it early before your frozen up.
Amazingly enough he knew it is caused by hormones, and he said that it's crazy that it's 2019 and nobody knows why it happens, and why it happens in the shoulders when other joints are the same kind of joint. He also mentioned that there is a higher incidence in people with hypothyroidism and diabetes. But when I mentioned the fact that in Japan it's the number one symptom in meno (ahead of night sweats), he said he knew that and said that interesting enough asian women have a lower risk of diabetes and hypothyroidism. So not hard to figure out that the only thing causing it is declining hormones.
So anyway, ladies, if you are starting to develop a painful shoulder, and you will know it, like when you are putting on a jacket, or trying to dry off with a towel, get in to see a doctor pronto, but preferably one who knows about hormones and frozen shoulder. My last ortho didn't even ever hear of the correlation (eyes rolling).
I get achy joints, especially when my symptoms are flaring, like now, but frozen shoulder is a different animal. It usually starts in your non dominant shoulder. My friend had it but her doctor told her she also had fraying so they went and did surgery. My thought is that we probably all have some wear and tear and if you know you didn't injure it by falling, etc.. than a good chance it's just frozen shoulder and not a rotator cuff tear. The doc I saw yesterday is named Cuff. No kidding!! Young dynamic doctor, wish he treated everything!
1 like, 10 replies
Guest
Posted
Sorry, I should've checked my post, that was meant to say that in Japan frozen shoulder is the number one symptom above hot flashes.
gilly_64426 Guest
Posted
thanks for sharing, I'm not from Asian descent but my mother had thyroid and she is also very tiny. I think my frozen should has to do with how i work. I'm going to ask for the shot. I need relief
Guest gilly_64426
Posted
When i had it in my right shoulder I waited too long and the shot didn't help. PT was excrutiatingly painful and didn't help either.
You've got to catch it within the first month or it's too late.
Clare1971 Guest
Posted
Hi Suzanne happy to read this as both my shoulders are killing me , worst thing is pulling the bed quilt up when making the bed and drying my hair, was thinking the worst after googling it. thanks for the post
jazzy77001 Guest
Posted
wow you are so lucky to have a Dr who is actually informed!! No one I saw related peri with frozen shoulder. Even after I shared my own research and informed of Asian studies. It's been about 18 months now and my left shoulder is just coming good. Gosh I hope it doesn't happen to my right. I feel for you!
Guest jazzy77001
Posted
My right shoulder just completely resolved after 2 years, I have full range of motion. I just can't believe it's starting in my left now. The torture never seems to end.
The doc says it happens in both about 20% of the time.
Sure hope you won't get it again!
SoopyLoopy Guest
Posted
I feel your pain.... Just out of the pain phase in my non dominant shoulder and now started in dominant shoulder 😦
Lovely GP has given me a steroid shot which I didn't think had worked but looks like its just taken longer than expected.
Sheer misery getting dressed in the mornings!
Next stop is trying acupuncture for pain relief as its still bad.
Hang in there ladies, the first one lasted a year and is just coming back to normal. Physio helped as the exercises targeted the right places and the massage part brought my shoulders down from the top of my head.
Sadly - thank heavens for BUPA and works health cover as it sped everything up by at least 8 weeks.
I have it on good authority that Hot Stone Massage helps too.
Perhaps a really good excuse to have some 'me' time!!
Caz_O Guest
Posted
Hi Suzanne
So glad you shared this! I'm going through the menopause and has agonising pain on my left shoulder going into my arm & it was so bad I had an ECG but its completely gone now! I was lucky I only had the severe pain for a few months though x
renee61138 Guest
Posted
Been going through this for a few months now. Mine is in my non dominate shoulder. It seems to run from my neck into shoulder went to my gp who has ordered me xray but he thinks it coukd be cuff so we will see. It is very painful at times like simple things washing my hair putting clothes away on the shelf. When will it end
Guest renee61138
Posted
Sounds like typical frozen shoulder. It's usually in your non-dominant shoulder. I remember one time I was walking my dogs and one of them yanked on my bad arm, I sat on the street and cried for 5 minutes. So incredibly painful. It's like it just takes your breath away.
I think if it were your rotator cuff you would also have weakness in your arm. Have someone hold their hand on your forearm and see if you can push it up. If you don't have any weakness it's probably frozen shoulder alone.
What you have now is the "freezing" stage. This lasts for quite a few months and then you will be in the "frozen" stage. The frozen stage isn't as painful but you won't have much range of motion, like you won't be able to put your hand behind your back or lift your arm up to put deodorant on. Then after the frozen stage you finally get into the "thawing" period where everything starts getting back to normal.
For me, it took about 2 years to completely resolve back to normal.
Some people opt for surgery to break up the encapsulation. I didn't want to go that route. They would put you under and yank your arm around to break it up. And it wasn't a sure cure all as the scar tissue can build up. Or it can just come back.
So my basic point of this post was to let women know that they can reverse frozen shoulder in 4 weeks IF you catch it early, in the first month, get the cortisone shot and then manipulation of the shoulder. My doctor felt like we are catching mine in that period this time and is optimistic that it will resolve. Google a doctor who knows how to treat frozen shoulder this way!
If you are already in the throes of it all, some things that can help a little are sleeping with a pillow under your arm, advil, acupuncture, menthol pain pads, and just time. Physical therapy didn't help me the first time around, and I finally stopped it because it was just too painful.