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Frozen Shoulder... ARRRRR!!

Posted , 5 users are following.

laura38224
laura38224

Hi, I am a 53 year old woman. I am in stage two from Frozen Shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis. The pain and sleepless nights are becoming unbearable. I have tried almost everything from physio, to acupuncture, two cortizone shots, to laser therapy to chiropractor visits.  I am diligent with my shoulder exercises at home as well. Nothing has helped! It has been going on for approximately 8 months now and they say it could last up to 4-5 years!

Does anyone out there have any suggestions for me? Please help!!

0 likes, 16 replies

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  • henpen1980
    henpen1980 laura38224

    Posted

    Does icing help?

     

    • laura38224
      laura38224 henpen1980

      Posted

      Thanks for your suggestion smile

      No I have not tried icing. My Physio suggested heat which I have done.

      I will try ice when I get home from work tonight.

      Cheers

  • NayNay731
    NayNay731 laura38224

    Posted

    I tried this: Prednisone Dose Pack (start off 40mgx 4 days, 30mg x 4 days, 20mg x 4 days, etc. till weaned off). Did wonders. After the first three days I really felt relief and able to stretch my arm. I’m wanting another pack in about a month. What a difference. Injections don’t last as long as this. 
    • laura38224
      laura38224 NayNay731

      Posted

      Thanks NayNay for your suggestion. So you treated your "Adhesive Capsulitis" with prednisone??

      I'm off to the Doctor's this week and I will ask her.

  • nicole22585
    nicole22585 laura38224

    Posted

    This is what happened to me. Have a slap tear in shoulder and then fell on the shoulder. Had all the symptoms of frozen shoulder but didn't know that was what was going on. I iced every 2 hours. I took tramadol when the pain was unbearable. I did PT which gave me a little more range. Then I went in for a surgery consult for my test because I thought that was the problem. The surgeon in his exam pushed my arm through range and it hurt. He said he didn't know why I was having so much pain and that I wasn't a candidate for surgery, he gave me a Medrol dose pack and sent me home. On the drive home I told my husband my arm felt funny...tight and sore but no burning radiating pain.

    Anyways later I found out he unfrozen my shoulder. I still had tendinitis and bursitis to heal but I could move my arm more. It took me 3 months to get to a pain free point. Good luck!

  • droopyshoulder
    droopyshoulder laura38224

    Posted

    Took me about a year of diligence to get out of mine from a arthroscopic distal clavicle resection.  I actually couldn't raise my arm laterally above shoulder height.  It was like there was a patch of crystallized, dead blood in my muscles that prevented the fasciculated fibers from contracting.  It also felt like someone stuck a subdermal shoulder pad on my deltoid and the sensation on this "dead zone" was more numb and cooler than my other surrounding muscles which worked fine. What worked for me was gradually forcing my arm up through full range of motion.  I raised it as high as I could, then used my other arm to force it up just a little higher.  And I felt like a painful, almost crunching at the border where the muscle/joint transitioned from "frozen" zone  to "live" or normal zone.  Slowly but surely this border receded more and more every day until I had full sensation in all muscles of the shoulder and full range of motion.  I had to work as many muscles as I could around it to break up the crud in the frozen fibers.  And it was painful, every step of the way.  But i knew i was doing it right because my arm would heat up a bit from the gained motion and from muscles working hard to get that range back.  I never applied ice.  Again, it was painful, but worth it.

    • droopyshoulder
      droopyshoulder

      Posted

      I see people recommending ice in this thread, I would advise against it.  Slows progress.  Just let your muscles and joints heat up and dilate/and contract like normal during exercise, let your body do it's thing and don't interfere with the process.  

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 droopyshoulder

      Posted

      eight months after a vicious injury that tore three of the four rotator cuff muscle tendons.  Two completely ripped off the humeral head requiring surgical reattachment.  15 weeks into recovery, one of the repairs ripped off its anchors resulting in revision surgery to repair.  Now four months out of the second surgery and months of physical therapy, sweat, and tears with a full range of motion COMPLETE FULL range of MOTION.  Excellent surgeon and physical therapist.  I have used ice successfully as recommended by my orthopedic surgeon and my physical therapist.  To each his own but do not insult or diminish my experience to lift yourself up droopyshoulder.  That is plain rude
    • droopyshoulder
      droopyshoulder henpen1980

      Posted

      I have my own opinion and experiences that I chose to express, call that rude if you wish.  There was no insult or diminishing, both are assumptions by you.  I begged to differ because a frozen shoulder isn't what I would call an acute injury.  It's a chronic condition resulting from internal trauma followed by inactivity.  Ice is good to control acute inflammation once the injury is protected from further damage.  But if you are trying to break up scar tissue, you need internal, heat, movement, and circulation to soften tissue.  So if you had swelling from a local repair, I could see why they would recommend ice, you need to keep that thing moving to reform that scar tissue.  And if you can't move your arm because of pain resulting from local inflammation, then you do whatever you have to get it moving, including ice.  Movement is key in frozen shoulders, generated heat from exercise tends to loosen up joints.

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 droopyshoulder

      Posted

      whatever... we don't know what you are up to on this site but we are watching you.

    • nicole22585
      nicole22585 droopyshoulder

      Posted

      This is all very new to me but the only thing that helps reduce my pain is ice. I tried everything and ice is my best friend.....every 2 hours! Do whatever works for you to get healthy
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