Frozen Shoulder Niel-Asher Technique

Hi ,I have had Frozen shoulder for 7 months now ,it goes on and on and on!

my doctor gave me lots of meds  to take and they did help with the pain ,I had to sell my manual car and buy an automatic as I couldn't change gear .i couldn't dress myself wash my hair etc BUT I am going for Physio  and trying to push on ,I have got some movement back and the pain is getting less .

You just start to think things are improving and out of the blue the pain starts again in a different part of my arm ,so I know where you are coming from it is so bad Frozen Shoulder should have a different name as people don't understand ,they think it's just stiff ! I hope this helps....

 

In a word yes.  I found that the pain point would change... sometimes it would be at the rotator cuff, other times in my bicep or even my arm pit.  I even had it travel down my arm to my hands (although that was the carpal tunnel, I think) It seemed to change depending on the therapy I was trying...However having said that...  I think that you should go through with the MRI either way, just to totallty put your mind at ease.  From what I read on the Neils Asher Technique... it is similar to the trigger point massage therapy that I tried... without good results.  I'm glad you have gotten some ROM back, hopefully the pain will subside soon.

Sounds interesting, going to research this. I'm up for anything. Just got a TENS machine. £22 Amazon. Feeling  a lot more comfortable but not pain free. The Movement  even with several exercises from my physio helps.

But it's the night time that is a constant nightmare for the pain.

thanks for your post. Cheers Sharon 

Mine changed as it was getting worse and as it was getting better.  When your body is frozen in paces, it throws other areas of your body out of wack so you may walk differently, hold your head differently, etc.  I think I slept sitting in a chair for more than 6 months.  I've been told you just have to wait it out and I've had it happen 3 times - the last time not losing obvious range of motion until I started myofacial release.  It was then that I discovered something was frozen in my shoulder when it started to release using the ball.  My whole skeleton was somewhat rearranged which made it necessary to us a therapuetic massage person and some "kinesiology" type taking until all my shoulder and neck muscles were strong enough to stay in place without taping.  Believe me, this is not for sissies!  I recommend getting therapy help as quickly as you can stand it - and be as religious as you can about doing the exercies at home or the gym.  Good luck and keep the faith...

 

I want to pass on my success story and hope it will give some of you hope! Mine started exactly one year ago, pain started in my left shoulder and in the freezing stage I had a MRI to rule out any tears, of course nothing then had TWo cortisone shots about one month apart, they gave me no relief and I totally think that after my second shot it threw me down the rabbit hole where the pain was so unbearable , I couldn't sleep at nights , any sudden movement made me cry and the CONSTANT pain where even pain pills hardly helped. That lasted until the end of Jan this year, then all of a sudden the intense pain was gone it still hurt and I couldn't move my arm, ( like we all know the putting shirts on and off, brushing our hair, deordant , shaving , driving the list goes on and on ) SLOWly I started getting movement back , I was going to push for surgery at my anniversary but really wanted to give my body a chance to right itself, so as of last week I realized that the movements I was still stuck and unable to do have returned. I still have a slight pain but think that it's muscles that have atrophied  during this year, I feel very lucky because I read on this site of people who are  going through HELL, I wish all of you speedy recovery!!! Going to this forum helped me so much , to read other stories and to know it was not alone because friends and family have NO idea 

Funny but no matter how many times you hear it , it will be over when it's over. Most ESOP,e take 6 months or longer. The average seems to be 6 months before the pain starts to get better. We just want to think we will be better faster. Try to keep yourself as comfortable as possible. This too shall pass....

Before I had my first frozen shoulder they did an MRI & all it showed was normal arthritus, slap tear (comes with age) type of things.  It wasn't until they did surgery & saw I had a rotary cuff tear.  So my second time around right now when they wanted to do the MRI I said no, because it doesn't always show everything.  But if it gives you peace of mind get the MRI.

Hi Pleach, and everyone. I have also found this site so valuable for tips and for reassurance. This is such a weird disease and it's so strange not to be able to pinpoint clear reasons for it or any kind of prompt treatment which will actually cure it and ensure that it will never return. My pain has certainly taken it's own changeable path. Varying degrees of pain and stiffness present themselves throughout my arm, hand, shoulder, neck and back. My ROM is also changeable (within about 5-10 degrees) and I have given up trying to predict where I am on the freezing-frozen-thawing trajectory. I am dfinitely benefitting from a range of healing therapies as well as my physiotherapists care. My body gets so out of whack and out of balance and so uncomfortable! But the massage etc really helps. Hot water bottles and rolling around on tennis balls on the floor or bed (self-trigger-point-therapy) are the only things that seem to help with pain. Hot baths with 1cup of magnesium sulfate as well as magnesium supplements have also helped with my muscle stiffness and pain. My good arm got overworked from compensating and I got bursitis in that good shoulder and a whole lot of pain everywhere which freaked me out and I just had to slow down. I cannot work at my job, but can use my lower body so have committed to some physical training that does not include my arms. This cardio and strength training is helping me psychologically and should hopefully be supporting my immune system and general systemic health. I am also doing structured relaxation to support my nervous system, mind and muscles. I am eating twice as many veggies and less sugar, refined grains and coffee to feed myself more vitamins and less inflammatory agents. I am trying to rest and de-stress as much as possible. Have downloaded Neil Asher book to try at home. Exercises are hit and miss... Sometimes it just hurts too much to do anything and if I push throug the pain it just aggravates things and I lose ROM. However, I am finding strength training for the rest of the body MUCH more helpful than stretching for the shoulder. It's more empowering, less painful, and the aqua work means that both shoulders can move very gently in the water with less weight. Every day is different on this journey so we need to listen carefully to our body and be very caring to ourselves. Frosty's tips were great (thanks Frosty!). I have about 30 degrees abduction and 40 degrees extension to the front, and way less than half my range of rotation. I also feel that the weakness is not just related to muscle wastage but can't figure that one out. All the muscles work in dysfunctional patterns around the shoulder with this condition so maybe it's just that. I could go on and on.... But I empathise with each one of you and know the feeling of few others really 'getting' or understanding how full-on it is to live with these symptoms. Take good care of yourselves and treat yourselves with the care and respect you deserve. 

Hi again Pleach, I wrote a detailed reply but lost it I'm afraid so hopefully this will be clear enough. Tennis ball goes under shoulder anywhere that feels GOOD, and by good I mean therapeutic to you. I use it under the edge of my shoulder blade towards my spine. I place the ball on the floor or bed and ease myself down onto it and then roll around gently to find the trigger points. It can take 45 mins of this to alleviate my pain. I wanted to leave a link here to a review about adhesive capsulitis that my physiotherapist really liked and said she would be happy to give to patients. http://www.maturitas.org/article/S0378-5122(14)00060-7/pdf      The authors of this paper have reviewed many other studies and have looked at the scientific evidence for various forms of treatment for AC. It doesn't include treatments such as Neil Asher's because he hasn't publishes peer reviewed papers about his work yet. This doesn't mean that it might not be very helpful. It just isn't in the scientific literature and evidence base yet. What this paper reminds us of is that there is very limited evidence that any treatment works in the short term for AC, and that patients need to be part of their treatment decisions. Our bodies can tell us a lot about what works for us and what doesn't. We are not alone. Yes there are worse conditions, but there is no doubt that we are brave and tough individuals to be living with such intense, ongoing, and often unexplainable pain and disability day after day and month after month. Keep listening to your own body for what works for you.