Frozen Shoulder relief and treatment options.
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi
I've recently been diagnosed with torn ligaments resulting in frozen shoulder, I had an ultrasound scan 3 weeks ago but had the pain for around 3/4 months now, I've been given naproxen and codeine but really need something to make me sleep as I'm waking up for hours through the night.
I'm exhausted and feel really fed up with the pain, lack of sleep, working, being a mum and running a home.
Can anyone give me some advice as to what will get rid of this condition or at least ease it.
I've not had any follow up from GP after my ultrasound.
Thanks for reading...
1 like, 16 replies
sue35966 Lucia.
Posted
I use tramadone at night. It's been around for a long time and doctors are very familiar with it as a sleep aid.
It allows me to get about 5 hrs sleep a night-
sue
sue35966 Lucia.
Posted
Trazodone- my mistake..
irene1966 Lucia.
Posted
I feel for you, Lucia. I just passed four months and I am exhausted. I sleep at best 3 hours straight. But the rest of the night I toss and turn. I'm on my third pain reliever, nothing has taken the pain away. I start PT next Friday, if I can stand the pain.
I wish there was something that worked for the pain. I can't do this for 2-3 years as some people say it takes.
I just found the is forum and am looking for ideas too. It's at least nice to knowing I'm not alone. No one in my inner circle gets this pain.
Lucia. irene1966
Posted
I've heard that PT doesn't help at all, have you heard of hydrodilitation? I need to find out if it's available on the NHS as it's around £300 privately.
Apparently it's cured people within hours of treatment, I will speak to my doctor and try and get some answers
FSconversations irene1966
Posted
Hi Irene1966: I used pain killers too, but what worked best at night was the long acting form of codeine, starting with the lowest dose, which was all I needed to get more sleep. Visiting the forum in the middle of the night was a nice distraction if I couldn't sleep. There are a lot of forum pages now to read back about FS. All the best, Liane
sue35966 Lucia.
Posted
Lucia, PT is your best shot at full recovery. But you can't do it too son- I tried it too soon when it was in the "freezing" stage..But 2 months and a cortisone shot later I'm able to go 2 x a week and do daily exercises.
I've gotten back some range of motion now and the pain has subsided somewhat. It takes patience and hard work.
take care- sue
Netmouse Lucia.
Posted
For FS, your doctor should be an orthopediac surgeon. Not for any operation, but is the doctor that will understand your shoulder anatomy best. An MRI is the best way to have you diagnosed with FS for clarity and review of any tears (partial are common as you age). Treatment needs patience and PT over months to help you get back to normal, and you will get back to normal. Once the freezing happens and you enter the frozen stage, the pain lessens. This can be a good time for the ortho doctor to give you a cortizone shot in the shoulder to reduce pain (it lasts months) and you are then better able to do the PT for ROM, then stretches, then strengthening - over months most likely. If you don't do this, FS can last over a year. I've had it twice and was 95% fine within 6 months. If you push the arm through discomfort (not pain), that stretches the tissue a bit and the next time you do it, you can stretch further before you hit discomfort. Google searches will get you great YouTube videos of treating FS. The second time I had FS (different shoulder) I did not use PT, as I knew the exercises to do - 3 times a day - and remember to push through discomfort just a bit to stretch tissue that has grown and tightened around your shoulder joint. I also joined a "senior fitness" stretch and strengthen class twice a week that was good for the whole body and also brought in great shoulder rolls and arm stretches and such.
You can read about the lifecycle of Frozen Shoulder doing google searches on the internet. Your doctor should give you a prescription for physical therapy. The first few weeks are sessions to train you in ROM exercises, then stretching and then strengthening. You should have "homework" to do these exercises 3 times a day - morning, noon and night - at home (twice on PT day). The PT will then see you once every week or two in order to assess your progress and home.
sue35966 Netmouse
Posted
sue
irene1966 Netmouse
Posted
I do have an ortho surgeon for my dr. Cortisone lasts me 12 hours at best. Unfortunately, not everyone has long results with cortisone shots. I've had the MRI which confirmed FS and no tears. I believe I'm doing the right things, but for me, the pain is the worst experience in my life (including 2 drug free deliveries of my daughters).
Lucia. irene1966
Posted
I keep referring the pain to contractions, the pain when jarring the arm can last for 30 -60 seconds and having to breath through the pain, I actually feel I could be sick with the pain, I think I'm going into the freezing stage as it's not a constant pain anymore but still really gets me at night where I then wake for hours and have to get up and move about/ take more pain killers and then wait for those to kick in. I'm 42 and work 40/50 hours a week so even finding the time to do PT is quite impossible at the moment having been recently promoted. Hoping I get some time with my doctor this week so will have a good chat with her.
irene1966 Lucia.
Posted
Wow! When you said "sick with pain" Lucia, I understood. Some days I'm so queazy from the pain. I actually think I will throw up.
So it's the freezing stage, when the pain stops some? I can't seem to get the 24/7 pain to end. It's been four months plus!
mb83769 Lucia.
Posted
I'm 9 months in now, and the pain is still terrible.
ron47981 Lucia.
Posted
He gave me a shot in the shoulder to numb the area then moved my arm in every direction and I could hear every thing breaking up. Just kept exercise it. Dr John Herzog. Falmouth Maine
Lucia. ron47981
Posted
I'm in UK just been to the doctors and really not much help, she has referred me to PT but wait is around 6 to 8 weeks. More pain killers and that's it so I guess it's a waiting game from here.... I think private care is now my only option so will try to find someone to do the manipulation treatment or hydrolitation.
April456 Lucia.
Posted
You poor thing. I know we all relate and are going through.
Hot baths with lots of Epsom salts help me more than anything. Dip a hand towel or tea towel in the hot water and drape over your arm and chest. Then take a muscle relaxer before bed. That’s the only thing that knocked me out. (Some nights at least, better than none!) This forum has also invaluable, for me anyway.
I have had FS for around 15 months now had about 4 cortisone joint injections, oh, and one round of oral steroids. The steroids were awful for me, frankly don't think they really did anything except make me sick and wired as heck.
After 5 months of PT that put me in more pain, I was finally referred to an Orthopedic doctor, who was very upset I had gone to Physical Therapy. She said don’t do anything that makes pain worse, including PT until the painful phase is over. In other words, no one is truly on the same page in the medical field. Just a suggestion, find out what works best for YOU. The medical professionals do try to help, but I have had several admit to me that one really knows much about Frozen Shoulder. That is something I keep in mind if I see a new doctor and they want to discuss the FS! I wish you the very best and hopefully we all heal soon. Take very good care.
*PS. (Do a lot of research if you are being pushed towards surgery by any doctor... The shoulder is a delicate area and can be easily damaged and sometimes the surgery has to be done a couple of times.. The good thing is, FS will eventually resolve on its own.)