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FROZEN SHOULDER SHOULD I BE OFF WORK

Posted , 86 users are following.

sue_g
sue_g

I have had frozen shoulder for about 4 months now, diagnosed by GP and phsiotherapist. Shoulder and arm painful and aching all time even with painkillers. movement very limited. I knocked shoulder today when walking through a doorway and the agony lasted 2 minutes. Also happened when my dog was in my way and I had to move suddenly. I never experienced pain like that before. can't sleep etc and can't tie my hair up for work (wake my kids up to do it for me) washing hair one handed just about coping. Finding work and driving very difficult. keep thinking about going off sick, but surely can't stay of sick for months on end. Can't decided what to do about work. I am a home help and need to be able to shower, folk and help them dress etc. (could do with the help myself)..... fed up! sad

ps physio and steroid injection no help

7 likes, 229 replies

229 Replies

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  • edgar313
    edgar313 sue_g

    Posted

    hi Sue

    You describe the pain very well; i was at a Costco store here in aus got bumped and cried out in pain. Everyone thought I was having a heart attack.

    Have had the problem in both shoulders but at different times.Does get better over time (i have had problem for two years) but it will get better very slowly. Do not try aggressive surgery or anthing like that 

  • edgar313
    edgar313 sue_g

    Posted

    as for getting rid of most of the pain, i had hydrodilation which involves a cortisone injection with salt water injected into shoulder at a specific point in the shoulder. Igot pain relief within 48 hours. It may take a second injection if pain continues. It worked for me

    good luck 

    • jon38545
      jon38545 edgar313

      Posted

      Hi Edgar

      I've just been diagnosed with FS following a collarbone fracture two months ago (the collarbone seems to have healed nicely). Consultant has recommended hydrodilation. Can you (or anyone else on this forum) envisage any problems with this type of injection so early on in the diagnosis? Also, I'm due to switch to a new job which will involve lots of driving, have people been able to drive OK with FS?

      Thanks

      J

    • edgar313
      edgar313 jon38545

      Posted

      hi jon

      I dont know where you live but here in Melbourne Australia there is a doctor that "invented" the hydrodilation procedure or so I am told. He has done thousands of procedures - he does nothing else

      In my case it took two injections about two months apart to fix me up.

      I am no doctor but there should not be any problem having a shot early in diagnosis

      As for lots of driving in a new job,I would not recommend until much of the pain has dissipated which it will

      Would be happy to pass on doctors name here in Melbourne

      hope you better soon 

       

  • jane09939
    jane09939 sue_g

    Posted

    Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories.

    I had this condition before and it wasn't so debilitating.

    i was having such an excruciating pain that I ended up at the local ER.

    sleep deprivation is just part of my life now.

    I agree that this condition should be better recognized by it's debilitating results and have more support from employers.

    Sue I also have to rethink how I will adjust performing at work with the present restrictions I have now.

    Thanks again for this group brought some feeling of normalcy to my life.

  • julie00856
    julie00856 sue_g

    Posted

    Hi Sue, I've been off sick since September. This condition is so painful but sadly I fear only those that have had it really understand. I had 2 Physio sessions & then got sent to Hydrotherapy, the Physio told me last week he thought I could move my arm more but was stopping myself as it hurt, the week before he went on about how I was probably still in the Freezing stage & could still have bruised bone from the fall. 

    Felt dreadful all week thinking I am to blame for not getting things moving sooner, I have pushed it to the point that it's really painful all the time again, only good thing is I have Meds for the Nerve pain now.

    i decided I will go back to work when I actually get a decent nights sleep as if I make a mistake in my work the implications are too high.

    i feel for you, make sure you get your amends sorted & if needed some time off.

  • julie00856
    julie00856 sue_g

    Posted

    Well  since August I've had a Frozen Shoulder, Had it injected, painkillers, off work.

    referred to Physio who said she thought it was all to do with Cervical nerve entrapment. Two Physio sessions & was sent to Hydrotherapy. X-ray shows I have arthritis in my cervical & thoracic spine & the joint between the clavicle & shoulder.

    dreadful pain as described by everyone. Nerve pain down my arm, 

    started on Amitriptyline a week ago to help with this, not yet helping. Had  Hydrotherapy last week & the Physio said I could probably move my arm more but the thought of pain was stopping me,did he not hear the bit where I told him it hurts all the time.

    Felt dreadful about his comments last week, like I was a wimp not able to cope, so have pushed the exercises so much despite the pain & now think that wasn't a good idea as it seems to have made it worse. I dread going again tomorrow & know I will just have to suffer. I have regained some movement since starting Physio but apparently not enough for him.

     

    • clairebombear
      clairebombear julie00856

      Posted

      My frozen shoulder began in August, while on holiday. At the begining of summer I was fine, by the end of summer I couldn't do my bra up etc... The pain sounds just like yours, constant with an extra stabby twist with any sudden movement.

      By the end of September, with a diagnosis of FS but no pain relief that worked, or hope for an end to the sleep deprivation, I went to a Bowen Therapist (Nope - I'd never heard of it before!). A friend had had fantastic relief from years of sciatica and back pain, and I thought i had little to lose.

      The Bowen technique is interesting... massagey, very gentle and non aggressive, but really powerful - I felt a bit spaced out & the next day I felt like i'd been kicked by a horse!

      After 3/4 sessions the pain was under control. Not gone - but with attention to the pressure points shown, in between sessions, I could stave off those shooting-down-the-arm pains and relieve the arm-made-of-wood feeling. I was also sleeping through the night - huge relief!

      Now I am pain-free and with a mixture of Bowen and massage therapy moving towards gaining some movement. After 10 weeks of weekly sessions, I'm still stuck but not as fast, and not afraid to reach for something or wriggle out of my sleeve.

      I use a tennis ball in a sock, rolling against a wall to loosen back, neck & shoulders several times a day - bliss.

      Most importantly I can see improvement - tiny movements, but I feel positive, and not flattened and defeated.

      I had 2 physio sessions appointments (Oct & Nov, NHS, referred by GP). She said my shoulder was stuck fast & not ready to respond to physio and would probably do more harm than good. Just her examination felt hard to take. She recommended waiting until it began to unfreeze before further physio/exercising, and to stop if there was pain.

      So sorry that you are still in a bad place. I think it is the pain that is more disabling than the lack of movement. I hope you find relief that works for you.

    • julie00856
      julie00856 clairebombear

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Claire, it's good when someone knows exactly what this is like. I ended up crying at Physio last week ( embarrassing!) combination of  pain, frustration & mainly tiredness, the Physio said I'd overdone the exercises, I wanted to say why but wasn't strong enough.

      suggested I exercise within realms of comfort & that he thinks a lot of my Problem may be from my neck. Cutting back this week has helped. also Amitriptyline has started to help a little as nerve pain slightly better. 

      Have heard of Bowen on this site but nice to hear it's good, will have to look for a practitioner & find out the cost, I had Osteopathy for a Sacroiliac joint problem years ago & it was the only thing that helped, just wish it was available on the NHS or a least subsidised. 

  • dragon55
    dragon55 sue_g

    Posted

    I am sitting here, crying with relief, having read that the awful, continuous pain and stiffness in my shoulders will go away some day. I am having my first appointment today with my GP and expect a bit of a battle. I have tried analgesia, anti-inflamatories and rest(when I can). I think I probably have residual neck problems from an old car crash and have problems with both shoulders and also pins and needles in both hands. I work as a nurse and have the same dread of taking time off sick as the nhs has a draconian approach to illness. I will take a lot of your comments and suggestions with me to the doc, including the universal advice not to go for steroid injections, thank you all!!
  • themagicpanda
    themagicpanda sue_g

    Posted

    I can't thank you all enough for sharing as you have done on this thread.  I am 46, have been off work now for 5 weeks and have capsular release surgery in 2 weeks time. I honestly thought I was starting to exaggerate the pain and feel really emotional reading through your experiences and seeing that there is hope. I feel about 95 and despite my best efforts am now feeling increasinly depressed and dispondent about my condition.  I am naturally a very positive person but not being able to feel even 'clean and tidy' is horrible. I actually feel guilty as I don't think many people around me, many of whom have had frozen shoulders believe the pain and discomfort I feel - am I making it up? Am I feeling sorry for myself? Thank you all for making me feel human, for reassuring me and giving me hope. The last few days of which I have not felt the latter. I will try anything and have tried lots, one of the things I have picked up is the use of a tens machine, I have a small one purchased for menstrual pain a few years ago, I'm going to give this a go.  I am so exhausted with the pain, feeling of loss without not working and just being overwhelmed you cannot believe how much of a help this thread has been. I feel 'normal' within the 'frozen community! If there are any of you with ANY kind of advice/feedback on the capsular release surgery I'd be most grateful, I am very apprehensive but more because of I don't react well to GA's, (I tend to want to stay asleep), the surgeon is very confident and says it's very simple and I will feel instant improvement, home in a sling same day or one nights stay at worst, sling off next day and physio, back to work within days....please be honest, I want to be best prepared for the next stage.  Will my dreams for normality really come true? 
  • molly70240
    molly70240 sue_g

    Posted

    Totally sympathise. I am suffering from shoulder pain, have worked all my life and now have this on top of sciatica. All of a sudden you can't work! Two helpful things: cut your hair in a cute pixie. Look for another type of job, maybe reading to children or some other less strenuous work. One more thing: don't be hard on yourself. Maybe this is the universe telling you to make a change. Cheers!
  • peterdt
    peterdt sue_g

    Posted

    I am so glad i found this column. i have been suffering for the last 4 months now in my dominant arm, left. I am a computer professional and even using a mouse on the desk puts my arm into a cramp. It is also a problem with sleep and sleeping positions. I have been to physios and a orthapedic surgeon and he confirmed the problem and that it could take a year to heal. I am trying to do exercise as well, and try rowing exercises once a week without success.  I have had cortisone and pain killers, no luck. Orthopedic surgeon suggested an operation but after reading these columns, not a good idea. Grin and bear it for another 8 to 10 months. What is a tens machine? 
    • candace513
      candace513 peterdt

      Posted

      I am using my tens unit on my arm right now. It is a small unit with those sticky pads that you place over the area of pain. They're pretty easy to come by now I got mine from Amazon. It has several different settings with several different intensities. It sends various pulsating units to the area of pain until recently you could only have this done at the doctors office but you can now buy them for yourself. They're not that expensive and so worth it. It helps me keep the pain down to a minimum and it is easy to slip the unit into your pocket so you're able to walk around with the pads on while they're doing their thing. I am 13 months into this in my right arm. It has been a long journey and like you I can either go for the operation nor would I do it after the things I have read
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