Help...... frozen shoulder and unhappy dr advise

I’m so sorry to hear about your FS and the pain you are in. I totally understand I have 2 frozen shoulders at the same time. 

Sleep wise I have found a recliner chair the best bet and that’s what my dr also suggested. It may be uncomfortable at first but at least you don’t have the pain of sleeping on it. 

Definitely get another ortho, my first one wouldn’t even do hydrodilation, the second one was let’s get straight in and do an arthroscopic capsule release. I had that done early dec. The movement has improved, I can reach above my head a bit. It does need heaps of PT also so either way, loads of PT. I have found the pain is just as bad if not worse, I get horrible nerve pain down both arms, it’s unbearable. 

Your best bet is the surgery, it was absolutely a breeze and it does work. As I said my movement has improved a lot. But it’s your call. We all know what it’s like. I’ll be doing the other side in February some time, so I can sympathise. 

Good luck. 

At same stage as you. I’m in the uk .. I do take sleeping tablets now and again to enable me still to function and still work . However  they give you a muzzy head and I don’t want to become dependant on using them , however they are only thing giving me a couple of hours respite from the constant knawing pain . I’m intolerant it seems to many analgesics as cause acute nausea and dizziness , I do use a tens machine which I recommend . 

I am seeing an orthopaedic specialist tomorrow  just for management advice and really a plan for me to work towards , but expecting he will offer another steroid injection ! 

It’s hard not to feel low, but we must not , keep strong  and try to keep positive x

Is there a chance you could get another Ortho?  I had MUA and that gave me more ROM and pain started to ease up. 

Are you in the US?

 I’m so sorry you’re suffering with this.  

For me- I had left sided frozen shoulder starting last May. PT is helpful to an extent, I would definitely recommend going. I had capsular release surgery in December. The  orthopedic surgeon inspected the joint for other damage and cleaned it up as well as doing the release. It was minimally painful and I got almost full range of motion back. I still need PT for several months, but the pain is almost gone and range of motion is very good.  The surgery was far less painful than the early stage of frozen shoulder. 

 For sleeping I found a muscle relaxer to be very helpful, you may ask your doctor if they can prescribe one.

If your orthopedic surgeon has no plan, find a new one. You might want to search websites and see who offers a capsular release.  I felt it was the safest and most thorough of the techniques for dealing with frozen shoulder.  Physical therapy should start the next day or it will freeze again post op. 

Pain wise I found massage therapy to be very helpful both pre and post sx, some insurances will cover it as therapy. I’ve had therapeutic laser treatments after surgery, and found that helpful also.  I’ve read that acupuncture is helpful but haven’t tried it. 

In physical therapy it will be painful, but not super painful. If they work it too hard I found it got worse rather than better. Warm compresses prior to stretching (20 min) and ice pack after (15-20 min) helps too. They should be having you stretch at home too. 

It’s a long haul no matter what you do. Best of luck to you, this will end. 

Hello Vicky I had the exact same problem for 10 months I had physio and hydrodialation but didn't work eventually had operation 4th December still suffering though its very hard work but yr Dr is wrong you cannot do it with just physio or on yr own you need help its the most debilitating thing ever I would suggest you get another opinion and wish you luck and speedy recovery it's horrible but hang on in there

Vicki, I am very sorry to read about the misery you are experiencing. This sounds like a nightmare to be going through this.

All my progress was undone by a sports medicine doctor who recommended aggressive exercises. He said that with frozen shoulder 'no pain, no gain' is true. I lost all backward motion when he tried to force my hand backwards & up the middle of my back. Pain was excruciating and remained. Still have not regained backwards motion.

An orthopaedic surgeon online says that if patients did not have aggressive physio for frozen shoulder, they might never need to see him. He suggests that during the painful stage, patients start with the minimal forward or upward motion they can do, then increase it slowly without bringing arm or hand above shoulder level. Next progression to the side & without going above shoulder. His emphasis is on not exceeding shoulder level while there is still pain. When pain & inflammation has subsided, then start moving above shoulder & leave backward motion for last. I tried doing it this way & I have been able to regain considerable range of motion to the front & side without pain. I am slowly getting it above shoulder now. Will leave backwards motion for last, as he suggested. Peppermint essential oil mixed with olive oil massaged into shoulder also helped better than medications for pain, but your pain sounds too intense for that.

I don't know if any of this will be helpful for you, but I hope you get relief soon!

Yes, same thing since august Pt for 3 months 3 x week and 2 cordizone shots. 

Had surgery 12/26/17.. Minipulsted my shoulder free shaved potion of rotator cuff and cleaned out inflammation!  Back in PT 3Xweek but the PT person said they see the difference already and only been a week!!! Can lsy on my left side again ..... so happy with results now to get thru PT which should o my be another 4/6 weeks give or take!! 😊

I have a FS been two months, and extremely challenging. Started with chiropractor, but very little help. Went to physio who is using IMS. It has helped remarkably in the past two weeks. When the ER suggested physio, I balked originally. I hope you find an IMS practioner. 

Try a massage. I went once a week for a couple months and pan is almost gone. Still go once a month now and have almost full mobility back. I did also take glucosamine, fish oil and collagen pills.  No doctors or physical therapy. 

Hi Vicki,

That does sound like a really bad case. I also got FS in June of 2017 after falling off my daughter's hoover board (dumb move on my part). I too have had Thyroid issues. My pain was excruciating through November. I couldn't dress myself and broke down in tears 3-4 times a day. Getting a shirt on or off was choreographed very carefully with my husband's help!

But in early December the pain started to dull a bit. On a scale of 1-10, it was a 12 prior to December. Its now about a 6-7. A lot more manageable for sure. So, I'm guessing I'm in stage 2. My range of motion has not improved, but the pain reduction makes it sooooo much more bearable.

I have not done surgery, nor PT. From what I read, I was worried surgery would make me worse off, and I didn't really see how PT had helped the majority of people. However, I have done two things that I believe have totally helped me.

1. I have been getting a Prolotherapy shot every month since September.

Prolotherapy is totally different from Cortisone. I had a Cortisone shot in July and it did NOTHING except give me a $500 bill. Prolotherapy is about $150 a shot (where I live - AZ). I'm not going to lie - it was INCREDIBLY painful.

"Prolotherapy (Proliferative Therapy), also know as Non-Surgical Ligament and Tendon Reconstruction and Regenerative Joint Injection, is a recognized orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body’s healing processes to strengthen and repair injured and painful joints and connective tissue."

I would have never done it (as there's not much info online about it helping with FS). However, my husband had it done for a torn tendon and he was healed and stronger in 4-6 months. He suggested I try it and I'm glad I did.

2. I have also cut out any and all GLUTEN.  

Gluten is inflammatory and can mess with your Thyroid. I don't know if its helped with my shoulder, but I can tell you that every other join I have does not ache much anymore (I'm 46). Before giving up gluten I felt like I was 70+ years old (aches allover). Given what I've experienced with the lack of aches and pains, I think its helping with the inflammation in my shoulder. My Thyroid function has also improved and I've been able to cut my Thyroid medication into a third of my dose. I'm working on eliminating all together. The only thing I can credit that to is not eating Gluten.

I don't know if those things will help you, but they seem to have helped me.

I hope you get some relief soon. FS is one of the most painful wretched conditions I've ever experienced. No one can truly understand unless they've been through it. 

Good luck!

Hi all just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and advise etc. So I went to my regular GP on Jan 4th and explained my situation. He is also a orthopedic Dr and he was horrified to what this surgeon had suggested I do. So he tells me no PT at all, and has referred me to a new orthopedic surgeon who will do surgery. I was also placed on new pain meds and they seem to be working so far, but I am still a 14/10 on the pain scale. I was also instructed by mr (rude) orthopedic surgeon to go and have an injection into the shoulder for pain, has this worked for anyone? I have already had one done and it actually made me worse.

Hi Vikki 

I have had up to now 1 steroid injection , I had I thought not a great benefit from it , however it has started to wear off and I’m desperate now to have another as it obviously did work to a degree! So I’m in for another 

I also saw an orthopaedic shoulder specialist and I’m now on list for arthroscopic capsular release and I can not wait , I’ve read all the forums , reviews and research and recovery rates and feel best option for me. I am still at work but fortunately had just reduced my hours incidently as this all started , but isn’t it exchausting , but I get through my working day then return home irritable . I do feel for our nearest and dearest living with US ...so hard for them knowing what to say , what to do ..

Good luck all x

Same here Vickie. I went to a 2nd doc. And long story short I had a MUA done in November and now it is January and I can still move shoulder through range of motion. Still painfull hoping that goes away and my shoulder doesn't refreeze. I hope you are able to get help soon. Definitely drop 1st orthopedic doc.