How long until the pain gets easier.

Hi Katie,

I have had frozen shoulder for approximately 6 months now, I have had 26 sessions with physical therapy and have had (2) shots of cortisone in my shoulder. In the beginning months the pain was almost unbearable where I was not sleeping at night and just could not find comfort in any position that I sat. To date my pain is there but not near as bad as it was and I think its only there cause I make myself stretch. I use a moist heat every day on my shoulder as I was told that using ice makes my muscles in my shoulder angry and tight and then they don't want to move. Stay strong it really does get better it sure doesn't seem like it but it really does. I still don't have range of motion in my shoulder but Im staying positive that there is a light at the end of this tunnel best of luck to you....Lisa

Hi Lisa , Thank you for replying it means a lot , I was a fit 60 year old lots of swimming and walking don't really know what has caused this ,I had to go privately in the end as GP diagnosed Rotator Cuff . The Consultant said FS, trying to keep my job look after Grandchildren when needed and visiting poorly mum . I hope it goes quickly ...

Hi Lisa forgot to say ,I don't think it is going to resolve anytime soon ,wish it would though fed up .

Hi Katie

unfortunately there is no rhymn or reason for frozen shoulder I was jusr like you in the beginning looking for answers on what I could do to make this process hurry up and have found that there is no hurry up with frozen shoulder it has to run the stages unless ur a candidate for surgery at which I have opted to be my final choice and am not willing to have cause recovery isnt 100 % either

be patient listen to your orthropedic dr and wait it out I promise it does get better time being the key here as I said im in my sixth month of frozen shoulder

I hope this helps your not alone

lisa

Hi Katie

As I said in my earlier post FS is a long haul and this is my 2nd one so I know what I am in for: we all need that time machine that takes us 12 months down the track. What I did forget to say last time was the ups and downs: it is certainly not a consistent improvement and some days are better than others, but in the first few months all days are bad as it deteriorates:

I found that the winters made it worse : even after recovery I would get niggles in winter but not anywhere like the initial run of the condition: not sure where you are but I am in Oz so although our winters are not like UK or US the cold still affected it. If you are there now that may be making it worse.

Re medication and treatment: I played around with all sorts of painkillers until I go the one that worked for me: funnily the stronger things did just the same an iboprofen but everyone seems to be different. I am a dentist so it had a pretty big impact on my life and ability to work: but there were also just the day to day things: as you seem to lose strength things like household chores are difficult too.

During the first 6 months (which I am in for the other shoulder now) I found that keeping up the painkillers rather than letting them wear off was better and alternating stronger with usual to be kinder to my liver; but whatever works best for you coupled with heat packs and time. I tried physio, myotherapy, chiro, nothing seemed any better that the other.

I truly know your "fed up" status well: I think I am a pretty strong person and after my first FS resolved I always said it was one of the worst things I had gone through: which is why I had a bit of a melt down when I knew I was getting this other one! I didn't have any sharing opportunity first time round though so this is a great forum for support.

Being in a field where I have to inform patients about outcomes etc it was frustrating that the doctors where so vague and uncertain about how to treat and how long it lasts but I also understood that not 100% is known about the human body: at the same time a friend of mine had no intervention and he recovered in 18 months: same as me with 2 manipulations under GA and weeks of physio etc. This time round I only had initial physio but have given it away.

I guess what gives me hope is knowing it WILL get better and being more prepared for the long haul after last time: doesn't make me happy though!

Hope this helps.

Thank you ,this forum has helped a great deal,I have searched and searched hoping to find a quick solution!

Alas I will have to get to grips with the long haul.

Hi Katie,

Be careful as many cases of rotator cuff impingement & tendonitis are often mistakenly called frozen shoulder. Do you have severe limitation of movement or are you getting sharp pain on certain movement such as raising your arm? If it is the latter then definitely look into rotator cuff problems as this is usually the case and fortunately much shorter lasting in many cases.

I would see a physio or musculoskeletal specialist and have them examine your shoulder and potentially give it some treatment, as it may be possible to speed up recovery.

Best wishes!

Hi Chris ,I so wish it was Rotator Cuff ,I live in the Uk and waiting time for scans was 18 weeks so I went private ,the Consultant scanned the Tendons and said they were smooth and found no evidence of Tendon issues, he said it was probably Adhesive Capulitusand only an MRI would confirm this however I would have to pay for this as well, Phew ! My GP said Rotator Cuff. It aches all the time and if I move suddenly it feels like I'm being electrocuted then it throbs then settles and just a deep ache ...

Dear Katie

The pain you describe is pretty well diagnostic of a FS or so my orthopaedic surgeon and physio say. I found that certain movements such as reaching behind me in the car brought on an almost pass out pain in the upper arm, which then subsided as you state into a throb. But underlying it most of the time is a dull throb which then developed into a more stabbing pain as the analgesics wore off. Hence my reliance on medication. It took over a year for me to be able to do that movement without pain.....but it did happen. For my present FS it is the same so I try to avoid those movements. Also a loss of strength will pretty well be present in all cases. Again a case of modifying until it gets better.

My surgeon said at the diagnosis of FS is a process of elimination after Scans etc show no underlying pathology, and as rotator cliff etc mimics this it is important to get a differential diagnosis and a specialist should be in better position to reach this.

Hi Clare Thankyou for your information it certainly describes what I am suffering also the pain sometimes goes all the way down my arm,some days are worse than others.

I think mine was brought on by over zealous swimming and keeping fit,HeyHo so much for a healthier life .