Hydrodilatation - my experience

Unfortunately I had a really painful experience too a year ago. I found the pain excruciating, to the extent that my whole body was shaking, my teeth were chattering and tears were running down my face. He stopped the procedure then I was left to dress myself, I couldn't move my arm at all! Thank goodness I had a friend with me. my shoulder continued to be painful but is on the mend now, although I haven't got complete range of movement back and it does ache at times. I understand people don't always have the same experience but I wouldn't ever have this procedure again.

Hi Maria,

Thank you for sharing your experience of this procedure. I had it done 2 days ago and I have to say I'm in more pain now than before the injection. I feel totally hopeless, particularly after reading lots of literature and comments about how it works and people feel pain free very soon after. I haven't started any physio exercises, I will try that tomorrow (day 4 post injection). Any advice you can give would be welcome. I was seriously hoping for a pain-free nights' sleep at last but that seems like it'll never come!

Hi Maria. 

It's been really great to read your blog and comments made by other people. Thank you to you to everyone else for taking the time to do it, it's really been very helpful in lots of ways. 

I have my hydrodilatation booked for this evening. I'm a bit anxious about the pain of the injection as everyone seems to react a little differently but I will be having a local anesthetic with it so I am hoping that will help. 

My issues started in late October of 2020 when I noticed that in my yoga practice I was struggling to put my right arm above my head. Each day it was getting slightly worse. I thought I'd just pulled a muscle as my husband and I are renovating our house and there's been LOT of heavy lifting involved. I'm also 49 years old and just assumed that I was taking a bit longer to recover as I'm a bit older but extremely active. It gradually got worse over a few weeks to the point I couldn't lift my arm much above my waist and I, like you, couldn't do up my bra, wash my hair or put my hair up. I've been using the same three baggy tops for the last few months as I can't get into anything else! Lots of washing of them involved! Aside from a fairly continuous low level pain, if I make a sudden movement with my right arm I get a really very bad pain in my arm but it subsides and calms down after a minute or two. My shoulder and arm can ache for long periods of time. I am getting sleep but wake sometimes (or quite a lot - there's no pattern) during the night due to aches and pains.

I saw an osteopath at the start of December who said I should see a consultant (orthopaedic surgeon) which I did in late December. I was very lucky as my husband has private healthcare with his job. He referred me for the injection.

The pain has definitely improved on it's own in those three months and isn't too bad at the moment so I am counting my blessings as it's manageable with over the counter painkillers. In terms of my pain management over the last 3 months I took Ibuprofen for about 6 weeks but decided to stop taking it as prolonged used has side effects on the stomach. I use an Ibuprofen gel instead now called Deep Relief and I found this to be the best of the gels I tried. I take paracetamol when necessary. I  also invested in 'Together' Curcumin which is a natural anti-inflammatory, Viridian MSM Glucosamine Complex, fish oil and Together Vitamin D spray. I use Epsom salts in my daily bath and the warm water definitely helps with the aches. I bought a chunky bath cushion from Amazon and this really helps keep my neck at a comfortable angle while being able to submerge my shoulders in the water. I also bought 'Better You' Magnesium spray as magnesium can help muscle aches and also helps sleep. Please note that this was all on the advice of a Nutritionist and I'd say to anyone to check with a professional what you can/should take. I also use a plug in massager that I bought off of Amazon. I don't use this on my arm but on my back as being one armed has made my back painful from being at a wonky angle and overusing the left arm. This has been absolutely brilliant and gets used every lots every single day! 

My range of movement hasn't improved at all though so I am hoping the injection will help with this. The consultant has said my ROM is quite bad and that if the injection doesn't help I would be a candidate for surgery. The consultant has said it will take me 2 - 3 years to get better. I am determined and hopeful that I will take less time. I'm trying to focus on what I can do to help relieve the pain and improve ROM. I've been doing shoulder exercises 1 to 2 times a day for about 20 or so minutes a time with some gentle yoga thrown in. I do not do it if it hurts. I push myself a little so it might be uncomfortable but never until it hurts. It's made little or no difference to my ROM but I believe it's important to keep the muscles and joints moving and that in turn will help recovery times. I will continue with exercises (adding in any others that are beneficial) after the injection and I will see an osteopath for further guidance and help. I will also start to slowly increase my level of exercise.

Some days are better than others in terms of pain management and sleep. I'm hoping tonight's injection will be helpful (and not too painful - yikes!) but the consultant has pre-warned me that I may need more than one injection and that I am a candidate for surgery. I'd rather see how I go with the injections than have surgery. I just want to focus on what's happening now and I'll make any further treatment decisions based on how I feel at the time.

I wish you all a speedy recovery!

hi maria,

i just had hydrodilation today after having MUA and hydrodilation surgery for FS in december which didnt work ! the procedure was uncomfortable and they managed to get all the fluid in - i can hear (strangely) the fluid swishing around in my shoulder and i am hoping this settles- my shoulder is quite sore i am hoping this works as the pain is unbearable and it is my dominant arm too!

i had a fall at work and this caused my FS - i see my consultant in a few weeks to see if this has been a success - i have my fingers crossed!

Thank you for your post. i just stumbled across it in my desperation for help! Wilmslow isnt far for me. Can i ask approx how much the procedure was? I have an appointment with the nhs MSK team in 2 weeks but i am not hopeful of a speedy resolution but I have been having physio for about 6 weeks privately and I think it might be better value for money to have the injection and intensive physio than the estimated 18 month of physio with limited use of my arm. Not sure how much longer i can manage on no sleep and OTC pain relief thats not working!

Hi Maria58274,

I'm from Canada.

please bear with me as my story is a bit long.

I had injured my bicep area in the summer of 2020. I did not take it seriously as it was not very prominent. It was just sore so put an ice pack etc.

From July to November never realised when my movements got restricted. So I went to my GP. he asked me to get my Xray done. The xray were good . Then my GP referred me to a PT, as he thought Im having restricted movements due to a strain on my muscle due to the injury. As I'm diabetic he was also worried that it should not turn into FS. I started PT Jan 2021 and the PT had given me some exercises to do at home too.

After the physiotherapy sessions my night pain started, the unbearable and painful and sleepless nights just followed.

In between all this I used to regularly ask my PT , whether he consulted with the Doc , regarding my condition and if it's time for my Cortisone shot. He told me that the doctor said its too early for that. This went on for about 2 months and I told him my Insurance has exhausted and I still have terrible pain. That's when he referred me to a doctor.

I went for the appointment, The doctor assessed me thoroughly. Then she asked me if I'm ready for a steroid injection. I immediately said yes as my sister had her done a year ago for FS , and her pain went away. I took the shot. But the doctor mentioned that I should have come to her earlier. I told her I was advised against it by the PT. The doctor also only asked me to do Pendular and finger crawl exercise, and nothing else. Well that was done and I had a follow up call in 10 days. Those 10 days were the same as earlier painful nights and would sleep in a semi upright position. The follow up call was today and I told her that there is still pain even after the cortisone shot. She again mentioned that I got late in going to her. She then said she will be referring me to another doctor for the hydrodilatation and will hear from them by the end of this month.

my only worry is that there have been so many contradictions and I just wish that I heal with the next injection.

This sounds exactly like myself. I started the same, took 3 weeks to get a telephone call to physio at work who sent me to A & E who said I had rotator cuff tear.

Following week another telephone call he emailed me some basic exercises.

Another week later I saw the physio face to face who couldn't do anything as I was in so much pain and physically couldn't move at all. She sent me away with arm in a sling. She got me to contact a place called Tim's who specialises in shoulders, I finally saw them on thur gone and diagnosed as classic frozen shoulder and couldn't understand why arm in sling. She's given me an injection and it's took edge off.

I'm now on a 6 week waiting list for the hydrodilation procedure.

I'm desperate for my life back and to get back to work.

Hoping it all works for us all

hi everyone i have been told i have FS (adhesive capsulitis) -Problem started Nov 20 almost from nothing - no injury just a stiffness - had one phone call with NHS physio in january telling me to stretch my neck and walk my arm up the wall. little improvement from this and worsening range if movements getting to the point if no longer able to fasten my bra strap . No further contact from physio due to Covid demands so in February i paid fir private physio - some improvement but still painful in certain ROM especially behind my back by this time my physio recommended seeing a Shoulder guy - he referred me as i do have some private health cover. i saw him and had MRI - no major damage seen so hes recommending hydrodilation/injection which initially i have declined so far. im continuing with physio but wondering if i should reconsider. So why did i decline - partly fear - of the pain of procedure - my physio told me about his client who passed out with the pain during the procedure. Also the consultant said its to help with symptoms but wont help ROM - which is the main issue for me. He also said it would be shortlived and might reduce my immunity - not a good idea in these times. So i guess im wondering about how painful it is - do people get better ROM after. Is a steroid injection always given with the hydrodilation? Sorry for long post

Hello everyone thought l would share my story. I have had a frozen shoulder since March so almost eight months of complete agony. Combined with lack of sleep l have almost on what life used to be before l developed this condition.

After many months of physiotherapy /osteopaths and exercises l was in so much distress l decided to go ahead with a hydrodilation which I had done on Friday.

The injection was done using ultrasound to guide the needle to the correct location in my shoulder. I also had a cortisone injection at the same time.

I had almost instant relief after the saline solution was injected. Since the procedure but the pain has started to return but not as bad as before.

I have continued to exercise my arm and have attended a physio session yesterday. My range of motion is better than before and I am hoping this continues.

The whole process cost me £180 and l am hoping it is money well spent.

Hi Maria - I recently had hydrodilation for my worst frozen shoulder (4 days ago) which I have had for over a year which is locked all the way down. I can reach my face but only just. The other shoulder is also frozen and I can just reach the top of my head. So far I have noticed no gain in movement or pain relief. I had it done free hand without any ultrasound or digital xray and then heavily stretched by the Consultant but still no movement. I then had 30 mins physio rocking my shoulder around 2 days later and told to exercise hourly which I have cut back already as it is too much. My story might make people feel better about their situation - I injured my back just over a year ago (Dec 2020) bending forward when I already have prolapsed discs in lumber spine. Because I am intolerant to most pain killers I had to put extreme weight on a walking stick to move around my bedroom, where I have been living for 13 months now. This followed by one frozen shoulder end Jan 2021 then the other froze 3 months later leaving me unable to do any back exercises on the floor which would have helped get my back better. My back and muscles continued to deteriorate until I had coccyx pain from May 2021. Since then I have had to lie down on the bed for 45 mins every 2 hours or less and the only way I can get up because of my 2 frozen shoulders and core weakness is to have my wife put her hand under the shoulder blade of the frozen shoulder and lift me quite hard while I throw my legs over the side of the bed which sometimes causes further injury. I was hoping to get some instant relief from the hydrodilation procedure but so far I am not sure if it has been frozen too long, I wait to see. Life has been unbearable and the GPs are completely heartless. I was asking them weekly if they could think of anyone to send me to at the hospital that could help and they continued to say no. I eventually found a private shoulder Consultant (Sept 2021) to discover that he ran a weekly clinic from my local NHS hospital 3 miles away. I am glad that the procedure has worked for you and some others. I would say to anyone if you have hydrodilation to do it early days and if possible with digital imaging and careful physio from the following day onwards. I think aggressive movement may just make it worse. BTW my wife typed this post as I cannot even use a mobile phone.

Hi Maria,

How long did it take for the local anaesthetic to wear off? First shoulder I didn't really feel any effects but this evening I have a numb, tingling arm 6 hours post procedure and movements are really weird.

Adele