Hydrodilatation - my experience
Posted , 76 users are following.
I've decided to start another thread on here to document my experiences with Hyrodilatation (also spelled Hydrodilation or known as Arthrographic Distension) and how well it works for me over the next few weeks or so.
A brief background, in case anyone didn't read my original thread. I started with odd pains in my shoulder in spring, this year, with no apparant cause and I assumed I'd just pulled a muscle or something like that and hoped it would go away on it's own. It got worse over the summer and I also started to lose movement. I had the usual excrutiating pain on knocks or jerks and aches right down my arm. Pain, lack of sleep and loss of movement finally drove me to the GP in September where I was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder. I managed to seek physiotherapy with Bupa (or I'd still be on the NHS waiting list) and was recommended by a physio to see a consultant with a view to Hydrodilatation.
I had my Hydrodilatation this afternoon - 14th December. A few hours on and I'm feeling fine. I was very nervous but the procedure itself went well and took 15-20 minutes in total. I'd worn a vest top, which meant I didn't need to wear a gown and just dropped my straps off my bad shoulder. I was asked to lie on my front, with a pillow for support. I'd thought the procedure was done via x-ray guidance but it was in fact ultrasound guided. The doctor explained what was about to happen and did an initial scan of my shoulder area before giving me a local anaesthetic. He then put in the needle for the hydrodilatation, which administered first some cortisone and then saline. He said I might feel some pushing and to let him know if it became painful. There was some discomfort but I wouldn't describe it as painful and within a few minutes, he said the saline had started to leak out of the joint and the procedure was over. He did another scan and checked my movement before and after - there was perhaps a couple of degrees improvement but nothing drastic. I left the hospital with a plaster on my shoulder and feeling fine. He said I might experience a bit of aching once the local anaesthetic wears off but the cortisone should kick in within a day or two and should improve things pain-wise.
Physiotherapy is recommended within a few days of the procedure and I have an appointment with the physio on Friday morning and another to see the consultant again in about 6 weeks. So far, so good but it remains to be seen how sucessful it has been in improving pain and getting my movement back. I can currently lift my arm about 90 degrees in front, slightly less at the side and very little behind my back.
I will document my progress over the next few days and weeks, for anyone else considering this treatment. Hope this information is of help to someone and fingers crossed that the procedure works for me!
8 likes, 220 replies
paul_65670 maria58274
Posted
I had the procedure earlier today, it was quick with fairly bearable pain as you describe. However, I was given very little advice on how much to move the shoulder now and in the next few days, I wonder I did you exercise your shoulder much during this period? Or did you just take it easy for the next few days? I was told to do a few pendulums tomorrow but I don’t have any physio lined up. I have read where some recommended more movement following the procedure to “break the adhesions” of adhesive capsulitus, what worked for you?
maria58274 paul_65670
Posted
Hi Paul
I was told not to overdo things for a couple of days, at least 'til the cortisone kicked in, but to see the physio within a week of the procedure. My physio did a bit of gentle manipulation and stretching but then was happy for me to continue excercising on my own. He suggested the sort of slow, steady stretching excercises that can be found online, doing enough to stretch the shoulder but not cause pain. I didn't get immediate release (some do) but experienced a steady improvement over the course of the next few weeks and months. Good luck - I hope it has worked well for you. Let us know how you get on.
paul_65670 maria58274
Posted
An update on my progress, for the 3 days after my Hyrodilatation the pain became really intense, without moving the shoulder I was constantly in more pain than from the frozen shoulder itself. I was taking strong painkillers to get to sleep. However by day 7, the pain subsided as my body accepted the cortisone and I now have no pain at rest and pain is only bad when I move my arm beyond the end of its range. It’s now day 10 and I’ve had a neck, shoulder and back massage, this has helped greatly with my referred aches and pains caused by the shoulder joint not moving. I have been doing gentle exercise, with pendulums and using a pulley to stretch the arm as far as I can before the pain kicks in. I can currently move my arm forward to 90 degrees, sideways to 40 degrees, and very little behind my back, whilst this is bearable it’s worse as I’m left handed and it’s my left shoulder.
So far I’m happy with my progress and pleased I had the Hyrodilatation, at least I am sleeping well now and I have no real pain unless I move my shoulder too far. However I have not yet had any increase in range of movement, I’m now almost 6 months into this and I’m guessing that I’ve now begun the frozen stage. I’m hoping that like you my range should now gradually increase.After how many months did that happen for you? and do you think the Hyrodilatation helped that, or was it just the natural progression?
maria58274 paul_65670
Posted
Hi Paul, sounds like you had a bad reaction to the cortisone maybe - but glad to hear the pain has now subsided. I'm personally conviced that the treatment hastened my improvement, though it's not possible to say how long it would have taken without it. Within about a month, I'd noticed little improvements and by the time I'd had my review with the consultant (7 weeks) I could put up my hair again and fasten my bra - albeit a little awkwardly. Sorry, these are rather female examples - but these felt like major acheivements at the time. I was making progress and have continued to do so. Whether the cortisone made it easier to do the stretching excercises or the treatment helped free up the shoulder, is impossible to say with certainty - I also think being able to sleep again, helped my body with the healing process. The lack of sleep when I was in pain certainly played havoc with my general immune system and I've never had so many colds!
It's now 10 months since my treatment and as far as I'm concerned, my life is back to normal (and has been for some time) and don't realy think about my shoulder. I can sleep and I'm not in pain and do all the things I'd normally do. There's about 5% of movement still not there but it isn't realy an issue for me. Maybe if I'd been a bit more regular in doing my excercises the last bit would be back by now. I'd certainly go for hydrodilatation again, should my other shoulder ever freeze - and despite twinges here and there, that shoulder seems OK at the moment, thank goodness.
Good luck and let us know of your progress.
tracy12563 maria58274
Posted
It was sooo good reading your posts! I have had issues with my right shoulder for 2 years and Physio and chiro did nothing !! Finally I was diagnosed with a torn bicep and bone spur. I had surgery in April and the surgery found I also had bad scarring from frozen shoulder . After the surgery I got frozen shoulder again and 6 months on , after 2 cortisone injections it has not gotten any better. My surgeon has now recommended hydrodilation which I have organised for next week. I'm really nervous about the pain from the fluid going into my shoulder ( I hate needles and have a very low pain threshold).
. But I the pain frozen m the frozen shoulder is soo bad I'll try anything!! Thanks again for your posts !! (. Australia)
maria58274 tracy12563
Posted
tracy12563 maria58274
Posted
Ok, so I had the 'hydro..' 2 hours ago. It was really painful but the Dr kept stopping so I could handle the full amount of liquid into my shoulder . He said it would be better if he could get it all in. At first it felt like my arm was on fire but then he used his free arm to put pressure on my shoulder and that helped. Now my arm is just sore and feels heavy. He's given me excercises to do 5minutes at a time 4 times a day. The first is to climb my fingers up a wall facing forward and then sideways and next try and put my hand behind me and up my back . So I'll try them later this afternoon . Fingers crossed this works !! I'm so fed up with not being able to sleep and being in constant pain grrrrrrr.
maria58274 tracy12563
Posted
Hi Tracey, I had some aching for a couple of days after I'd had it done, until the cortisone kicked in - then no pain. It actually sounds promising that he got quite a bit of liquid in there, as it might free things up - mine leaked, then he had to stop before he got the full amount in. Do the excercises but don't overdo it - stop if it causes pain. I found the best way of excercising behind my back was in the shower when my arm was soapy and slippy. Guide your bad arm up and down and in circles, using your good arm. Good luck and I hope you are soon feeling much improved. Let us know your progress.
tracy12563 maria58274
Posted
One more question please, when he was injecting I had serious pain in my bicep down towards my elbow . It's still hurting and I now have a really hard 'bicep muscle' there, sort of like Popeye. It's definitely since the injection
have you had this, or heard of it ? I can't find anything written about it anywhere.
The Dr was actually pushing down hard next to the injection needle when he was doing it as the pain I had was coming from the area of this bicep
tracy12563 maria58274
Posted
Ps; I do have a lot more motion in the shoulder I just can't lift the arm high 'cause the bicep is really painful . I can lift it with the other arm though
maria58274 tracy12563
Posted
Hi Tracey. Sorry not to reply sooner. Whist I didn't experience bicep pain/swelling after the treatment, the bicep in my bad arm did seem noticeably harder, whist my shoulder was frozen. It did soften as my movement returned. Not sure why this was so. How is it now? If you still have problems, it may be worth contacting the doctor to see what he says. Good luck.
tracy12563 maria58274
Posted
Hi Maria , I did speak to the Dr and he explained that there was air and saline that had gotten into the bicep and to wait a few days for it all to 'move' out and it would get better. So far so good! Still some pain but soooo much better than it was
grace76608 tracy12563
Posted
Sounds like you might have a tear in your bicep.
Google popeye muscle
Good luck..
tracy12563 grace76608
Posted
Think it's ok cause the lump has gone down now. dr said it ea
tracy12563
Posted
Dr said some of the air and liquid got caught up in it but it's gone down quite a bit now so hopefully the bicep is fine