Hydrodililation for frozen shoulder

Hi

This is my experience of frozen shoulder. Its usually neck related...i.e.possible trapped nerve. Any manipulation of the shoulder or strenuous exercises can make it worse and increase the recovery time. Normally its very painful first 3 months and gradually eases off and then disappears completely after about 10 months.....with no interference whatever. I've had it 3 times and this is what its done each time. I wouldn't let a physiotherapist anywhere near it....they just think they have to be doing something. Leave it alone. It will pass.

Sorry to sound so short and sharp but I get a bit annoyed when I read that people with frozen shoulder are being put through these strenuous regimes...it just compounds the problem. Search on google and you'll see I'm not alone in this opinion.

Hi

I had hydro-dilatation carried out on my right shoulder ten days ago, having had the same procedure done on my left shoulder 3 years ago. Both times, I had experienced the usual excruciating pain leading up to the "op", with sleepless nights for months on end. I would highly recommend the hydro-dilatation procedure as it has significantly reduced my pain levels on both occasions, within about a week, and now I am able to sleep for 5-6 hours every night, which is just bliss after what's gone before. I am amazed that we don't hear more about this procedure, and the original consultant whom I had to see to get referred to the radiologist who carries out the procedure, was still not mentioning or recommending the op, even though he knew i'd had it before and had been told how successful it was. It's such a quick and non-invasive procedure that I believe it's not worth not trying first, before any of the other options, especially MUA, which must be hellishly painful afterwards, plus any time you can avoid general anaesthetic has to be beneficial. I'm sorry to hear Debs1969 that it didn't work for you, and I do wonder whether the manipulation afterwards was really a good idea, but I guess we go with the advice of the medical people at the time.I expect another 12 months at least before I can move my arm properly again - at present I still can't shave under my arm, or tie my hair in a pony tail, and as for the bra thing ..... ! But I can cope with all that so long as the pain goes, which it virtually has now. Really hope you manage to get some relief soon.

hi both my shoulders were frozen at one time. i had all the injections, being put to sleep and having manipulation. i also had an op to have the muscle cut and the bone shaved. i can move my arms now but now and then i have a lot of pain in my shoulder and across the back of my neck. been like it for about six years now. i seem to struggle blow dryng my hair because i cannot keep my arms up. i think i will have this for the rst of my life now unless there is something that can be done. if anybody knows of anything.

Hi fs friends.

So glad to find this font of information on this terrible condition. Think I am 3 months in so far and just recently getting good physio treatment and on my most recent visit hydrodilation was suggested and I recoiled envisaging more pain.

Lots of great suggestions to follow, including tens machine oestregen, wheat bags etc so there is hope. I like many never realised, how bad this could get, but your replies are encouraging and very constructive. Far better than the information supplied by local gp who failed to prescribe any pain relief.

The key to the right treatment, is the right diagnosis. Sometimes it's the nerves of the neck, sometimes it is the nerves of the shoulder itself. It may be the muscles and tendons are injured or weak. It could also be joint or bone related (OA). It could even be related to poor posture (anterior head carriage or slouching). This is why the treatments are so varied and the results also. A good physio should be able to tell the difference. Mobilization and manipulation is the gold standard treatment for a frozen shoulder, but only when the X-ray's and MRI's come back negative for anything else. A large amount of scar tissue develops in this type of long term injury which is what the hydro-dilatation breaks down. Further mobilization and manipulation breaks down the rest of the scar tissue. This process is painful and time consuming. I've had it done 5 times over the past. After the initial inflammation settles down it moves more freely and I'm able to sleep at night!! For me it was basically an imbalance in the muscles in the front of the shoulder which pulled my shoulder forward pulling and pinching on the nerves at the back. Once we got the shoulder squared off the nerve pain went away.

hi i have had frozen shoulder(left) for nearly 2 years now and yesterday i had the hydrodililation under local anaesthetic, which i can tell you the pain was excruciating i nearly passed out but after only a few hours since op i can't believe the pain has just about gone and the movement i have got back already is unbelievable. They sent me home with the usual pain relief but only had the paracetamol before bed and this morning i have been able to move my arm to positions i havn't done for so long and thought i never would, so apart from the pain at the time i would definately recommend it.  

hi debs, i had manipulation on my frozen shoulder in 2012  as a last resort after over a year of at times intense,unbearable pain, injections, and physio!  luckily for me it was very successful in the fact that i have little or no pain , i would say i have about 90% of movement back also.. it still doesnt go in certain positions but it is much, much better!  unfortunately for me i now have it in my other shoulder and have just got to the stage where it is unbearable , its affecting my sleep and work, it took soooo long last time to get pain free, im just hoping i wont have to put up with the pain as long this time although i,ve moved area so wish me luck.... i wish you luck too, and i hope this helps!