MUA for frozen shoulder 2 1/2 months post op?
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After having terrible shoulder pain for several months I underwent a biceps tenodesis, scope, and bone spur removal the first week of January. It went fine. Spent one month in a sling. Started to have bad pain about a week before the sling came off – and as it turns out it was because my shoulder was freezing. So at four weeks out (once the sling was off) I started intense PT for the stiff (frozen) shoulder. That was about five weeks ago and I’ve made real progress in all rotations. Far from perfect, but I went from not being able to touch my face – to raising barbells over my head! Pain is also slowly decreasing. I still have a long way to go for sure to get back to “normal” – but I was happy with my progress considering what I have heard from other frozen shoulder patients. But when I went back to the surgeon last week for my regular follow up I was stunned. He wants to do a MUA to break up the frozen shoulder. He said it needs to be done ASAP (in the next two weeks) or if I wait he may not be able to do it and may have to then go in and cut the scar tissue. When I said “But I’m making progress” – he was very dismissive and said that it wouldn’t get better. That made no sense to me as it has continually been getting better – just slowly. Everything I have read said that this procedure is only considered as a “last resort” and only when 6 to 9 months of PT has failed. I asked my PT what he thought – but of course he won’t go against the surgeon. But he did say I was getting better and he saw no reason why that wouldn’t improve – though the MUA would get me there “quicker”. My gut tells me the MUA is way too aggressive and radical at this stage – and that I should just continue with the PT while it continues to work. I did try to get a second opinion, but the doctor would only agree to see me if I was six months post-op. So to me that’s another clue that I should just wait and see how things shake out. Thoughts?
0 likes, 4 replies
joseph44943 SueAnn80421
Posted
It's now 7 months post op after had my MUA done, I have gone from no movement about 0% to over 85% movement back in my shoulder but consultant says it's going to be at least another 2yrs before I have 100% movement. And a few injections over the course of 2yrs. It will get better.
jim_5066 SueAnn80421
Posted
Yes, I also wonder if the MUA is a bit premature when PT seems to be working. Can you try to get a 2nd opinion other than the doctor who said 6 months?
I sometimes think, thatdespite having a good friend who is a surgeon. that some surgeons sometimes fail in two respects.
One they fail to consider patients as persons and instead simply as the problem or condition .
As a former hospital administrator I often heard surgeons say something to the tune of “I saw two appendix’s, a hernia and a bowel today”. Maybe in part because they don’t interact with patients when they conduct the surgery, they are not considering the patient as a whole.
The second is that some physicians and in particular surgeons fail to appreciate the opinion or role of other healthcare professionals. Sad but true. I guess it’s what is often referred to as the “God syndrome”
SueAnn80421 jim_5066
Posted
Thanks for the input. I could try - but likely it will be difficult. And I guess the worse case senecio if the PT does fail after six months is that I get the procedure done then - even if it has to be a little more invasive.
I would agree with you that I felt like a problem to be fixed more than a patient to be treated. I didn't get a good feeling about the whole interaction.
beverly52803 SueAnn80421
Posted
I would go with your gut reaction.
I had a totally unrelated issue in my early 50's. My doctor mentioned feeling something she hadn't felt before. That could have been because 1) my body was changing and she could now feel what was there all along, or 2) they weren't there before and their presence was a concern. I wasn't very concerned. It could mean nothing was wrong or worse case scenario cancer. I waited several months then returned for another exam and test. No change. A 2nd opinion was suggested so I thought why not, However, it turned out the 2nd opinion was an oncologist who did not bother to examine me, looked at ultrasound test results (which again showed what could have been there all along and been benign) and immediately suggested radical surgery. I was flabbergasted and questioned the need for it. Her response was "may as well take everything out now rather than have to come back to take it out later". I went home and immediately called a friend on the west coast who is also an oncologist in the field for his opinion. He said "promise me you will never go back to that doctor again". (No problem there!) He said her suggestions were totally uncalled for and were motivated by money. His words; not mine. I followed his recommendation to give it more time then have another ultrasound. (I also took it upon myself to take some Chinese herbs for the "problem"
. Next time I was tested everything was in the normal range and no treatment needed.
So...clearly some doctors do see a tonsillectomy, a hysterectomy, an MUA and not the patient. And they just may be seeing an increase in income. If you are happy with your progress, that's what matters.
Re FS, surgery was recommended for my FS, but I passed. Went for a 2nd opinion who (after an MRI) recommended doing nothing and gave me a copy of a med journal article which explained the process of freezing, being frozen and thawing. I opted to wait it out. It was much longer recovery than what you & others have described, but I did no PT because when I initially tried (freezing stage) it was more painful than I could stand. BTW I found the 2nd doctor by asking therapists for a recommendation of a conservative orthopedist.
Again, I would do what feels right to you.