The big thaw - any signs?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Anyone lucky enough to have thawed, please could you let me know what the first signs were? I have been frozen since October I think...hard to recall but the agony eased after the steroid jab and now I just have rubbish movement albeit not so bad I can't wash/dry hair. I can now sleep on the frozen side for short stints and no longer wake up feeling like my arm is full of glass if that makes sense, shards of glass! I think my case is not too severe so I am lucky given the pain only lasted a few months. It did impact my life for that period though, I was useless at work and emotional. Thanks for reading and any responses.

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3 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Anna Sounds like your well on your way to the thawing stage. The pain is less and the sleeping and activities and motion get easier. I have about 90 % of my motion back in my left arm my motion is much better and it has been 2 years ! I am now struggling with frozen shoulder in my right arm. I am back to not sleeping or normal day to day activity is a struggle. I have had an MRI and am in physical thearpy and have cut back my hours at work until I get to the next stage where I can get a better handle.Keep you chin up. Do your excercises but don't do anything to irritate your arm to set you back ! Your nearing the end of this horrible thing they call frozen shoulder !!
    • Posted

      Great question, Anna, and thank you, Lisa, for writing so positively about thawing even though you're in the midst of freezing again. I appreciate your advice!! 

      Best wishes smile

  • Posted

    I did have a thawe back in August.  While I was in extremem pain and sustained a fall while skating (one of the few things I could still do with a frozen shoulder).  It actually may have broken up my shoulder a little which did not feel good at the time.  The next day I went to see the specialist and got a steroid shot.  That actually hurt for a day or two but then after that - no pain.  It was strange...

    I still did not have movement but I was able to do things without pain like wash my hair.  I continued to do exercises and modified what I did in the gym and am now 8 months later I am good again.  I can throw things (like a ball) and I can do all my exercises.  I will say after 10 months of frozen shoulder, I have lost a LOT of strength on that side so I am definitely still not as strong but I am working on it. 

    It sounds like you are getting there too...so keep up the exercises as I found that kept my shoulder moving and loose while I was not in pain and then I slowly got back to 100% motion.

    I am very aware of my shoulders now and if either of them feels tight I ensure to exercise them and rub on them to prevent them from locking up.  I know when I first got frozen shoulder I did not move it as it hurt and in hindsight that was probably the worst thing I could have done.  I am very active.

    Good luck Anna!

    April

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