What is the best pain relief?

Hi Karenmarie, I know exactly how you are feeling.  I got AC in nov. 2013.  I went for physio for 4 months, 3 acupuncture sessions, 4 massage therapy, 1 cortisone shot and the usual heat/cold packs, plus having x-rays, ultrasound and an MRI.  The results from the MRI confirmed AC. The dr. told me I was not a candidate for surgery (luckily) and it would just take time (2-5 years!!!!!!!). Nothing seemed to work.  The pain, as you say, was excruciating.  Just a little jolt brought me to my knees and in tears.  Luckily I was not working so didn't have to miss work.  We went south for 6 weeks and I tried swimming.  Seemed to loosen things up. Working in the water was a bit easier.  Also, I slept with a little pillow. Just held onto it to make sure my arm didn't move while I slept.  Used that for 6 months!  Anyway, to make a long story short, it has been 10 months now.  My shoulder is still stuck but the pain finally subsided around the 5-6 month.  Seemed to stop hurting all of a sudden.  Still can't put my arm around to my back and have trouble doing the back of my hair, but I have adapted.  Doesn't really matter now that the pain is gone.  You can adapt!  I am able to play golf (my swing is a little wonky since I can't get my arm up on the back swing!) and I use my left hand a lot more.  The bottom line is it WILL get better. You just have to be patient.  I know that is hard to do, but just hang in there.  You can do it!  PS.  I found wine helped too!!  Good luck!

Hi Karen. Some CAs are more stubborn than others. I had it in my left shoulder 4 yrs ago and after 5 weeks of terrible pain I had the right doctor give me a shot of cortisone in exactly the right spot (not all doctors know exactly how to do it properly) and within 3 weeks the pain was gone and movement came back within 8-10 months. Got it in my right shoulder in Dec and have had a tough time getting rid of it. Cortisone shot by same doctor has kept pain reasonable and it seems to be getting better after I had hudrodilation done to it. This one is stubborn! Read the forums on here as a lot of women ae to have a lot of success w the surgery which is quick as they just put you out to manipulate your shoulder to get movement back. I am now seeing an acupuncturist who seems to really know what she is doing and there seems to be some relief after each session (she sees me every day for an hour and I am going back for my 3rd day again there are all sorts of people who do acupuncture but she seems to know exactly what she is doing; not trying to relieve pain but gety 

"Chi" back in order so my body can repair itself.... Good luck!

When I had my first frozen shoulder I went to an agagressive therapist who said do not put ice on it.  So I only put heat.  With my second shoulder I also put heat only.  I also started taking turmeric (curcumin) with black pepper extract.  It is wonderful for inflammation, which is a big part of frozen shoulder.  I took 1000 mg twice a day.  It is a blood thinner, so I went off aspirin and anti inflammatories.  It is also high in antioxitants.  The country of India where turmeric is a daily spice used in everything has one of the least rates of cancer and alzheimers

 

Karenmarie,

TIME!  I agree with Wendy.  On my right shoulder I did have manipulation.  On my left shoulder I did not.  Both took 4-5 months of physical theraphy, to alleviate some pain and give me some motion.  But it took my right shoulder  2 yrs before I got fall range.  Still have pain when I do anything like cleaning.  So it has only been 6 months in on the left shoulder.  Pain better, motion better but again probably a full 2 yrs to what will be normal for me.  Hang in there!

Thanks for your supportive replies  - I've now seen a shoulder specialist and I'm going to have capsular release surgery, in the hopes it will improve movement and easy the constant pain. I've never had surgery before like this along with a general anaesthetic  so a little worried about that!

Hope all goes well with op

Im in a similar position and waiting for an MRI scan on shoulder

I will look out for your updates with interest 

Good luck 

I'm now on day three after capsular release surgery. It's sore but I can move my arm/shoulder for the first time in months! I'm also now going to have six weeks of physio as it's key to keep it mobile. Will keep you updated...

I used Tramadol ....another name for this synthetic opiate is Ultram. Honestly it really helped me. However I recently took (2). 50 mg and got a terrible migraine .  I've been told that is not unusual with this drug but I never got them from just 1 pill. You could ask to try this Rx but me cautious. 

It is such frustrating condition, no one else can see your pain as it were. I thought I should at least have blood gushing from my shoulder the level of excruciating pain I was in! I've been prescribed Tramadol but have resisted taking it do far as I have had nasty reactions to opiate painkillers in the past. I have considerably more movement than I did before the operation,  like most people I could barely move my arm from my side, but  it is no where near how it was before, especially movement behind my back which is still very painful. The main reason I had the operation was to try and help the excruciating pain which I think it has. I'm working on getting over the general anaesthetic at the moment and I'm off work, I hope to return to work next week will be on reduced hours but just for one week and then I will be expected to get back into it, fortunately it's an office job that I do need to concentrate a lot and having pain has meant this is been really difficult for the past few months.