Frozen shoulder

I couldn't believe how painful a frozen shoulder could be. Evenually I had the steroid injection at a hospital outpatients clinic and the pain went immediately. (I cried all the way home - from relief, I suppose - and went straight to bed. I still remember the wonderful feeling of being free from pain and able to sleep.)

I hope by now you are feeling better. I too was delayed at my local surgery because only I Doctor could give a steroid injection. I went to a local private hospital who when I said I had BUPA cover wanted to arrange a small operation! I declined and had the steroid injection which cured the pain instantly. That was 18 months ago and the pain has not come back.

I had a frozen shoulder years ago - Eventually I was given an injection but could not get a physiotherapist appt for six weeks after that, so it did not help much. The infra red lamp felt lovely while it lasted, but did nort cure it.
What worked in the end was my going privately to a chiropractor. The manipulation and exercises he gave me to do at home worked within weeks after about six months of suffering. Worth every penny, and now my first point of call with any back, neck or shoulder problems, even if it means eating beans on toast for a week to pay for it!

Oh how I symathise! I had it in both shoulders, but not at the same time thank gawd!! I had acupuncture for the first one and it helped a bit. The second time I was at a different surgery and they recommended a physiotherapist. She gave me a rope and pulley contraption to use, which again helped a bit, but as others have said it's a'time thing'!!
BTW I tried to give the 'rope and pulley' back to the surgery but they wouldn't accept it. They said I would just have to 'throw it away' ...... Yep, that's part of the NHS problem - utter waste! (I still have it, as can't bear to just ditch it. Will use the rope part for something in the garden!!!)

Very painful.... have you tried exercises specifically for your shoulder. There are some good ones on YouTube which may loosen up your shoulder over a period of time. But they do need to be done regularly even when you don't feel like it! Hope you recover soon.

Yes it is excruciating pain but steroid injection really eased my pain. Only problem was when left shoulder 'thawed' out and movement returned my right shoulder froze so had to go through all the agony again, about three years all told! Good luck, certainly pursue the steroid route, sure it will help.

Should you visit a Private Physiotherapist, do check that they are displaying a certificate showing they are MCSP ie a Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Sorry to hear you are in pain. I've had various joint pains over the years & I have seen an Osteopath and a Chiropractor ( not at the same time!) both were really useful & they gave me exercises to strengthen & keep the joints moving. That did help me long term,

Hope you feel better soon.

I too have a frozen shoulder. Exercises from the physio are helping a lot, I am trying this first before the steroid injection route as doc said they sometimes don't work. At night I question my decision! I find heat does help, I have an electric heat pad which is very useful. Could you phone physio dept. and tell them how much pain you are in? I have been told that this can lead to a quicker appointment, a month is a long time to wait in pain. Don't immobilize the arm, I found this made it worse in the long run. Leaning forward and swinging the arm GENTLY from the shoulder helped me.

I've had this and honestly think it more painful than the labours and childbirths I have been through! Immediate treatments are: steroid injection into the shoulder - bliss! Physiotherapy and acupuncture both helped. Long term prevention: swimming breaststroke for 20 minutes three times a week and having a daily dose of high strength glucosamine with condroitin. Good luck!

I forgot to mention, since my DH had it, we have used contour pillows to align neck/head, made from memory foam. One was too hard, but we found a medium one gave decent support. Don't go for just plain foam rubber, they break down and have no support. Below is an Argos one as an example. Sometimes if I have back aggro coming on, I turn it around and use the higher mound under my neck. It's all trial and error, but better than regular pillows.

www.argos.co.uk/product/1275009

Hello again Wobblybits, I hope you have received some help,I wrote last week, this week I had the first of a few treatments with acupuncture, which hasnt helped right away, but I am hoping it will, I dont feel like having this frozen shoulder for another eighteen months, it does take time, but will get better the physio assures me, but night time is worse I try not to take a painkiller, but have to in the end, if i want to get any sleep. I hope all our suggestions are helping you, please keep in touch, let us know your progress.Sending a hug again x

I have appointments booked with my Dr, to discuss injections and an appointment with the NHS physio, so hopefully things are moving on. Some of the extreme pain has receded.

My mother took up yoga in her 50's when she had a frozen shoulder - it did the trick! She kept it up until she was well over 80 and I think it kept her supple, she could still sit cross legged on the floor.
Sadly the area she lived in became very smart and was invaded by trophy wives who joined the class; eventually she gave it up because the exercises became too advanced for her - such a shame, she really enjoyed it, both for the exercise and the company.

Hi Wobblybits - you have my sympathies completely. This is one of the most painful things I've ever endured. I had my first one in my early 50's and I distinctly renmember describing it in the beginning as like nagging toothache but in the shoulder and arm. Little did I know that it was going to get much worse - necessitating 3 months off work (I used to travel up from Winchester every day to Surrey Quays) and the thought of that journey - well it was just impossible. Every jolt on the train - especially as sometimes I couldn't even get a seat, was horrendous. I recall that movement in my shoulder just deteriorated until in the end I gave up shaving under that arm because I couldn't lift it up enough. I was on 2 types of pain killers. When it finally got stuck completely I remember trying to pull a pair of rubber gloves off my hands and the force must have ripped some of the adhesions - I can honestly say I cried like a baby. I had physio - and the Therapist got to the point when she was almost giving up but I did get some relief but it was hard going. They tried acupuncture - didn't work, steroid injections straight into the shoulder - worked a bit but didn't give much relief. In the end I'm afraid it was just time that did it. 18 months all in all. Then I got the other one a few years later, but that was nothing like that first one.

It takes a long time to heal. I was referred to physio and had lots of appointments and exercises but nothing worked until I had a steroid injection and it took two of those. I've had a frozen shoulder twice ( different shoulders) caused by holding babies. Hope you get some relief soon and until then I think the tens machine will work.

Hi, I have had a frozen shoulder for almost a year now. The pain has subsided, have had a steroid injection which did give me some relief from the pain but still little movement. Have had physio, not a lot of help. Frozen shoulders are notoriously difficult to treat, PLEASE don't spend loads of money because you still probably won't get massive relief. They sometimes take up to two years to go.I fell on the ice 2 weeks ago and put out my 'bad' arm/shoulder to break the fall, the pain was excruciating BUT two days later I couldn't believe how much more mobility I had! I do sympathise with you they are a bally nuisance. Good luck.

Had a FS for 18 months. Finally given a steroid injection. Worked immediately never to return

Long term I suggest going to a local tai chi class. My husband had cortizone injections for a frozen shoulder some years ago which didn't do anything (except hurt when administered) and was subsequently recommended tai chi. In 3 weeks the pain had gone and the shoulder loosened up, it hasn't recurred.
I also went to a demo where one of the participants had been refered by his GP after 3 heart attacks.
Tai chi is gentle stretching exercise which is done to your own level of comfort ie they don't push you to go further than you want to. We are over 70 and there are people in our group who are over 80, age is not a problem and, if needed, many of the exercises can be done sitting down.

Oh dear Wobblybits, you poor thing. I had frozen shoulder a year ago and thankfully it's gone now...so it took only one year. But I found exercises helped hugely. So if you Google ... Exercises for frozen shoulder.... And the exercises posted by Harvard Health ...with pictures...are really good...but start VERY gently.
Soon you will be able to sleep and it will slowly get better...don't despair, you will heal.

I had two frozen shoulders a few years back, one causing the other! Absolutely excruciating! Even went into A and E one night as I just couldnt stand the pain. After three months of nothing working, I had steroid injections into both shoulder joints, painful, but better than the pain from the shoulders. They worked well, and the pain slowly started to subside but my arms were still stuck down by my sides and I couldnt lift them up at all. about 1 week after having the injections I read something on the internet which said you had to start freeing the lesions that bind your joints together, so as suggested I put some music on and started dancing in my bedroom. Slowly at first, but every day getting my arms up a little bit more. Eventually after about 6 weeks I was able to go back to work and drive and live a reasonably normal life, but I think if I hadn't had the injections and danced my way free of the bonds, it would have taken much longer! You definitely have my sympathy! I went private to have the injections by the way - worth every penny!! Wishing you better quickly.

Hi there don't know if anyone has suggested acupuncture, it certainly worked for me and cleared the frozen shoulder up in about 5 X one hour sessions.

Hope you feel better soon.

That really sounds awful. Have you ever tried alternative medicine, I would recommend a Chinese Acupuncture specialist, I have found them very effective with other things, not very expensive either. Worth a try that is for sure, anything is worth a try. Give it a go.

I have had this twice. I used to wake up with the pain if I rolled over in bed! Due to a combination of painkillers, physio(agonising at the start), then eventually a steroid injection, it finally eased. Second time, I went to the GP as soon as it flared up, due to this it resolved far quicker! A horrible thing to have to suffer from.

It's a frustrating condition, nothing major wrong, but very restricting and painful. I would agree with Grannynise, go down the physio route, and be sure to do the exercises, put in the effort and don't miss them out when things start improving. It is a time-limited condition, mine went in 6 months, but I know some people take longer. Good luck! It will improve.

I never had a steroid injection, but my father had several for various conditions and the results were very variable, from zero, to success for three months. I would go for the physio option first.