Frozen Shoulder

[LivingWaterPlease]

I'm recovering from a frozen shoulder that began several months ago and am interested in the experiences of others who have had a frozen shoulder. I'd like to know how it was resolved, especially if you didn't have surgery.

 

I'm being treated by a physical therapist and also getting massage (tissue manipulation more than massage) for it.

 

If you've had a frozen shoulder what method did you use to resolve it and how long did recovery take?

 

Anything you wish to post about it would be helpful.

 

Thanks.

[MidwestUSA]

I haven't personally experienced it, but my H has had both shoulders frozen (at the same time). His had to be surgically released. He's an extreme case tho.

 

I'm assuming they put you under light anesthesia and just manipulated it? That's the usual route.

 

Anyway, your PT is the best source for this. Whatever exercises he/she gives you to do, keep doing them. Ask if some weight lifting is okay as well (maybe after your immediate recovery, nothing too heavy). The shoulder freezes when your body is trying to prevent the joint from dislocating, so any exercise that works the delts/traps will help prevent a recurrence. Keep those muscles strong and tight!

 

My H isn't faithful with his exercises, but neither of his has attempted to dislocate or freeze up again. He is bothered by significant arthritis. It's just part of the package; made worse by the fact that they had to go in arthroscopically.

 

Best of luck to you!

[Romantic_Antics]

My ex gave me the frozen shoulder. Took me 6 months to recover!

[LivingWaterPlease]

Thanks, Midwest and Romantic! That was some useful info for me, Midwest, esp that it freezes trying to keep your shoulder from dislocating. Are you a Dr. or nurse?

 

I've been going to PT and now have range of motion in all areas but one. Can barely put my hand on my waist (the side of it) now and that's the direction I'm working on through PT. Can lift arm straight above head now.

 

I've been working on it about two and a half months.

 

Romantic, how did you recover? PT or surgery?

 

Anyone else have info or Midwest and Romantic anything else you care to add is appreciated! Thanks!

 

Editing to add: Gotcha, Romantic, lol! Just went back and reread your post!

[GoreSP]

Pardon my ignorance: what is frozen shoulder?...

[LivingWaterPlease]

Gore, shoulder non functioning due to extreme pain when trying to move it and limited range of motion, pain or no pain. Was not able to use right arm much at all, couldn't put on a robe unless it was stretchy. Had trouble dressing, lifting arm to brush hair, etc.

 

Have recovered much of the use of arm through PT and a great massage (more tissue manipulation) therapist but sometimes surgery is necessary for some cases. Thankfully, seems I won't have to go that route.

[GoreSP]

Gore, shoulder non functioning due to extreme pain when trying to move it and limited range of motion, pain or no pain. Was not able to use right arm much at all, couldn't put on a robe unless it was stretchy. Had trouble dressing, lifting arm to brush hair, etc.

 

Have recovered much of the use of arm through PT and a great massage (more tissue manipulation) therapist but sometimes surgery is necessary for some cases. Thankfully, seems I won't have to go that route.

 

Haaaa! Well not sure it'll be helpfull but I have neuroforaminal narrowing in my neck which has impacted my left shoulder's range of motion (muscle spams) and my PT mostly did needling (basically punching a needle in the muscle and twirling it around until the muscle contracts and relaxes) and it was super helpful. She has encouraged me to do some yoga (which I'm still working on....)

[LivingWaterPlease]

Thanks, GoreSP! That's very helpful information! The more we know about what modalities are available to treat physical injuries and dysfunctions the better! Never know when we'll need to know! Is this needling your pt is doing something like acupuncture or is it different?

[MidwestUSA]

Thanks, Midwest and Romantic! That was some useful info for me, Midwest, esp that it freezes trying to keep your shoulder from dislocating. Are you a Dr. or nurse?

 

I've been going to PT and now have range of motion in all areas but one. Can barely put my hand on my waist (the side of it) now and that's the direction I'm working on through PT. Can lift arm straight above head now.

 

I've been working on it about two and a half months.

 

Romantic, how did you recover? PT or surgery?

 

Anyone else have info or Midwest and Romantic anything else you care to add is appreciated! Thanks!

 

Editing to add: Gotcha, Romantic, lol! Just went back and reread your post!

 

 

I'm a nurse, but I have more experience with shoulders via my H.

 

Now that I think of it, the shoulder can freeze in direct response to an injury, not necessarily a joint that wants to come out of place. That's just the way his happened - he has a connective tissue disorder that makes all his joints lax.

 

It sounds like you're doing well, keep it up! When I worked in surgery, we didn't see a lot of people come in for repeats, so hopefully you'll be out of the woods once this is resolved.

 

What precipitated the freeze, if I may ask? Sometimes it's nothing you can pinpoint.

 

When his were frozen, he couldn't find a doctor to help, and basically sat in a recliner for 18 months. He shaved his head because he couldn't lift his arms up to wash his hair. Someone did all his grocery shipping for him, and I doubt he ate well, not being able to function. I think he was near suicidal. Then he finally found a surgeon who was able to tackle them. He had them done six weeks apart, and I'm glad I wasn't with him for the rehab. He weighed almost 250 pounds coming out of the army, and dropped to 150 (at 6+ feet tall). Scary stuff. (Yea, there was an addiction to pain meds involved).

 

It definitely sounds like you're on the right track. The shoulder is the most difficult join in the body to rehab, because of its structure. It can take many months.

 

Hang in there, and keep doing what you're doing! You're nowhere near a candidate for surgery - you wouldn't be moving it at all if that were the case.

 

Deep tissue massage sounds like a great complement to the PT.

[LivingWaterPlease]

Thanks for all the info, Midwest! I'm surprised your husband couldn't find a Dr. to tackle his issues for awhile. Yikes, 150 lbs on a man who is over six feet tall is a little bean pole-ish, huh?

 

I believe my issues were caused from poor posture when using my computer. I began to notice my fingers would be numb when waking up in the morning first off. So possibly mattress problems, too. Then the shoulder began to hurt with a sharp pain when i moved it in a certain direction. So, I quit moving it that way and that's when things began go downhill fast. Plus i was under a lot of stress. Isn't stress often involved?

 

Am just in from massage therapist and she's the best! She has worked with frozen shoulders in the past and has been practicing for a couple of decades at at least. The works she's doing is sometimes painful, though. I've been going once a week for about nine or ten weeks. I'm also shopping for a new mattress/box springs.

[MidwestUSA]

Oh yea, immobilizing it due to pain will lead to it freezing up. I think that happened to my mom. She locked herself out of the house once, and had to go in thru a window. She injured her shoulder, and stopped using it. It froze. She went in for the brutal manipulation, I'm not sure they sedated her. I recall it hurt like an SOB!

 

Stress is a culprit in almost anything that goes wrong. Sounds like you've got a good handle on the causes.

 

Absolutely get that new mattress. I'm in the market myself. But my issues are way too many to list, LOL! This getting old stuff is for the birds.

[LivingWaterPlease]

Oh yea, immobilizing it due to pain will lead to it freezing up. I think that happened to my mom. She locked herself out of the house once, and had to go in thru a window. She injured her shoulder, and stopped using it. It froze. She went in for the brutal manipulation, I'm not sure they sedated her. I recall it hurt like an SOB!

 

Stress is a culprit in almost anything that goes wrong. Sounds like you've got a good handle on the causes.

 

Absolutely get that new mattress. I'm in the market myself. But my issues are way too many to list, LOL! This getting old stuff is for the birds.

 

Yes, indeed! And what a horror story your mom experienced she wasn't sedated!!! Can't even imagine!

 

Have just begun looking for the new mattress. Am sleeping in the guest bedroom until I find one.

[SJS]

I know several people who had frozen shoulder, and they all followed the same route...anti-inflammatories, cortisone shot, physical therapy, and ultimately surgery. None of them tried massage, acupuncture, etc though.

[amaysngrace]

My new best thing is icy hot with lidocaine. It's a miracle remedy but on a shoulder you'd need someone to massage it in for you.

 

It works really well though. I use it for my knee.

[LivingWaterPlease]

I know several people who had frozen shoulder, and they all followed the same route...anti-inflammatories, cortisone shot, physical therapy, and ultimately surgery. None of them tried massage, acupuncture, etc though.

 

Thanks, SJS! I had a cortisone shot which did nothing at all for me! I could live with the range of motion I have now so probably won't go for surgery but I sure would like to regain total range and am working toward it.

 

My massage therapist is out-of-the-ordinary in that she doesn't knead tissue, she knows how to move it around and straighten out bunched up tissue.

 

Thanks for your response.

 

My new best thing is icy hot with lidocaine. It's a miracle remedy but on a shoulder you'd need someone to massage it in for you.

 

It works really well though. I use it for my knee.

 

 

Thanks amaysn! Where do you get it? Is it prescription? My chiropractor recommends Biofreeze. Wonder if Icy Hot is anything like that?

[MidwestUSA]

Thanks, SJS! I had a cortisone shot which did nothing at all for me! I could live with the range of motion I have now so probably won't go for surgery but I sure would like to regain total range and am working toward it.

 

My massage therapist is out-of-the-ordinary in that she doesn't knead tissue, she knows how to move it around and straighten out bunched up tissue.

 

Thanks for your response.

 

 

 

 

Thanks amaysn! Where do you get it? Is it prescription? My chiropractor recommends Biofreeze. Wonder if Icy Hot is anything like that?

 

 

Biofreeze is okay, but I think the Icy Hot would do you just as much good. Just don't put your finger in your eye after rubbing it in!

 

I haven't used the version with lidocaine, but I've noticed a lot of products now have it added. I don't know how deep the lidocaine penetrates, but I'm sure it feels good on contact. For a while anyway.

 

You can get Biofreeze on Amazon. Don't pay what a chiropractor wants to charge you. Icy Hot is over the counter at any drug store; it's a lot like Ben Gay. Maybe they have a scent less version now, but if not, you'll smell like an old folks home!

 

Just have someone keep working those deep knots out. That's the key.

 

Has anyone mentioned a TENS unit?

[LivingWaterPlease]

Biofreeze is okay, but I think the Icy Hot would do you just as much good. Just don't put your finger in your eye after rubbing it in!

 

I haven't used the version with lidocaine, but I've noticed a lot of products now have it added. I don't know how deep the lidocaine penetrates, but I'm sure it feels good on contact. For a while anyway.

 

You can get Biofreeze on Amazon. Don't pay what a chiropractor wants to charge you. Icy Hot is over the counter at any drug store; it's a lot like Ben Gay. Maybe they have a scent less version now, but if not, you'll smell like an old folks home!

 

Just have someone keep working those deep knots out. That's the key.

 

Has anyone mentioned a TENS unit?

 

Thanks for the info on Icy Hot vs Biofreeze. Yes, I have a tens unit and after PT they always hook me up to a majorly powerful one for fifteen minutes.

 

Need to get back to the massage therapist. Have done ten sessions so far ($$$!!!) and thought that would do it but went ahead and booked another. Guess I need a few more!

[SJS]

Hey LWP, I wanted to give an update (even though I didn't mention it in my earlier post). My brother in law had surgery 1 month ago (right after you started this thread). His range of motion now is excellent and he has no pain, but is still working on strength. He'll have at least a few more weeks until he's released back to work. I know you were looking for comments regarding no surgery but if it gets to that point, just know how fast you'll feel better! He had his other shoulder done a couple years ago and had the same results.

[LivingWaterPlease]

Hey LWP, I wanted to give an update (even though I didn't mention it in my earlier post). My brother in law had surgery 1 month ago (right after you started this thread). His range of motion now is excellent and he has no pain, but is still working on strength. He'll have at least a few more weeks until he's released back to work. I know you were looking for comments regarding no surgery but if it gets to that point, just know how fast you'll feel better! He had his other shoulder done a couple years ago and had the same results.

 

Thank you so much for this update, SJS! I think if this should happen again I may opt for surgery. I'm doing pretty well by now but still have trouble putting hand behind my back. Otherwise range of motion is normal. But, this has really drug out.

[Echo74]

Good to know you're doing better.

 

I had frozen shoulder on both sides but several years apart. I had non-invasive "surgery" which they put me under anesthesia and manipulated my arm. Doctor said it sounded like crinkling cellophane. Then several months of PT and was all good. Its been about 15 years now and still pretty good, but I do stretches to avoid getting it again.