Ok so about 3 months ago, I woke up to a very painful arm/shoulder. I figured I just slept on it funny and it would get better if I babied it for a few days. Not so. It doesnt hurt all the time, just when I move it a certain way. I thought maybe its my rotator cuff acting up as I have had that issue once before. So I did the excersizes that I was taught to do and I have to say.....OUCH!!!!! Just seemed to make it worse!
I broke down and made an appointment with my Dr. And he said it could be "frozen shoulder" I googled it... apparently it is common for diabetics...and can be fixed....in about 3 yrs! LOL I am not sure thats what it is yet, had xrays done last week and have a follow up appt, this tuesday. Also have an ultrasound booked for end of september.
Of all the things we have to deal with already.....geeze!
Hi KB: A while back, I too thought I had frozen shoulder, and got the usual "nothing can be done it will resolve itself in 2 years." But it turns out I did not have adhesive capsulitis, I had trigger points. A great book is Frozen Shoulder Workbook: Trigger Point Therapy for Overcoming Pain & Regaining Range of Motion by Clair Davies. I am not saying that this is your situation, but at least it is something to look into. I went to see a trigger point therapist, who literally worked miracles on me. I have all my mobility and use back. Best of luck, it really is a difficult thing to deal with.
I teach my tai chi students a shoulder exercise and some of them have had success with frozen shoulder and bursitis. You may find it helpful to see someone who can help you exercise the pain away.
I have read, and my experience has been, that frozen shoulder tends to resolve on its own after about 2 years.
I experienced frozen shoulder in my early 40's while weight lifting, and at the time, I had had Type I diabetes for about 25 years, and had been working out for about 15. My primary fitness activities then were rowing, biking, and lifting, and I had temporarily decided to stop lifting for a few weeks. When I restarting lifting, I felt pain during an upright row. The doctors I saw had no realistic plan of treatment, and the multiple, daily stretches were uninspiring and painful, so I did not do them. The issue started resolving after about 1.5 years, and then resolved completely after about two. I have some lingering range-of-motion limitation in the original upright rowing motion, but am happy with my decision not to follow my doctors' suggestions.
Although it resolved, sleeping during those 2 years was often painful, as then slept on my stomach or on my side, and my should hurt horribly if I slept on the shoulder or extended it excessively. In addition, being out in public in New York I worried about being confronted, since I would not have been able to defend myself; a tug on the affected arm would have brought me to my knees.
Thank you everyone! I will look for the book about the trigger points! Lucky for me, my Dr. knows I wont be taking any meds for this, I will likely see a physio therapist or something. Wont know for sure if that is what it is until my appointement on tuesday. As a hypnotherapist that specializes in pain management, I refuse to take pain meds. As I mentioned it doesnt hurt all the time, only when I move a certain way. ( so far anyway ) I just had never heard of this condition before...find it very strange indeed.
My experience with frozen shoulder is that it resolved in two and a half years. Like James, I am left with a little loss of range-of-motion. I saw two doctors and a sports physician (who wanted to operate). I went to therapy, which was very painful and although it is not possible to compare the amount of loss-of-motion to what it would be if I hadn't gone, my instinct is that it would be the same. The only way sleeping was possible was on my back (something I had never done)You are right about the pain medication. Good luck with this. Makes me appreciate the folks with arthritis.
I woke up one morning a few months back, and same thing. However, I go to a Rolfer and turned out my subscapulular muscle was really tight, he worked on it a bit and gave me a stretching move that worked like a charm! Check out Rolf.org, if you can find a great Rolfer, Heller worker, or Structural integrationist, they perform miracles on me that no chiropractor or MD has ever been able to fix on my body.
I too had frozen shoulder about 20 years ago. After a few months of physical therapy which did nothing, I underwent "Manipulation Under Anesthesia" The orthopod moves the shoulder while you are under. Worked like a dream. Have not had trouble since then.
I've gone through both shoulders. Same thoughts, actions, feelings as you to start with. A few months of appointments and ultrasound, all for nothing with normal doctors. Go to an Orthopedic doctor ASAP (a "sports doc"). They'll get you on the right track.
The first shoulder, I went through 2 months of (somewhat painful) therapy, didn't do much, but I do recomend it because it prepares you for the next step. The next step is the "Manipulation surgery" as others have said here. That's the tough part. The therapy before though is a big plus because it prepares your shoulder for what's to come, and make recovery a LOT better. You'll be down, and pretty worthless for about a week, maybe 2 as you recover from having your shoulder twisted all out of proportion. This manipulation is done to "re-break" the muscles that are now frozen in place not allowing your shoulder to work 100%. So it's basically tearing through muscles, and those muscles will now have to heal. It's important after the surgery to get back into the therapy, as soon as your Doc tells you to. For me it was at first, about 24 hours after the surgery, sitting in a chair that lifted and moved my arm around. That kept the muscles from freezing up again. Then another 3 months of therapy to rebuild the muscles that were damaged. About 1 year later I was about 80% back to normal. Now years after, I'm at 90% plus but at least no more pain.
My second should went out a few years later. I didn't do this one nearly as well. No pre-treatment or therapy, and only about 2 months of therapy after. That shoulder has only gained back about 60% of it's original movement ability. I still sometimes have to get help from my wife to put a belt on! Not good.
So, do the therapy, no matter how painful. Because you will notice small improvements at first, and the final result will be SO much better! Good luck!
I have had it with both shoulders. Like att said b/f me I have lost range of motion in them but be sure to go to a Ort dr and get those test that have been ordered. Good lick to u. Looks like everyone has already told u what I was going to tell u
Hi i had this for 2yrs . my Dr give me a steroid injection in to the middle of shoulder..its gone ??. it works by starting the healing process ( + ultrasound for 7wks..) good luck x ken
