Have you tried exercises for frozen shoulder?
I ask that because I kind of imagine that most people reading this will be suffering from shoulder pain themselves ... or at least will know someone with a frozen shoulder pain problem.
My family doctor sent me to a physiotherapist for some exercise treatment after only about six weeks of my problems. Now - the girl did try very hard, and she was very nice to me, but I have to say honestly that those frozen shoulder exercises were AGONY !
I often had to lie down for an hour or so when I got home from the sessions. My arm pain was just raging and seemed to spread right down to my hand after the exercise and stretching sessions.
It was only later when I read Doctor Cameron's book that I discovered that exercises too early in the frozen shoulder situation can actually aggravate things. It seems that the best time to do exercises is near to the end of the business - when the frozen shoudler is in its thawing out stage. Of course, there was no way for me to know that so I just assumed that I must be making a meal of it and tried to just plod on as normal.
I've since spoken to lots of people who've gained help from the effects of frozen shoulder exercises so please don't think I'm being negative about them. I'm not .... I just know that they were very painful for me.
Let me know about your experiences - share and we can all benefit.
Kathy
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Hi Kathy, Mamaglee here...not so gleeful today. After my mother died a few months ago, I returned to my home near San Francisco from her home in Florida to excrutiating shoulder pain. My ROM was limited, and I started going to a chiropractor 3-4x/week for 5 weeks. I also went for very expensive Proton Stimulation Therapy, which is supposed to be wonderful for pain relief, and also had orthopedic massage, and work on a Myo-Pulse, and KMT matrix machine, similar to a Rife.
ReplyDeleteNothing helped. Like you, I prefer not to take medications. My regular MD suggested 10 days of advil (high dose for me), and gave me muscle relaxants which I haven't used yet. This was a few months ago.
The pain is great in the early morning while I should still be sleeping. I also find myself getting depressed because nothing seems to help.
I started acupuncture a few weeks ago and my first treatment brought relief, but the second and third didn't do much.
I appreciate your blog, and look forward to the Frozen Shoulder survival kit. I ordered it three times with different email addresses last week, and did not get a reply from Dr. Cameron to any of them, so I hope the free book is still offered.
Thanks and glad you found relief. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate minor improvements, because, like you said, the pain moves around and it's very hard to articulate where and what kind of pain I'm experiencing.
Cheerio, Mamaglee
Hi Kathy,
ReplyDeleteI've had 3 months of physical therapy (3 x week); 16 acupuncture treatments; manual manipulation under anesthesia; 4 weeks of physical therapy (5 x week). Pain is considerably less but still constant. Range of motion is only slightly improved. The orthopedic doctor says there is nothing else to do. Primary care doctor says get a second opinion and an MRI. I just want my life back!
In response to Mamaglee...I just received an email from Dr Cameron with a link to confirm that I want to download his book. It's free but he does ask for a donation. Personally, I'm leery of downloading from a site I don't know.
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) is the most prevalent debilitating form of shoulder pain, which is found more in women. It slowly sets in and leads to a steady loss in shoulder movements, then follows the frozen phase and thawing phase. Physiotherapy is the best treatment for it. Also stretching exercises helps.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experiences. My name is Elizabeth. I'm in the middle of my second frozen shoulder - the first time was on my right mostly in 2007. Now my left shoulder is developing - quite a lot of pain and limited movement. With my right shoulder I exercised quite a lot. But now I'm experimenting with not doing any exercises at all. I'm wondering if I'm being foolish...
ReplyDeleteHi, Kathy
ReplyDeleteI also have frozen shoulder and unfortunately this is my second time around. The first time was in my right shoulder two years ago...of course I tried everything including steroid shots. I ended up seeing a specialist that performs surgery on many well known athletes. His advice to me was the best that I have received. He told me plain and simple to fight it like it was an enemy with exercise no matter the pain. He could perform surgery, but it might not help and that it could make the shoulder become to flexible. At that time I was in the frozen stage and could not raise my arm at all above my head. I came home and literally cried from the pain created from the exercises...I had not been an active participant before when attending physical therapy...within a week I was in the thawing stage and although my improvement was gradual...I knew that I was improving each day. With that said I now have frozen shoulder in the left arm...I am in the beginning stages of freezing but can continue to move my arm above my head with pain, but I can get it up there. I am fighting it with about 10 minutes of exercise morning and night every day...this time around the pain is not unbearable as before, although I do seem to have more hand pain. I cannot believe that I have this condition again. I think the odds are high for this to happen twice. I read somewhere that A personality traits have a higher risk of having frozen shoulder. I would tend to agree with this theory. Anyway, my advice to you as painful as it is...is to fight, you will certainly win! Good Luck...
Hi Kathy. This is Phrog. I started developing frozen shoulder about 6 years ago and until recently experienced the full range of pain that you describe. About the time it was diagnosed in my left shoulder, I started having problems with my right shoulder. I was told the exercises would help both shoulders. The exercies helped my left shoulder, which is probably in the thawing stage, tremendously. But the right shoulder has only gotten worse. Thanks to your blog I think I understand why. Hopefully I can prevent it from getting as bad as the left shoulder was in subtler, more gentle ways. Thank-you so much for your blog!
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Anita, I am 52 years old and suffering from a frozen shoulder. I have tried everything - pain killers (made me feel sick), physio (made is worse) and two weeks ago I had an injection into the joint. This has provided some relief. However, I cant sleep!! I have been off work for a month and like one of the other bloggers said "I want my life back". It is the second time I have had a frozen shoulder, the last taking a year to clear. So 4 months into this one I am struggling..
ReplyDeleteHeat is the only relief for me, a lavender wheat bag which goes in the microwave.
Good to hear from others.
hi, im raul. I have been experiencing frozen shoulder for about 8 months now. I was greatly helped by dr. cameron's book. what i like about the book is that dr. cameron's advice that we can not outsmart nature of which our shoulders are part of it. His advice, among others, is to let the healing of frozenshoulder take its natural course which I believ would take me one to two years. I can now sleep well. I believe I am now in the thawing stage.
ReplyDeleteI am new to frozen shoulder. I have had it for almost 3 months now. My doctor says that I am in the freezing stage. I have had 2 cortisone injections already with minimal relief. I have had Darvocet & meloxicam with mixed results & now have to take prescription Zantac to cope with the side effects. So far the only thing that I can relay on for pain relief is a heating pad.
ReplyDeleteI was going to physical therapy twice a week. After one month, I had a decrease in mobility. My doctor discontinued the therapy for now. Now I do prescribed exercises at home. I can handle the pain most days, but getting up in the middle of the night - every night - is taking its toll. I need some sleep! Any suggestions on how to get some sleep would be greatly appreciated.
Great to see this blog.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Adam, and I am 36 years old. 2 years ago I started getting the symptoms but didn't have insurance at the time. After a few months I finally got insurance and was diagnosed with Frozen Shoulder. I wasn't a woman in her 60's, i am a non-diabetic guy in my 30's...
The pain was more than I have ever experienced in my life, and life itself seemed to fall apart. Major depression, I gained more weight than I would like to admit, and just didn't see any kind of future. May seem aa bit dramatic, but when you can't sleep, and someone accidentally bumping you sends your arm into spasm and tears running down your face - it was my reality, I finally found an aggressive Physical Therapist and after a few months of 3 times a week, I was back to my old self. A year and half later, I lost my weight - am actually going to be a fitness trainer! However, a few weeks my other shoulder started giving me major trouble, and in 2 days i'll meet with my orthopod and find out if its Frozen Shoulder. I read its 10-12% chance of getting it in the other shoulder if you already got it.
The realization last week that I may have it again set me off into a few days of depression. I was a wreck, scared that my dreams were going to be put on hold again. However, this time i'll be prepared - i know what kills the pain (pain killers...) and to keep my mobility, my range of motion.
Last time my arm was completely frozen - this time i'll make sure i keep most of my ROM and go from there. Already taking Advil PM to avoid the dreaded nights- which made me crazy (almost literally!).
Anyway - feel free to email me at adamscott2000@yahoo.com if you want to swap stories for support.
I am so glad to find this blog. The pain and loss of motion have steadily increased, and I can't imagine surviving the phuysical therapy I'm scheduled to begin mext week. This blog has given me hope, tips, and most of all a break from the isolation. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI am in the freezing stage, and have recently begun PT. Today's session was horrific -- the therapist stretched and posed me and the pain was so intense that I cried -- almost screaming. Much worse than natural childbirth, in my book! Somehow I went on with my day, but my back felt very tense. When I came home, I decided to lay down for a while, and once I did, I burst into tears, sobbed for 20 minutes, and fell asleep, exhausted. I don't want to go back on Thursday, that's for sure!!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of you for sharing. I am glad to know that I am not the only one going through this. My name is Ann, I am 51, and not diabetic. I am going on 12 months with frozen shoulder and although I still have limited ROM, I no longer have the excruitiating pain associated with frozen shoulder. I have found the best care, treatments, and holistic wellness advice from my chiropractor. Along with regular chiropractic adjustments, he also showed me some great exercizes and taught me that it's the inflammation in the shoulder that is causing the pain. Try eliminating dairy products from your diet, increase your water intake, and take a good Omega3 supplement. I also go to a massage therapist who specializes in deep tissue massage and trigger pointing. I started doing all of this about 4 months in, and within a week, almost all of my pain was gone. I had tried acupuncture and advil, but neither really helped. Heat/ice helped some but it was the change in diet that really took the pain away. Even if this continues for another year, I think I can tolerate it. I haven't missed a day of work yet. Find a good chiropractor in your area and get rid of the dairy!!! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteWow, I've done so much reading on the shoulder in the past 7 months but never came across a blog like this. Even commented that I might start a blog, but typing, I believe, is really bad for my shoulder. So I'll share my story briefly. I am a very, very healthy 50 year old woman. I am mistaken for much younger than my age because I take very good care of myself. I teach a ton of Yoga, coach, teach and play tennis, and lead a very active life. Until... I had to (chose to) stop all of my physical fitness because I took a very stressful job with a very large corporation we all know, sitting at a computer training 10-12 hours a day and commuting 4+ hours per day with 1 day off every 2-3 weeks. I endured this non-life for 2 1/2 miserable months until I finally realized on my 50th birthday that it wasn't worth it. (I actually recommended Yoga for the employees who were computer geeks and spend countless hours sitting with bad, horrid posture. Upper management looked at me like I was nuts.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I quit and the very next day went out on a cold morning with no warm-up or stretch and played tennis. (I know. Big mistake. I know better but I was so excited to have my life back. Sigh.) Needless to say I injured my shoulder, kept playing and didn't back off of my activities until it became impossible to participate. I then backed off completely and developed what I believe is frozen shoulder. Have been to all kinds of treatment. Nothing works. I'm going to beat this myself with exercises specifically targeting the strengthening of muscles and rest. I am absolutely certain this is directly related to my bad posture during the period I worked for that company coupled with the stress. I will NEVER quit Yoga again. I'd rather be dead.
I've learned so much from this experience and I intend to find the silver lining and do something positive with it.
The only advice I can give is that you must sleep. I don't get headaches, but if I did, I wouldn't even take an aspirin. But when I started becoming sleep deprived after a couple of months, I started on nsaid's. It's been 7 months since my injury. I'm planning on having this beat by the end of the year.
Stay positive. No matter what. And for heavens sake, keep exercising!!!
Hi Kathy and thanks for starting this blog...
ReplyDeleteI am a 62 year old woman in relatively good health. For years I have worked office job hunched over a computer and assumed if I had a problem it would be with my back. Wrong! I developed frozen shoulder a few months back from a blood test where the gal drawing blood hit a tendon. I didn't realize I should ice and instead "guarded" the arm. It developed into one of the most painful conditions I think I have ever experienced. I had an MRI and the internist told me I had bursitis and gave me prednisone which I did NOT take. He suggest PT which I started. Then when I got no relief from that I saw an orthopedic doctor who said I had classic frozen shoulder and said "aggresive" therapy would do more than anything so my PT was increased. There were days I could not stand the pain afterwards. I still have frozen shoulder and now it is has come up in the other shoulder which is no doubt caused by using the mouse at the computer pad all day. And I read that is rare.....
I'm very discouraged. I have never been one to take meds but I take Advil, do the heat, ice and still have difficulty sleeping and functioning. I am determined to get out of this on my own and like another poster I will never quit yoga again.
My goal is to not allow the right shoulder to progress where the left has and to be cured of all of it by the end of the year if I have to do PT that is agony every day.
This is truly one of the worse pains I have experienced. I'm think of trying electomedicine. Had anyone tried that?
It helps to know there are others in my situation battling this and I am encouraged by the positive attitudes I read here.
I am a 46 year old woman with frozen shoulder. I have been going to physical therapy twice a week for eight weeks and have made very little progress. I exercise on my own every day. I don't sleep well because of pain, and like many of you am frustrated by my altered life style. I used to be so active! Now, I am constantly afraid of falling or just losing my balance a little bit. Those little stumbles cause me so much pain!
ReplyDeleteWell, today my therapist said I would be a good candidate for surgical manipulation--which scares me to death! It is when they put you to sleep and then break the scar tissue formed around your shoulder joints by forcing your arm to move. I think perhaps my therapist is rushing things. Is she? I am afraid to do this. It sounds dreadfully painful and awful to recover from. Has anyone experienced this?
I had frozen shoulder on BOTH of my shoulder, and have surgery on each one, 7 months apart. The pain was so terrible that I didn't mind the surgery! I did fine on both.
ReplyDeleteNow my left shoulder is frozen again... grrr. I decided to do my stretching exercises and keep using the arm, and just wait it out. They say it takes around 2 years to thaw naturally.
Well, it's been 2-1/2 years, and I can hardley use my arm at all! It feels different this time. The pain goes down my arm, and is effecting my shoulder blade. It pulls on it and the pain is so bad. I sure hate to have surgery again, but I don't know what else to try. Any suggestions? Kay
I am 59 years old and have had frozen shoulder since the beginning of February 2010. The first four months (= the freezing stage) were excruciating. I tried PT, but evidently it was too early and just made things worse. I tried pain killers, but I still could not sleep through the night. I tried a cordisone shot which did not good at all.
ReplyDeletePain decreased considerably beginning in May. Gradually I could sleep through the night again. I still have very limited movement, and I am very scared that my second shoulder may develop symptoms in the future. Right now I think the thawing is beginning. Based on my experience, the answer is to keep exercising, but only to the point where it hurts, and otherwise let nature take its course. I am doing relaxing yoga exercises to the best of my ability and am no longer seeking help from "professionals" because it seems that the healing time stays the same with or without drastic intervention.
I'm not sure where or what stage I am in but I've been dealing with this for about 13 months. I've been an avid (heavy) weight lifter and have worked out, where possible, through this entire thing. I don't know if I've helped to keep it from getting worse, or only made it worse. The pain seems to originate at the top of the biceps tendon and radiate up and down from there. The pain is sharp and relentless and maddening.
ReplyDeleteOne simple thing that has helped me is to use the elliptical trainer with the cross country bars (the ones that move forward and aft with each stride). I'm sure a nordic track or cross country skiing machine would work too. Anyway, my legs do most of the work and I just let the bars move my arms back and forth a couple thousand times. Depending on your ROM, you can grip the handles higher or lower (since the rigid bars move about a point). The stretching and the heat generated from the action has been a tremendous help.
It gives me some encouragement to see that I am not on my own. The right shoulder was the first one to go, & I tried medication which was no help at all. I do not know why they call it a frozen shoulder as it can still be moved, but whwree I suffer is the effect that it has on the muscles in thje arm. My little girl ran out in to the road, to then be stopped by me. The pain to the muscles in my right arm had me in agony. After almost 2No years the shoulder is 90% recovered, but now the left one has become affected, but this left shoulder is a lot more painful. To give you some idea, I was walking on a frozen path & partly lost my grip. To regain balance i extended my left arm out & the pain was excruciating within the arm, the shoulder did not hurt too much but the muscles in my left arm realy do give me jip. I am unable to extend the left arm without experiencing great muscle pain.
ReplyDeleteHad the injection, no improvement!!
Accupuncture, noticable improvement for 1No day.
Having read all of the other stories, it looks like I will just have to get on with this painful condition, but like many other people I also can not sleep properly & do often feel fed up
Adrian
There is a CURE!
ReplyDeleteAs is true in medicine, there is now a better way to treat Frozen Shoulder Syndrome. Dr. Francis Martin has developed a treatment that can cure this painful disorder without drugs or surgery. He has discovered thetrue cause of FSS and can treat it quickly. He is a chiropractor out of Texas, but is quickly trainig other doctors accross the country in this new procedure. I am not a doctor or chiropractor, but I am familiar with the doctors and treatment. For mor information, check out their web site at frozenshoulderdoctor.com. They can hook you up with a local doctor who can treat you. If you have had FSS for any length of time, you know that the current treatments are long (physical therapy), and expensive. It will be well worth you time to check this out. They have seen significant results in just one treatment. You no longer have to suffer with FSS, just check out their web sites. They also have testimonials and after treatment results that you can see. Hope this helps!
Hi Kathy. I've had this condition since May 2011 with all of the classic symptoms described by others on this blog. I've been treated 5x/wk over the past 3 weeks by a chiropractor who does manipulation, stretching, inferential and ultrasound tx. I addition, I do the wall crawl, pendulum and swinging broom exercises to improve ROM despite the initial pain.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that I've found that provides at least a day of relief and seems to be improving ROM is long distance running. The effect might be similar to what the weight lifter described when doing the nordic track. I regularly race half marathons and am training for a full right now. During yesterday's 15 miler the shoulder eventually fatigued and became painful but after the run ROM improved and I remained nearly pain free the rest of the day. Of course, going to bed destroyed that which is why I came to this blog. Why in the world is it so painful at night?