Frozen sholder treatment

Mrs_pbradley936

I have been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder and been offered a cortisone injection. Does anyone have any experience of this? I want to weigh up the pros and cons which is very difficult if you have no idea what they are.

needaspirin

I got a frozen shoulder and was sent for physiotherapy. The therapist admitted that no one knew how people got frozen shoulders and that they normally got better on their own over time. I didn’t have the injections, but people I’ve talked to have said they have little effect.
The frozen shoulder was the worst pain I have ever had and I threw myself through a mirror wardrobe door once when I rolled over on it in bed.
I took large quantities of Ibrufin and the pain took about a year to go. The arm eventually regained its full mobility after a long time.
A couple of years later I got it in the other shoulder and went through it all again, this time without therapy. I knew what was in store this time and was able to put up with it better.
You have my commiserations I do hope it is a milder form that mine.

Mrs_pbradley936

I am having physiotherapy but having to pay for it because there is a 6 month wait for the NHS so paying £35 for 40 mins. Doctor has told me to take Ibuprofen around the clock not just when in pain so that the inflammation is kept under control. I think I will only have the injection if the pain interferes with sleep. Can I ask how long yours lasted? I have had it for about 6 months so far.

dora37

I had frozen shoulder diagnosed over 3 years ago. Before it was diagnosed as frozen shoulder I was sent for physio - 10 weeks of torture!!

As it wasn't making any difference I was referred to an Consultant in Orthapedics and he said physio doesn't make any difference to a frozen shoulder.

I was offered an hydrocortisone injection - which wasnt painful at all, however after a few hours my arm was like lead and hard to use for a while. The injection did make a difference in the short term, however not enough.

Two years ago I had a manipulation procedure under general anaesthetic which after lots of physio, made a great difference to the movement.

Although the movement greatly improved I was still left with a pain right on the top of my shoulder which after further investigation has been diagnosed as an impingement (basically 2 bones are catching when my arm is lifted to a certain level).

Whether it was this impingement that caused the frozen shoulder or whether the manipulation procedure caused the impingement it is not known. At the end of November I am having keyhole surgery to shave off some of the bone and then lots more physio.

I am now over 3 years down the line from my initial sypmtons and whilst my shoulder has improved tremendously it is still not right.

So basically I think frozen shoulder and it's treatments can have different results for different people.

If it was me I would still have had the injection as I was in so much pain and discomfort - it was worth a try!

needaspirin

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

Can I ask how long yours lasted? I have had it for about 6 months so far.

The pain lasted a year each time and the shoulder took another year to become mobile again.

needaspirin

Both frozen shoulders took the same amount of time to stop hurting and to become mobile although I didn't have physio with the second one. I took large doses of Ibrufin both times though.

Ted_Hutchinson

Exerises for frozen shoulder.

Frozen Shoulders Yoga and Exercise Treatment

When my partner had a frozen shoulder her (NHS) physio advised her to attach a pulley to the ceiling and run a rope through it. Then seated underneath the pulley she could hold one end of the rope in one hand and perform supported arm circles with the frozen shoulder using the good arm to assist by pulling on the other end of the rope. She did this twice daily for few minutes each time and gradually (in about a couple of months) got more or less full movement back .
The condition recurred some time later but this time she started on the pulley/arm exercises immediately and managed to sort the problem in about 3 weeks.

SuzieSomeday

Two years ago I was told I had the worse case the physio had seen with no movement at all in any directions but was told no treatment would help and to take pain killers and wait for it to take its normal course of healing. I couldn't even sleep because of the pain and didn't know how I would cope. My GP however got me a cancellation appointment with an orthopaedic consultant and I had two injections, top and side shoulder, and the relief was wonderful. The consultant said if the injections are given fairly early after the onset of the condition they have more chance of success. I'd already been suffering for 6 months so I was lucky. With gentle exercise I have now regained full movement although it aches a bit. This is the second time I've had a frozen shoulder. The first time the pain wasn't so bad, nor was the restriction of movement so severe so I didn't have injections and it did heal in about 18 months. I understand it's something that is likely to recur. If you are in lots of pain all the time I would recommend the injections.

Mrs_pbradley936

I have been asking around, friends, people at the gym and so on and people seem to be divided into two camps. One lot who think it the injections are wonderful and never looked back and the others who say they made no difference. BUT I found a website in Australia and they think that is because the capsule that you have to inject into is small and easy to miss. If you do not get the needle in precisely the right place then the medication cannot work

Errata

Serendipity strikes again ! I woke up two weeks ago last Saturday and couldn't move my arm a half centemetre in any direction:eek: I had to do a commando roll to just get out of bed :rotfl:
I was pretty sure it was a frozen shoulder, the description is so apt. I took pain killers and got a 9am appt with my GP on the Monday morning. Who confirmed it was a frozen shoulder :cool: .
I accepted her kind offer of a steroid injection - didn't feel a thing, lovely - and a scrip for extra strength pain killers, really really lovely , started the pudding stirring exercise on Tuesday ouch, ouch - bit more of a stir each hour.
And the result was................................full movement and only a slight ache left by Friday. :T :T :T

Not saying this regime works for everyone, but it worked for me .
If the jab doesn't work for you, it won't harm either.

Good luck Mrs B. Read your comment about the right place for the shot. I was surprised when the doc jabbed me in my back about 3 inches below the trapezius muscle. But clearly she knew which spot to hit !

ps The pudding stirring exercise: the first attempt I could only move my arm/hand in a 360 degree circle the size of a sixpence ! Subsequently the pudding bowl got bigger - 10p, half a crown, egg cup, tea cup, etc etc etc. Yes, it was painful, and I did it whining and snivelling to myself something rotten, but nothing ventured nothing gained.

Mrs_pbradley936

Well I have an appointment for a cortisone jab on Monday 22nd and have pain killers until then. It is with the GP and only one doctor at the practice does it plus you have to book a double appointment hence the wait. Physiotherapist said I should have it done because it will get worse before it gets better.