OHSue

I had this a couple of years ago. My doctor offered me physical therapy, but I declined since I know that a lot of PT is the follow through you can do at home. So he recommended some exercises for me. It took about six months until I had full function back. One thing I do remember doing that helped was when I was in the shower and my shoulder was warmed up, I would try some overhead stretches.

Jan in VA

For me, this is a timely ad informative subject; my right shoulder has been "frozen" for a couple of years now. I can no longer fasten my bra in back and have had to purchase expensive front hook ones. It's hard to shave under my right arm since I can't lift it much above shoulder level. Forget hanging curtains, reaching things on the second shelf in the back, lifting boxes of quilting stuff to the top of the racks, using the wonderful outdoor clothesline, or reaching into the car's backseat.

I've done massage with an excellent therapist twice a week for 3 months. I'm now seeing a chiropractor for my right hip and shoulder; after 14 visits, not too much has changed in those, but I feel better generally. I'm giving acupuncture a serious consideration, but my insurance does not cover it.

I had "tennis elbow" years ago -- never played tennis in my life -- and an instructor of racket ball told me if I'd just go ahead and smack my husband I'd probably feel so much better. :roll: I'm more and more convinced that's a huge part of my solution!! But he lives too far away now. :? :cry:

But I never knew certain manulipulations could just free frozen shoulder quickly!

I went thru a friend's shoulder surgery with her this past year and I vowed I'd never put myself through that recovery process if there was any chance of avoiding it! :shock:

Jan in VA

Charlee

That's what I've been thinking...I will go and check out an official diagnosis with my doc, but if all they're going to do is force me to move it in ways that are painful, I can pretty much take care of that on my own! :lol:

I know it's past time for me to go in when I say "ouch". I've been refered to as "a tough old bird", but in reality, I'm a wimp. It takes a LOT for me to feel pain, I just don't feel it like most folks do...but when it does hurt, I'm and SO down for the count! I had a ruptured appendix, didn't know it for days...it didn't hurt at ANY time, even with prodding and poking! My gallbladder was infected, had stone the size of a golfball...never felt it UNLESS I ate something like beans, or brocolli that causes gas, and I had on tight jeans....that's the only time it hurt.
My left arm has brought me to my knees a couple of times now, and it's starting in my right arm now too....guess it's time to go... Thanks everyone!

irishrose

I had one in my right shoulder thanks to an encounter with a bear and an untrained coyote/dog. The dog was mine, the bear was wild. Kylee attacked toward the bear repeatedly. I managed to hold her, but injured the shoulder and it became frozen. The doctor wanted surgery, I didn't. He offered exercises. I did the exercises and visited my chiropractor/kinesiologist regularly to be tortured. It worked, but as often happens, the 'freezing' transferred to the unaffected shoulder. The left one is fine and the right one - the original is almost normal. I have full range of motion with only a little pain and can lift anything that I could before. I agree, missing sleep and not being able to dress yourself is the pits - and I live alone.

There is a website with a doctor or therapist in England whose exercises were helpful. He sells a video program that he feels is very effective. Here it is http://www.frozenshoulder.com/
The program would work for you as you have someone to do the therapy to you. That's why I never ordered it.

amma

That is a generic term... I think it depends on the cause :wink: to determine the treatment :D:D:D

quilt-fanatic

X-ray will determine if its arthritis, CAT scan will show if its rotator cuff. No to cortozone but I'm a fan of PT, painful but it works! Just finished 5 months of it following RC surgery so I could play golf again.

Rivercity

I've had a frozen shoulder twice. I did go to physical therapy which helped a great deal. My physical therapist gave me exercises to do at home. I did them religiously and my shoulders eventually returned to normal range of motion. The exercise that seemed to help the most was walking my fingers up the wall (actually used a door frame). I taped the highest place that I could reach and tried to go beyond that every day. I never had any shots or medication for my shoulder. The P/T and home exercises worked for me. Good luck with yours, Charlee.

Darlene516

I thought I had a rotator cuff injury 4 yrs ago= turned out to be a frozen shoulder. It was very painful and I lost a lot of range of motion. However I went for several months of physical therapy and now I have almost all ROM back. Physical therapy really helped. Good Luck!

pjaco

I have also had rotator cuff surgery maybe 4 yrs ago. I fell and tore mine, pluse bones spurs which is wear & tear of work. The Dr's don't care if you get it fixed, it's up to you. If you can live with the pain and not being able to lift your arm forever..no surgery needed. It was painful and the PT was hard and long, but worth it. Maybe you have Bursitis...very painful in the shoulder.

miriam

About the same time DH fell off the roof, I somehow froze up my left shoulder. We had no income and no money so I had it real bad for about a year... I did all kinds of exercises, put cold compresses on. Suffered a LOT. Then I went to a chiropractor and she worked on it for a few months. When she worked on the very top of my neck it unfroze.

At the same time I had a close friend go through surgery for her shoulder. Mine now works. Her's does not.

I banged my head real hard at work a few months ago and it felt like my shoulder was freezing up again so I had my chriopractor adjust the top of my neck and it went away again. Then I remembered that I had banged my head real hard the first time I had it freeze up.

Very painful and very frustrating isn't it?