Frozen Shoulder
 

Well, I went to Methodist Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation last week and was diagnosed with frozen shoulder. The pain is unbearable. Doctor said Im in for what could be months of rehab to un freeze it. Start rehab tomorrow. Has anyone ever had this? This was the first time Ive ever heard of it. Cant bring arm past my shoulder, reach behind my back or stretch it straight forward without unbearable pain.

Adhesive capsulitis.... Don't know your medical history but you could inquire about a 4 week tapered dose of prednisone.

Thanks will ask about that.

I had the same diagnosis several years ago. I did several weeks of physical therapy then realized that I could do most of the exercises by myself. My insurance did not cover the physical therapy. If your insurance does cover the physical therapy, stick with it. For the first few months, progress was slow and the pain was pretty bad. Sleeping was very difficult. Over time, my range of motion started returning and the pain diminished. I hate to tell you this, but it took a full year to get better.

Sleeping, forget that, hurts the worse when trying to sleep. First trying to get my arm in a position that don't hurt and when I do get to sleep, when I move it hurts so bad it wakes me up. I pray that none of you get this.

Inflammatory disorders
 

I know your pain and feel for ya! If this continues may want to see a indocrenologist(spelling?), could have other issues going on as I did. Nothing worse in life than being in constant pain.

best to sleep in a reclining chair so you don't move around much.

I think i had an undiagnosed mild case of that myself for about 2 years but its gone now. I couldn't reach out or behind me with the right arm and I couldn't get it horizontal, just about 30 degrees before the pain stopped from going farther. I just thought it was arthritis or something so I forced it to move as far as I could stand a few times each day and over time it has gone away.

god bless and good luck with it

It gets better with time and movement. Do the exercises, even if they seem pointless. I had this about 18 months ago. I still have some limitations but it's much better. It will seem like it's getting no better for quite awhile before you'll notice a difference.

Conservative therapy with PT, exercises, anti-inflammatory meds, see an orthopedist, the best for now. However I've seen it where people get so incapacitated because of lack of movement that they had to get anesthetized in the hospital and orthopedist physically rotates the arm to break up the adhesions that have formed. Still have to do therapy after however.

Wife had it 4-5 years ago and she did physical therapy and it fixed it up and hasn't hurt her since then. Do your therapy!!!

Thanks guys.

Just got over it for about 9-10 months. Very painful, can now lift left arm over my head and touch my right ear. Could not even raise above my shoulder. Did all my therapy myself at home, took a while to work through it. Still difficult to sleep on my stomach with my head turned to my right, left arm stretched to my hip. If I sleep this way, have to place my left hand up under my pillow or my chest with arm by my side. Will be very difficult for you for a good while to be comfortable to sleep any position.

Got a question.. Since a few of you hear have had it, did any of your doctors say what causes this or how to possibly avoid it. Like diet or lifestyle? From what y'all are describing I don't think I wanna fool with frozen shoulder!

Diabetes (36%), trauma, surgery, inflammatory dx, cervical dx, and shoulder immobility all contribute.

This!!! I asked about it today in therapy.

when I asked my doctor about it, he said things like that are often confused with arthritis but they are mainly the result of normal aging along with reduced activity after leading a life where you do a lot of strenuous work so your joints kinda get rusty from lack of use so they get stiff and painfull then add things like diabetes and other health related stuff as you get older and it can all combine to cause these minor irritants to become very painful immobilty. he said it shows up mostly in people after you retire because you stop doing all the things that keep it loose and flexible. he said it can be anything from a hand or elbow or shoulder or neck, to even knees and ankles that get that way.

its not all that doctory of an explanation but hes family and so he gave it to me in simpleton terms.

So pretty much stay healthy and active and you should be fine...

nothing is for certain but that just about sums it up :cool:

sometimes even health people get degenerative disk and joint issues