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Frozen shoulder

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Multicat

Multicat

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
For nearly two years I have had a frozen shoulder, one side then the other. I have recently had acupuncture to help with the pain and although it not a cure it has given me more mobility & less pain.

The physiotherapist treating my second shoulder said that I was always at high risk of the other side being affected as I am Diabetic, female & over 60
and that is also why it takes so long to get better.

Has anyone else had this very painful condition and did it take ages to get better?? Not really sure what causes it either.
 
Yes as I speak, my right shoulder isn't painful now but I've lost a lot of mobility in it.. And my left shoulder which was the second to go it still very painful and lost a very large portion of mobility in it

I'm not convinced that diabetics are at any more risk than anybody else, not only did my mum and one of my brothers but several other people I know had frozen shoulder and none were diabetic!

My started off when I was 3 years ago when I was 44!
 
I hope you get some relief soon. There are lots of things that help with pain relief these days, so I hope you mamange something.
 
I've had stiffness/loss of movement in one shoulder for the last 2 hears or so. Recently got seem by the Musculoskeletal Assessment Team who have diagnosed a frozen shoulder exacerbated by an inflamed tendon.

I've been told the frozen shoulder should move into the 'getting easier' phase sometime in the Spring, but that no one knows exacly how long these things last as it varies from person to person.
 
Yup. A few years ago in left shoulder. I think mine was triggered after I fell down stairs (due to hypo!) and badly banged the shoulder.

Year or so later and it froze up. It took about a year to get better without any physio, just some exercises that I did myself and is fully recovered now.

Statistically, diabetics are meant to be more likely to have them but obviously anyone can suffer it.

Rob
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I've had stiffness/loss of movement in one shoulder for the last 2 hears or so. Recently got seem by the Musculoskeletal Assessment Team who have diagnosed a frozen shoulder exacerbated by an inflamed tendon.

I've been told the frozen shoulder should move into the 'getting easier' phase sometime in the Spring, but that no one knows exacly how long these things last as it varies from person to person.
Click to expand...
My right shoulder is just getting to the unfreezing stage, very little pain, but debilitating lose of movement.
I had some physio. treatment about 18months ago I got the regulation 6 treatments, on my 3rd visit it was so painful I passed out on top of the physiotherapist. Served him right really, I told him he was hurting me & making me feel sick & giddy & he laughed at me.
 
Multicat said:
My right shoulder is just getting to the unfreezing stage, very little pain, but debilitating lose of movement.
I had some physio. treatment about 18months ago I got the regulation 6 treatments, on my 3rd visit it was so painful I passed out on top of the physiotherapist. Served him right really, I told him he was hurting me & making me feel sick & giddy & he laughed at me.
Click to expand...

The Physio Assessor I saw said that no-one really know what causes FS. The shoulder is apparently a fairly loose/floppy affair without the nice 'positive action' of something like a hip. There seem to be 3 recognisable phases: getting stiffer/more painful; staying the same; getting easier. Each can last 6 months or more and you just have to wait it out really. Trying to exercise/stretch mine a little but it's still lost a lot of movement.
 
Yes I had this about 3 months ago. It was first a twinge then a loss of movement and small pain, and then pain so bad it brought tears to the eyes, and no movement in the arm. I took the new Nuramol from Neurofen for the pain. I also used lots of crushed ice in a freezer bag with a tea towel to stop the ice burn, and sat for an hour at a time with it on the shoulder.
I also rested it completely, and immobilised the arm for 10 days, then started to undertake gentle exercise based on advice from a pharmacist, and a week later all back to a normal range of movement without pain.
What ever you do, don't immobilise for too long as it will take far longer to recover the muscle wastage. (Chiro told me to rest of 1 monthTry standing in front of a wall with your arm straight in front of you (use other arm to aid positioning if necessary) With palm of injured side placed flat on the wall, bend you legs up and down at the knees which will help exercise the shoulder joint without adding weight. This helped me get the movement back. Also try the towelling your back movement which also helped me.
 
Multicat said:
For nearly two years I have had a frozen shoulder, one side then the other. I have recently had acupuncture to help with the pain and although it not a cure it has given me more mobility & less pain.

The physiotherapist treating my second shoulder said that I was always at high risk of the other side being affected as I am Diabetic, female & over 60
and that is also why it takes so long to get better.

Has anyone else had this very painful condition and did it take ages to get better?? Not really sure what causes it either.
Click to expand...

Hi multicat I had a left frozen shoulder in 2002, had physiotherapy, and now I have an even worse frozen shoulder in the right one. The right one is very painful at times and I can't reach things very well and I need a bit of help. Being female and having Diabetes/ Frozen shoulder, go hand in hand I'm afraid, its very common.

It seems to be caused by glucose getting into the joint area, I'm sure thats what I remember. I know how you feel :( Take care Sheena
 
My right shoulder became frozen after a fall 21 months ago and it is still quite painful and the movement hasn't totally returned but I suppose I shall just have to be patient. I've never been offered any kind of treatment apart from painkillers.:(
 
I have had a frozen shoulder on my left side for years (im 41 ) sadly it now seems to be happening on right side too :(
 
I've had frozen shoulder both sides, first one about 7 years ago, then the other about 3 years later. It was agonising at times, mobility being a joke (how do you fasten clothes behind you, or even lift your arm at times?) But the condition has cleared completely, first one after about 18months, then probably nearer 3 years for the second one - seemed like a miraculous cure at the time! I also fall into the exact category of age and diabetes
 
About 4 weeks ago my GP diagnosed mine as tendonitis and I'm waiting to hear about physiotherapy. The pain is mainly in my bicep on my left arm. I've had muscle weakness and slight discomfort there for a couple of years but it's got worse recently. I was prescribed anti inflamatories which have not helped at all. My mobility is impaired and I'm getting fed up with it now.

Interesting comments about using ice on it, my GP suggested a hot water bottle. Mind you, he's rarely right. XXXXX
 
Northerner said:
That made me laugh! Worrying, but funny! :D
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Trust you to laugh at my misfortunes!! :D

Can you see why I simply nod and then do the opposite now? 🙂 And why my hubby calls the doc Captain Sensible? 😱 XXXXX
 
Well that has made me feel better, I was getting worried as it is so much more painful with the 2nd shoulder & taking so much longer to improve, now I can see that is the usual pattern.
I have to be very careful with painkillers due to my other problems, one paracetamol will make me sleepy for days, I cannot take or use anything with Ibruprofen.
That is why I was offered acupuncture, after just 3 sessions I could life my arm high enough to put deodorant on again, thank goodness!!!
 
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The aching part of the pain I can ignore but when you kick either shoulder off wow.. It's sickening to say the least it's akin to breaking your arm..

I'm actually now after 4 years in the last couple of weeks starting to manage to sleep with minimum disruption over night that was until last night..

I woke up laying on my pump a tad uncomfortable tried to push it back underneath me with my right hand, but couldn't quite reach so decided to use my left hand, could just get my finger tips on the pump so decided to give it a sharp push ssoooooooooooo wish I hadn't.. As not only did I not achieve moving it I kick my arm off into a spasm.. The pain made me yelp, and I'd was kicking my legs I spouse in hope of fending off the pain and a possible faint and woke Les up, which as it was 3am and he had to be up at 5.30 I felt a tad guilty... But I did need him to move my pump for me which was now digging into my rib cage😱


But the worst part with me is the frustration the immobility brings, I can't reach things or retrieve things out of cupboards, filling up and emptying the washing machine depends on whether I'm having a good or bad day.. And dressing is like a comedy of errors (hoodies are quite good with frozen shoulders) but the worst is not being able to have a bath unless Les is home just in case I get stuck again, thankfully when I did I had only to wait 15 minutes before Les got in from work and could help me out😱
 
Roughly the same as Blythespirit here, but maybe a little further on, i was diagnosed a few weeks back by my GP as having tendonitis, i've seen the physiotherapist twice at the Musculoskeletal Unit & they seem to be saying it's now frozen shoulder. What i do know is that it's very painful & i've lost a lot of mobility in it. The physiotherapist said to me it's more common in women than men & don't be surprised if you get it in the other arm. Like everydayupsanddowns mentioned i've been told about the 3 stages & that each lasts about 6 months grrrrrrrr! 😡
 
For me its getting dressed & undressed that is most frustrating, a friend suggested that I do my bra up round the front & twist it round. No way!! Too much pain the fact that I have a prothesis adds about a 1lb in weight to my bra so that doesn't help much.
Wow Ellie I can feel your pain, I'm not driving either as I never know when a debilitating pain will hit me, it doubles me up. I don't know about you, but I really cannot manages with disturbed sleep, so poor husband suffers too as I get really touchy.
Thanks for the three stage explanations I can understand where about's I am in the healing process, I think I just have to have patience.:D
 
My L. shoulder took over 2yrs. to get better. I am now 10months into the same in my R. shoulder and know what to expect. I cannot take NSAIDS because of high blood pressure so rely on paracetamol and a wheat pillow heated in the microwave. This was on the instructions of physio. You can use either ICE or HEAT according to them. Physio states that it affects 1 in 5 diabetics.
Unless you have experienced it then you cannot begin to know what it is like and how restricting it is. I have to break through the pain barrier on occasions just to do simple tasks and the pain is excruciating.
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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