|
|
Post by MichyM on Jun 8, 2024 14:54:20 GMT
Is this on your dominant side, Lauren? Is anything you've tried helping at all? Unfortunately it is my right side :/ So far all I’ve tried is heat at my NP’s suggestion. I’m going in next week for an assessment. |
|
|
|
Post by gar on Jun 8, 2024 15:09:50 GMT
I have had restricted movement (in as much as it hurt a lot to go beyond a certain point, can't fully rotate shoulder joint, barely get dressed/undressed sometimes etc) and nerve pain from my shoulder for about 9 months. No one ever called it frozen shoulder - does it sound like the same thing?
A musculoskeletal therapist who treated me said I had deeply knotted muscle from a repetitive movement (which involved my arm out to the side and slightly forward) and the muscle was pinching/squeezing and restricting the nerve. After some intense manipulation and massage it's much improved but taking it's time. I have figured out the movement that's causing it and watch that I don't spend time in that position now.
|
|
|
|
Post by mom on Jun 8, 2024 15:34:59 GMT
Interesting that this question is being asked. I wonder if that is what's going on with my shoulder? I am in constant pain and it hurts to raise my arm, scratch my back, sleeping on my side is impossible and doing things that involve me raising my arm over my head. I went to the Chiro, thinking it could be nerve pain and he said no and sent me to my family dr. He did X-rays earlier in the week and they didn't show anything, so now I am getting an MRI later this month. I was assuming it would be rotator cuff, but maybe froze shoulder is an option. I shall ask my dr. MichyM I hope you get to feeling better and can get to the root cause of whats going on. Sure sounds like it to me - what you describe were pretty much my symptoms. My left arm was pretty much useless. I had to use my right arm to help lift it if needed! How did you get it better? Thankfully (I guess) it’s not my dominate arm but man. I am having to take OTC pain meds all day or it gets unbearable and I prefer not to taken them for long. |
|
smartypants71
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,846 
Location: Houston, TX
|
Post by smartypants71 on Jun 8, 2024 18:39:52 GMT
I had a frozen left shoulder about 2 years ago. I have Type 1 diabetes and also perimenopausal and apparently frozen shoulder is a common thing for those 2 conditions. My ortho recommended we try cortisone shots in the joint to ease the pain and give back some mobility. It worked great until it wore off. After a year, my ortho recommended surgery which is what I did. Surgery was easy peasy, but the recovery was terrible. I was in PT the day after surgery. I was released after about 3 months and all is well!
|
|
|
|
Post by flanz on Jun 9, 2024 0:42:26 GMT
Bummer Lauren!
I don't know if it's appropriate in this case, but do you know of a good craniosacral chiropractor in Seattle? Gentle, gentle manipulation has helped me with numerous issues. Could your neck possibly be the source of your shoulder issue?
|
|
|
|
Post by MichyM on Jun 9, 2024 16:46:24 GMT
Bummer Lauren! I don't know if it's appropriate in this case, but do you know of a good craniosacral chiropractor in Seattle? Gentle, gentle manipulation has helped me with numerous issues. Could your neck possibly be the source of your shoulder issue? No, its on the opposite side, and my neck pain is due to impinged nerves caused by bone spurs in my neck. |
|
|
|
Post by lavawalker1 on Jun 11, 2024 19:31:15 GMT
Sure sounds like it to me - what you describe were pretty much my symptoms. My left arm was pretty much useless. I had to use my right arm to help lift it if needed! How did you get it better? Thankfully (I guess) it’s not my dominate arm but man. I am having to take OTC pain meds all day or it gets unbearable and I prefer not to taken them for long. A correctly placed corticosteroid injection given by an orthopedic nurse. I was having a hard time doing the exercises prescribed to me by PT until I got the injection. I would say by about 4 months I was pretty close to having my full range of motion back. |
|
|
|
Post by mom on Jun 11, 2024 19:49:10 GMT
How did you get it better? Thankfully (I guess) it’s not my dominate arm but man. I am having to take OTC pain meds all day or it gets unbearable and I prefer not to taken them for long. A correctly placed corticosteroid injection given by an orthopedic nurse. I was having a hard time doing the exercises prescribed to me by PT until I got the injection. I would say by about 4 months I was pretty close to having my full range of motion back. Oh that’s great to know! Thank you! |
|
|
|
Post by ceepea on Jun 11, 2024 19:53:02 GMT
I had a frozen shoulder on my left side. It was super painful, I'm sorry you are dealing with this now. PT did not touch it, I got the cortisone shot and then 2 weeks later I was able to do my pt exercises...which were also very painful. It took a while to get better but now it is good as new.
|
|
peppermintpatty
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1345
Posts: 3,998
|
Post by peppermintpatty on Jun 12, 2024 12:13:53 GMT
I didn't have frozen shoulder (I thought it was). I had acute chronic bursitis in both shoulders from the covid shots (stupid f'ing pharmacist didn't know how to give a shot). I suffered for 2 years trying literally everything to deal with it and finally had a bursectomy on both shoulders. Best decision I ever made.
The most common treatment is they put you under and then force your arm to start moving. I know a lot of people who did this and it worked. Cortisone only masks the pain and it will come back. Plus it weakens the muscle and women (in menopause) are very susceptible to rotator cuff tears. Cortisone will increase the chance of tearing.
|
|
|
|
Post by JustCallMeMommy on Jun 12, 2024 17:48:46 GMT
Frozen shoulder is the worst! Mine was actually discovered in rotator cuff surgery, so they fixed it before I knew it was frozen! The pre-surgery experience (pain and movement levels) was about the same for me for both just rotator cuff with detached muscle and rotator cuff with frozen shoulder, but the recovery on the 2nd was much harder and I had to be in PT longer. Oh, and we tried 2 cortisone shots before moving on to surgery. They helped for a week or so.
The surgical solution isn't pretty. Once you are under anesthesia, they basically yank your arm up and break up all the scar tissue. Then I had PT focused on keeping it moving and making sure it didn't refreeze.
|
|
|
|
Post by JustCallMeMommy on Jun 12, 2024 17:54:24 GMT
I didn't have frozen shoulder (I thought it was). I had acute chronic bursitis in both shoulders from the covid shots (stupid f'ing pharmacist didn't know how to give a shot). I suffered for 2 years trying literally everything to deal with it and finally had a bursectomy on both shoulders. Best decision I ever made.
The most common treatment is they put you under and then force your arm to start moving. I know a lot of people who did this and it worked. Cortisone only masks the pain and it will come back. Plus it weakens the muscle and women (in menopause) are very susceptible to rotator cuff tears. Cortisone will increase the chance of tearing.
My first rotator cuff tear was attributed to a covid shot given by the National Guard. It was given way too high on my arm. I know it can happen with any shot given too high, but that was an awful time to be having surgery! I put it off as long as I could so that the health care system would be functioning more normally first. |
|
|
|
Post by flanz on Jun 13, 2024 19:39:17 GMT
How are you doing now, MichyM? |
|
|
|
Post by nellej on Jun 13, 2024 20:04:26 GMT
About 18 months to 2 years if I recall correctly. Both shoulders. I found 'breast stroke' type movements helpful.
|
|
|
|
Post by MichyM on Jun 14, 2024 22:53:10 GMT
How are you doing now, MichyM ? It is worsening. We'll see how bad it gets. Right now it's usually about a 3 out of 10 in pain, except when I do something stupid. So, it is mostly manageable. I am doing home exercises and have the option to have a steroid shot if I'd like. |
|
|
|
Post by flanz on Jun 14, 2024 23:42:29 GMT
Oh, I'm sorry. Are you prevented from activities you'd like to be doing?
|
|
