Frozen Shoulder Symptoms, Treatments | Periarthritis of Shoulder

Question: I have been diagnosed with calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. I went to hospital in January due to severe pain but was sent home with painkillers and no diagnosis was given. I have had pain since then which flared up again in June. I again went to the hospital as I had no sleep for two nights and was given this diagnosis. I had a steroid injection and am receiving physio once a week.

My question is what is the time scale for this to heal or be pain free? I still haven’t got full range of movement and still in pain, I know each case is different but there must be an average time?

Answer:
From the symptoms that you have detailed, you could be suffering from a frozen shoulder or peri-arthritis of the shoulder.

Frozen Shoulder Symptoms

In this condition, the shoulder joint becomes painful and stiff.
The cause for this inflammatory disease is not known.
There occurs a loss of resilience of the joint capsule, possibly due to adhesion formation.
In the early stages of the disease, the pain is worse at night and the movements are slightly restricted.
Later, there is pain at all times and all the shoulder movements get severely limited
There could possibly be a history of trauma.

Treatment for frozen shoulder

Peri-arthritis is a self-limiting disease.
It takes 6-9 months for the inflammation to subside, but it leaves behind a stiff but painless shoulder.
Hence, the aim of management of such a case is to prevent or minimize the stiffness by continued shoulder movements and exercises.
Physiotherapy is an absolute necessity. Follow frozen shoulder physical therapy exercises.
Pain killers have a palliative effect and give only temporary relief.
The injection that you have taken would be an intra-articular hydrocortisone injection which speeds up cure.
Hot fomentation affords relief from frozen shoulder.
Rhus tox 30, a homoeopathy medicine, works beautifully on joint complaints. It strengthens the tendons, ligaments and capsule, and reduces pain in shoulder and stiffness.
Black sesame seeds relieve pain to a great extent. A spoonful should be soaked overnight and consumed the next day along with the water.
Speedy and long term benefits are seen through reflexology and acupuncture.

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August 20, 2009 | Filed Under Bone Joint Muscle Disorders | Click Here to Add Your Reply / Ask Question

Comments

12 Responses to “Frozen Shoulder Symptoms, Treatments | Periarthritis of Shoulder”

T.M.K. on October 26th, 2009 9:20 pm

I have been diagnosied for the right hand shoulder pain as periarthritis. Initially I underwent IFT for 9 days and after a gap of 20 days I had wax bath for 9 days. Now I am left with much pain in the night as the DR suggest not to use pain killer medicines at all. I find little to very little improvement. where I again consulted another ortho DR who suggest that under anesthesia condition he can give one injection and set this right by about 25% to enable me to do more free exercises. I am doing exercises at home as advised by my physiotherapist. Now I am suffering for the past 3/4 months. What shall I do? Should I take the injection or simple exercise at home though it may long time to cure?

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Sam Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:39 am
The injections that your doctor may recommend will be usually either pain killers or muscle relaxants. They may provide you temporary relief, but you must get expert advice before your decide to take it. Exercises are safer to treat your frozen shoulder condition although they do not work instantly.

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Anonymous Reply:
February 24th, 2010 at 11:32 am
You should consult a good physiotherapist for this. Only physiotherapy can help you get out of this

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s.a.n. on March 13th, 2010 6:06 am

I had frozen shoulder 10 years ago and had hydrocortisone injection. It was cured back then. Now, it has recurred recently. I had wax therapy for ten days and now having SWD (short wave diothermic) therapy for about 10 minutes daily followed by physical manipulation on the shoulder joint region by the physiotherapist; sometimes painful, but makes the movement of shoulder easier. The shooting pain is persisting. Also, I am doing excercises like pendulum, pulley, shoulder rotation, step ladder, etc. While doing the exercises, I also do simple rhythmic inhalation and exhalation excerises. Hoping for a redemption from the periarthritis, an expensive syndrome, sooner or later. Any suggestions?

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P.U .P on March 15th, 2010 7:54 am

Frozen shoulder or periarthritis of the shoulder joint, is a middle age problem where there is restricted movement of the affected joint with mild to severe pain.
The underlying cause may be diabetes, which if controlled gives some relief.
Simple X-ray does not give any clue; An M.R.I is suggested to rule out any fluid in the joint space. Some times there is tubercular effusion present. And if so, anti-tubercular treatment will be helpful.
Alternative medicine like homeopathy will give good relief to you, apart from the treatment you are taking.

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S on March 20th, 2010 7:33 am

Do not take any injection or surgery. Do shoulder mobilization with wax therapy to increase range of motion. If for pain relief laser and use reduce soft tissue inflammation.

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Ntabo Erick on April 3rd, 2010 1:33 pm

I’m Ntabo Erick,a physiotherapy student, I would like your assistance in periathritis of the shoulder joint. In addition, my mother has been complaining of of backache(lumbar,sacral) she has approached several physiotherapists ,but there is no relief. what can she do? and what might be the cause?

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PA Reply:
June 17th, 2010 at 2:09 am
PA usually does not possess any etiology. Hope you will be knowing about the stages and types of PA. The reform what I use to follow in my clinic is
1. Cold pack- if acute or acute of chronic
2. Hydrocollator packs – subacute or chronic
3. ultrasound – 1.5 w/cm2 for 10min aqua gel mixed with .5 cc of xylocain, 1.0 cc of diclofenac sodium. In case if pain is severe
4 Add .5 cc of hydrocortisone drive US around shoulder joint line anterior and posterior capsule. Followed by IFT trapezoidal pulse for 15 min. Followed by pendular exercises to relieve pain.
Course of 15 days OD.

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ms on May 29th, 2010 7:05 am

I am 55 and had been playing golf for 2 years and from childhood to mid 30’s was a very good tennis player. I had been having pain and restricted movement of right shoulder for 3 months. I have been told that I have a frozen shoulder by the trained physio therapist when I went for relief from shoulder pain. The physiotherapy is very painful and can u suggest me any other mode of treatment for frozen shoulder.

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T R Reply:
August 15th, 2010 at 1:25 am
You have gone for the right treatment. This treatment is not that painful though. Just need to be given in a proper manner with proper aids. Discuss with your physiotherapist about the pain and ask him/her to change the plan of your treatment. It will definitely give you a good relief!!It can be little painful but the results of it are very satisfactory. If not working then try to change your physiotherapist!

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AJ on June 23rd, 2010 10:09 am

Physiotherapy is the best treatment for periarthritic shoulder. But if you want to have any other treatment for frozen shoulder then you can go for analgesics along with the physiotherapy treatment and you will find a great difference.

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PR on July 9th, 2010 5:22 am

I am 45 years old and had some pain on the top of my right shoulder and am not able to do pull-ups. Suddenly for the last one month my shoulder movement is further restricted and it is painful. I regularly take mineral drops. Is this shoulder pain symptoms of frozen shoulder and can it be caused due to overdose of minerals? Kindly suggest a quick remedy as I have to travel after two months.

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