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New on the Site:
Frozen Shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis
Living with a frozen shoulder - how to survive the ordeal
If you've read the other frozen shoulder pages on this website then you now know a great deal about frozen shoulder. I'm sure that the knowledge you have gained is already helping you to cope with your symptoms and I truly hope that you have found a doctor or therapist who has helped you find some pain relief.
But what if you haven't - or if you've gained only partial relief? Here are my best "top tips" on surviving your frozen shoulder until nature works her magic. Remember - stay positive - you will get through this and you will return to full normal function without pain or discomfort.
Physical Therapy for Frozen Shoulder
The aim of these treatments is to prevent any further
stiffness and regain range of motion. There is some published evidence that
a new Osteopathic treatment called 'The Niel-Asher technique' speeds up
recovery in the frozen shoulder - for more information visit
www.frozenshoulder.com or click here
There is also a self-help programme
available for this method.
Keep your frozen shoulder warm
I know that it almost sounds too obvious but it works! Use warm or hot compresses (or buy a heating pad) and use it over your shoulder four or five times a day for fifteen minutes at a time. It also works well applied in your armpit - the warmth travels up into the shoulder.
Many of my frozen shoulder patients have also found great relief - particularly at night - by using a heated pad or thermal blanket. I think the Thermophore Automatic Moist Heat Pack is a good example of this type of product and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. There are other similar products available - the
Therabeads Moist Heat Collar
for example , and a range of other inexpensive options, some of which you simply heat in the microwave before use.
Sleep with an extra pillow
No - not for your head, but under your shoulder on the affected side. Loss of sleep at night makes it much harder to cope with pain during the day and if you roll onto the painful shoulder when asleep you will wake up in pain. Sleep on your back with the extra pillow under your sore shoulder.
Try the
Good N Bed Adjustable Wedge or the
Mediflow Waterbase Pillow - which is particularly good if you have both neck and frozen shoulder pain.
Massage helps a frozen shoulder
The pain of frozen shoulder comes from the joint but the surrounding muscles can become very tired and tense. Massage can produce good short term relief of pain. A family member, a friend or professional masseur could help with this.
More than one of my previous patients have written to me about the
Heat Wave Thermal Massager and swear by how effective it is for them.
I have also just discovered that Amazon.com now stock an electronic shoulder and neck massage unit - the Shoulder Flex adjustable intensity massager.
Use dietary supplements for frozen shoulder
Natural products like glucosamine or fish oils have been shown to ease joint pains and stiffness. Some herbal remedies have pain relieving properties. This does not work for everyone but might be worth a try for your frozen shoulder pain.
I have had particular success recently with products based on honey bee venom. A new section on the range and effectiveness of these products will soon be added to this website - so check back soon if you are interested. The use of honey bee venom is based on the long-known fact that bee keepers (who often get stung) very rarely develop arthritis or problems with their joints and muscles.
Now - the braver amongst you (not including me I hasten to add) might volunteer for traditional "bee sting therapy" where you are subjected to repeated stings from a succession of bees held in tweezers!
Most of us would feel more comfortable simply applying the bee sting venom in the form of a balm to be rubbed into the painful or stiff area. In truth, I was a bit sceptical about all of this at first, but a large number of my patients have had great benefit from its use and I recommend you give it a try if you are interested. It's certainly a very natural way to obtain pain relief.
If you would like more information about using Bee Venom Balm then click on the link. Well worth a look - if you do try it then please give me some feedback by email.
Buy or borrow a TENS machine
TENS - or trans cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a good and safe way to induce pain relief and some muscle relaxation. It works by stimulating the skin nerves and thus encourages the brain to pay less attention to the incoming pain signals from the joint. It doesn't seem to work for everyone but may be well worth a try. There are a range of TENS machines available on the market and, if you are interested, then I suggest that you go for a mid-priced model such as the which will offer reliability and flexibility at a reasonable price.
Strap or support the arm from time to time
If your shoulder is in the frozen stage then support from a simple strap can be of great value. Be careful of strapping too much in the other phases of the condition. You may simply encourage the shoulder to stay stiff for longer.
A number of strapping products are available - the
Thermoskin Arthritis Shoulder Wrap and the
Elastic Shoulder Immobilizer are only two from many possible options.
Consider short term medication to improve sleep
People are naturally concerned about becoming dependent on sleeping medication - justifiably so. But for short term use there is no risk of dependency or addiction. Consider asking your doctor for a sedative medication if your frozen shoulder is stopping you from sleeping well.
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