MS and frozen shoulder

[slbaker2425]

I have a question for everyone...I was curious how many MS patients have also had frozen shoulder.  I was diagnosed with a double case of frozen shoulder...I have it in both of my shoulders.  It is a horribly painful condition but basically the only treatment is physical therapy because it will resolve on its own in 1 to 3 years.  There are a few things the orthopede can try but usually they don't resort to surgical procedures unless it isn't beginning to resolve within a year or 2.  Cortisone shots are available to help with pain but the general consensus is that they really don't help so why suffer through the needle!

I didn't aquire frozen shoulder through an injury - it just happened.  The reason I am curious is because in cases of passive acquisition of frozen shoulder it is thought to be auto-immune related.  I was diagnosed with probably MS last October...I have had 2 brain MRIs, as well as, a lumbar and cervical MRI and a spinal tap that were consistent with someone with MS.  They can't give me a definitive diagnosis because I have only had one clinical incident, however, they are fairly certain that it is MS and have ruled out numerous other diseases.  I've been on Rebif since March.  Fortunately I don't have problems with any side effects.

Although frozen shoulder isn't directly related to MS since MS is also an auto-immune disorder I wonder if it makes you susceptable to other types of auto-immune conditions.  Just curious...

[Islandgirlwannabe]

It's helpful to prop your arms on small pillows when sleeping on your back. "Hugging" a body pillow is also helpful when sleeping on your side. Oh, and never, ever, put anything in your back pocket!  You will literally have to take your pants off to get the item out. LOL.
Feel better!

[HVAC]

Have you tried going to sleep with an ice pack in a towel under the shoulder.? I used that method.  Now I go to sleep grabbing the head board with my arms straight over my head. Some nights that is the only way I can sleep. I have to make sure my arm does not hang freely with out support while I am sleeping. My doctor told me and it was hard not to sleep directly on that shoulder. oh and I got one of those neck support pillows which also helped.

Alex

[slbaker2425]

My case of frozen shoulder started in January.  I thought it was just a strained muscle, but it never really got better.  It just seemed to get tighter and stiffer.  The daytime pain wasn't too bad but at night it was horrible!  Soon my range of motion dimished to almost nothing.  It's hard to get dressed - I can't lift my arms very high, and I can't reach around my back.  I can't even put my hands in my back pockets, on my hips or even cross my arms.

I saw my neurologist in March and she gave me some medication because initially she thought it was a pinched nerve in my neck that was causing it.  The meds didn't help at all and the shoulder just got tighter and more painful.  If I reach beyond my range of motion it is excrutiating pain.  It is hard because sometimes you act reflexively like when you are dropping something...soon you begin to think twice about responding to anything lol.

I went back to my neurologist in late June, and she ran an EMG.  The results in the upper arm reacted somewhat like they would for a pinched nerve, but she really thought something else was going on in addition to the pinched nerve, so she referred me to physical therapy.  It was very obvious some of my muscles in my arm and shoulder were starting to atrophy because of the limited range of motion.

Oh, I forgot to mention that in late April frozen shoulder was beginning to start in my left shoulder as well - so the left shoulder is about 4 months behind the right shoulder.  After starting physical therapy my therapist said it really looked like a classic case of frozen shoulder -- I exhibited all the signs and symptoms.

Therapy is really helping, and I seem to slowly be getting some range of motion back.  I'll be even more happy when the pain subsides.  I haven't hit that stage yet.  The right shoulder is much less painful, so I figure in another couple of months the left shoulder pain will reduce more.  I must admit that the night pain is getting much better - for awhile I was lucky to get 4 hours of sleep at night because the pain was so intense especially in the lying position.  I should have bought stock in ibuprofen :-)

I tried a lot of different pain meds but nothing really helped anymore than taking ibuprofen, and I decided to forgo cortisone shots because I had read so much that said it wasn't really effective, and I didn't want a big needle stuck in my shoulder!  Giving myself Rebif shots 3 times a week is enough in the needle department.

I guess the good thing about it is that frozen shoulder does resolve...it just takes time and ALOT of patience not to mention a good dose of pain tolerance!  They chalked my case of frozen shoulder up to an auto-immune disorder...hopefully there won't be any other surprises down the road.

[jorbsid]

I am still in limboland but have experienced a frozen shoulder recently.  Mine I can probably attribute to ergonomics at work and over extension to use my mouse, etc; however, I wonder if "possible" ms played a role as well.

I had a cortisone shot that helped tremendously with my pain and then had 4 weeks of physical therapy and 10 days of vacation at the beach.  I am feeling much better though I have not regained full range of motion.  The PT was painful, but worth it to "break" the shoulder free.  The vacation helped with all of my symptoms.

Good luck to you!

[HVAC]

I got frozen shoulder because my left side is my weak side and I was not using it enough I went to PT and now exercise which has helped a great deal. It may also have something to do with my spastisty. It is not the same for everyone but I find the more I move the better I am. That does not mean I am the active person I once was. It just means I stretch in the morning and through out the day and do what I can.

Alex

[Sidesteps]

I just read about it. BLAH! Sounds like what my issue is. I wondered if it was spasticity.

I did have issues with my right leg last year (similiar issue) but I chalked it up to an unknown injury while on vacation. The PT were stumped why certain ligaments were tight and inflammed.  It took about 9 months and physical therapy to feel better.

The timing of this post is weird. lol ~  

[Sidesteps]

Is Frozen Shoulder related to an extremely tight shoulder, where you are extremely limited on direction and movement and it's painful if you attempt to push it further? If so, I've got it.

I could not lift my arm above the shoulder or in certain directions. They said it was a rotator cuff tendonitis but the tightness starts in my shoulder blade and extends in muscles all the way down my arm. My entire arm feels tight. They gave me a cortisone shot for it last week and it's helped a bit in the shoulder area but the arm is still very very tight. Oddest thing since the only thing I can think that irritated it is working it out but it's not better, seemed to be getting worse (even favoring it) and I'm going on 6 weeks.