Living with a frozen shoulder: how to survive the ordeal
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.
