Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) can be so severe it can rob us of our quality of life. Sleeping with pain can be almost non-existent and it can cause a host of other problems.
Here are some options for managing this painful condition:

• Muscle relaxation is important because relaxation means less guarding of the muscles in that area. Less guarding and relaxed muscles decrease the release of damaging and aggravation of inflammatory chemicals in the tissues that can lead to swelling and tenderness.


• Cold compresses may also help decrease inflammation and improve comfort. At this point they are considered the gold standard of therapy/treatment for this painful condition.


• Physical therapy is important because therapists have the ability to offer a varied approach to treatment that includes ultrasound, gentle range-of-motion as well as massage and specialized exercise programs to assist you as you heal. Constant motion is important in order to maintain functionality , decrease swelling by increasing circulation to the effected areas.


• If you don't have a cold compress available, try putting uncooked rice in a sock and stick in the freezer. The result is a pliable pack that you can place across your shoulders for relaxing and comfort.


• I never forget the potential for the use of heat as some folks find heat to be more comforting than cold. And if your doctor does not disagree, then I encourage its use.

Are there other folks out there suffering from the severe pain of frozen shoulders? Feel free to share some of the remedies you find to help you get through the pain and limitations of this painful condition. Post your responses on my Pain Management message board here on WebMD. I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know you!

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Treating Frozen Shoulder Without Surgery
• WebMD Video: Salty Solution for Frozen Shoulder

Technorati Tags: frozen shoulder, pain management

Air Travel - How Do You Manage?

Last evening I returned from an educational trip. It started like most of my trips. Even though I am a careful packer, it is hard to travel with a light suitcase when you are going to be gone close to a week. I managed to fit everything into one big case and I put the rest of my items with my laptop in my backpack and took off.

When I arrived and finally made it to my hotel room, I noticed severe aching and tenderness in my shoulders and arms - mainly my right arm. It ached like a tooth ache and intensified around my elbow and down into my hand. There was tenderness but no signs of redness or bruising. I did feel like there was some swelling however. The interesting thing I noticed was that it intensified when I wore my backpack at the airport.

I talked to my husband the night before flying home and shared my concerns because I had a lot of paperwork I gathered at the seminars that I needed to bring home. The weight felt extremely heavy. He had a great idea. He suggested I ship some things home so I wouldn't need such a heavy suitcase. I could then transfer some items I didn't need to carry in my backpack to the suitcase and check it. There happened to be a business center/Kinko's located at the hotel where I was staying so I went down and purchased a box. I filled it with items that I didn't want to carry and I shipped it home. This enabled me to use my suitcase and lighten my backpack a little bit.

I cannot say that I had dramatic relief. However, my right arm is feeling less tender today. It is important for people like myself with chronic pain to be creative sometimes and do things like this to help ourselves when we need to. I may have to give up my backpack completely. I notice there are backpacks with wheels built right into them. I plan to invest in one of those in the near future.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to be a creative traveler? How about sharing some of your ideas on either my Pain Management or Migraine message boards here on WebMD.
Publish Post
Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Travel Without Pain
• WebMD Video: Preflight Checklist for Healthy Airplane Travel

Technorati Tags: pain management, chronic pain, travel

Part VI: Total Knee Replacement Outcome

During the last few months I have been sharing the experience of my husband's total knee replacement. We are pleased to say he is just about finished with his therapy and ready to go back to work.

His surgeon says he has a "state of the art" knee. My husband spent some time in a painful lull and then bounded forward with improvements. He can now go without pain meds. He walks without a cane and no longer limps. He walks longer distances than he did before but still finds some limitations when he tries to walk too far or push too hard. (Keeping it real).

But his overall improvement and outcome is more than we had hoped and we are both grateful. His doctor says the rest of the residual swelling should subside in the next couple months and he should return pretty much to normal range of motion. Since much of the swelling from behind his leg has been gone since surgery, his range of motion is already better than pre-surgery.

The next step will be for my husband to return to work and he is more than ready (smile).

Part 1: Total Knee Replacement - One Man's Journey
Part II: Total Knee Replacement - The Big Event
Part III: Coming Home!
Part IV: Healing Continues
Part V: Total Knee Replacement - And the Beat Goes On

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Knee Repair May Prevent Knee Replacement
• Hip and Knee Replacements on the Rise

Technorati Tags: knee replacement, pain management