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Stupid shoulders
Jun. 16th, 2026 09:16 amThat's a technical term. Addenbrookes have a helpful page on what it is and how it's treated
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/frozen-shoulder/
I've already got as far as painkillers, exercises and a steroid injection, none of which have helped much, and I'd like to look into hydrodistension, which my GP told me at the time of the steroid injection would be available via Dynamic Health, and suggested I self-refer immediately, because the waiting list might be quite long.
So I've been double checking my physio referral. I've checked the dates, and somehow while I submitted the form on 13th April I only got an email to say they'd received it on 23rd April, and then a text to say I was now on the waiting list on 5th May. I've also double checked the FAQs, and basically you definitely have to go through this process for any musculoskeletal issues which might need further treatment before you can see a consultant. And finally the current waiting list for Cambridge is about 35 weeks.
https://www.dynamichealth.nhs.uk/appointments/waiting-times/
In the meantime I contacted Cambridge Spire (who a friend was treated with via their insurance) to see if I could get a price for how much it would cost to be seen privately. They tried to ring me once, arranged by email on the Sunday 9th of May to call me back on Monday, and then vanished. Someone (two different someones) finally called me back yesterday, having found the open enquiry down the back of their ticketing system, and they sent me a list of four consultants working out of the Spire Cambridge Lea who do this sort of work, with initial consultation appointments available in the next couple of weeks, who take self-pay patients. Initial appointment is £200-£300. It wasn't entirely clear how many steps there are after that, but £350+ for the MRI guided treatment (and possibly separately more for the MRI itself?) and then at least a follow-up appointment. And probably physio, but they didn't say how much that would cost. But I was thinking we're adding up to around a grand. This looks like the most likely of the consultants:
https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-cambridge-lea-hospital/consultants/mr-niel-kang-c4719317/
(One didn't have an option for self-pay, and the other two didn't specifically mention frozen shoulders)
And then Ruth mentioned Bupa, so I looked them up, and they have an actually useful table of the costs for hydrodilation (also known as hydrodistension, the specific treatment I'm hoping to have), and that would be £1200. Which is maybe a bit more, but at least is a concrete number. I've asked the Spire if they have a similar table anywhere!
https://www.bupa.co.uk/health/payg/muscles-bones-joints/msk-physician-consultation/msk-injections/hydrodilatation-high-volume-injections
So now I'm wondering exactly what to do. I think the first instance is to ring Dynamic Health and say I'd be willing to be seen in Huntingdon, instead of Cambridge, if it really does get the waiting list down from 35 weeks to 13 weeks, but when does that start counting. And then maybe speak to my GP, because the *other* shoulder is starting to hurt, but hasn't yet lost any mobility. Maybe they can do a steroid injection at this phase, and it might head it off? I don't know.
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/frozen-shoulder/
I've already got as far as painkillers, exercises and a steroid injection, none of which have helped much, and I'd like to look into hydrodistension, which my GP told me at the time of the steroid injection would be available via Dynamic Health, and suggested I self-refer immediately, because the waiting list might be quite long.
So I've been double checking my physio referral. I've checked the dates, and somehow while I submitted the form on 13th April I only got an email to say they'd received it on 23rd April, and then a text to say I was now on the waiting list on 5th May. I've also double checked the FAQs, and basically you definitely have to go through this process for any musculoskeletal issues which might need further treatment before you can see a consultant. And finally the current waiting list for Cambridge is about 35 weeks.
https://www.dynamichealth.nhs.uk/appointments/waiting-times/
In the meantime I contacted Cambridge Spire (who a friend was treated with via their insurance) to see if I could get a price for how much it would cost to be seen privately. They tried to ring me once, arranged by email on the Sunday 9th of May to call me back on Monday, and then vanished. Someone (two different someones) finally called me back yesterday, having found the open enquiry down the back of their ticketing system, and they sent me a list of four consultants working out of the Spire Cambridge Lea who do this sort of work, with initial consultation appointments available in the next couple of weeks, who take self-pay patients. Initial appointment is £200-£300. It wasn't entirely clear how many steps there are after that, but £350+ for the MRI guided treatment (and possibly separately more for the MRI itself?) and then at least a follow-up appointment. And probably physio, but they didn't say how much that would cost. But I was thinking we're adding up to around a grand. This looks like the most likely of the consultants:
https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-cambridge-lea-hospital/consultants/mr-niel-kang-c4719317/
(One didn't have an option for self-pay, and the other two didn't specifically mention frozen shoulders)
And then Ruth mentioned Bupa, so I looked them up, and they have an actually useful table of the costs for hydrodilation (also known as hydrodistension, the specific treatment I'm hoping to have), and that would be £1200. Which is maybe a bit more, but at least is a concrete number. I've asked the Spire if they have a similar table anywhere!
https://www.bupa.co.uk/health/payg/muscles-bones-joints/msk-physician-consultation/msk-injections/hydrodilatation-high-volume-injections
So now I'm wondering exactly what to do. I think the first instance is to ring Dynamic Health and say I'd be willing to be seen in Huntingdon, instead of Cambridge, if it really does get the waiting list down from 35 weeks to 13 weeks, but when does that start counting. And then maybe speak to my GP, because the *other* shoulder is starting to hurt, but hasn't yet lost any mobility. Maybe they can do a steroid injection at this phase, and it might head it off? I don't know.
