Verified By Dr Mohan Krishna Althuri July 25, 2023
4483Frozen shoulder or ‘adhesive capsulitis’ is a very common ailment characterized by a stiff painful shoulder joint. If you have a frozen shoulder, your arm and shoulder movement is significantly limited. You would typically find the shoulder pain getting worse and then finally see improvement. This condition is also referred to as ‘periarthritis” or simply as a “painful stiff shoulder”.
Our shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint that operates like a smooth machine under optimum conditions. However, over time, the joint may accumulate scar tissue from the joint around it growing thicker. As a result, you would not be able to move it as smoothly. This condition is frozen shoulder. The adhesions (stiff tissue) and inflammation of the joint lead to shoulder pain.
Advanced age (over 40), or medical conditions such as diabetes, hormonal imbalance, or a weak immune system could lead to a frozen shoulder. Shoulder pain from a frozen shoulder develops commonly when you are unable to move your arm for a prolonged period (usually several months) due to a serious injury or surgery.
Since it takes a relatively long period for a frozen shoulder to develop, peak, and begin healing, the ailment can be divided into three phases – the freezing stage, the frozen stage, and the thawing stage. Each of these phases has its own distinct symptoms and last for a few months each.
There are multiple factors that could make you more susceptible to developing a frozen shoulder.
Frozen shoulder is usually diagnosed by a doctor through a physical examination that exposes the typical symptoms of the ailment seen in the patient. This is typically followed by a series of other tests, such as an MRI and an X-ray, to confirm frozen shoulder and rule out other possible ailments such as arthritis.
While a frozen shoulder can self-heal over a period of several months to a few years if left untreated, a combination of medical treatments is highly recommended for a speedy and successful recovery.
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Precautions To Prevent Or Manage A Frozen Shoulder
For effective recovery from a frozen shoulder, treatment should be initiated sooner rather than later. Especially if you have shoulder pain due to an injury, opting for early medical help would help you recover much better and be the safest route.
Managing comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and thyroid disorders, would be a good preventative measure to steer clear of a frozen shoulder.
FAQs of Frozen Shoulder:
Frozen shoulder pain is usually a recurring & persistent pain that cripples the patient due to the immobilizing feeling.
The best treatment for a frozen shoulder is a holistic physical therapy schedule. While this is the safest and most affordable way to curb shoulder pain, sometimes surgery is best-suited, for instance, if an injury is involved.
A frozen shoulder may take anywhere between 2- 21 months to heal adequately. In some severe cases, the recovery may not be complete. In such cases, you may find yourself still struggling with mobility when performing household chores and suffer sporadic bursts of pain.
Massaging a frozen shoulder would be very beneficial as this will help improve circulation and calm the inflammation. Applying an ice pack for 15 minutes every day is considered an integral part of home-care for patients as this would help relax muscles and reduce swelling.
The doctor usually diagnoses a frozen shoulder through physical examination that tests the range of motion permitted by your shoulder and the associated pain experienced. Other tests like MRIs and X-Rays substantiate this diagnosis and rule out other ailments such as an impending heart attack (left shoulder pain is typically considered a symptom), arthritis, tear in the rotator cuff, and tendonitis.
Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon Arthroplasty, Arthroscopy & Trauma Surgeon Apollo Hospitals, Jubille Hills, Hyderabad