Frozen Shoulder: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Treatments for Pain Relief
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, involves stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. Over time, the shoulder becomes very hard to move.
Signs and symptoms typically begin slowly, then get worse.
After a period of worsening symptoms, a frozen shoulder tends to get better, although full recovery may take up to 3 years.
Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly in three stages.
- Freezing stage.Any movement of the shoulder causes pain, and the shoulder’s ability to move becomes limited. This stage lasts from 2 to 9 months.
- Frozen stage.Pain might lessen during this stage. However, the shoulder becomes stiffer. Using it becomes more difficult. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.
- Thawing stage.The shoulder’s ability to move begins to improve. This stage lasts from 5 to 24 months.
For some people, the pain worsens at night, sometimes disrupting sleep.
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, typically presents with the following signs and symptoms:
- Pain: Persistent dull or aching pain in the shoulder joint, typically located deep within the shoulder and often worse at night. The pain may radiate down the arm.
- Stiffness: Gradual onset of stiffness in the shoulder joint. This stiffness progressively worsens over time and is often the most prominent symptom.
- Limited Range of Motion: Difficulty or inability to move the shoulder joint through its full range of motion. This limitation affects both active movements (when you move your shoulder yourself) and passive movements (when someone else moves your shoulder for you).
- Loss of Function: Difficulty performing everyday activities that involve shoulder movement, such as reaching overhead, reaching behind the back, or putting on clothes.
- Progressive Nature: Symptoms usually develop gradually over weeks to months. The shoulder may feel increasingly tight and restricted.
- Pain at Rest: Pain may worsen when the shoulder is at rest, especially during the night, leading to disrupted sleep patterns.
- Muscle Atrophy: In some cases, muscles around the shoulder joint may begin to weaken or atrophy (shrink) due to lack of use.
It’s important to note that frozen shoulder can affect one or both shoulders, although it usually occurs in only one shoulder at a time.
If you suspect you have frozen shoulder or are experiencing symptoms, it’s essential to seek evaluation and treatment from a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or physiotherapist, who can provide an accurate diagnosis and recommend appropriate management strategies to alleviate symptoms and improve shoulder function.
Conservative Treatment Options:
- Pain Management:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen may be prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Physical Therapy:
- Stretching Exercises: Gentle stretching exercises help to improve range of motion gradually. These are usually prescribed by a physical therapist and should be performed regularly.
- Strengthening Exercises: Once pain begins to subside, exercises to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder joint can help improve stability and function.
- Heat and Cold Therapy:
- Applying heat or cold packs to the shoulder can help reduce pain and inflammation. Heat may be used before stretching exercises to improve flexibility, while cold therapy can help after activities to reduce swelling.
- Steroid Injections:
- Corticosteroid injections directly into the shoulder joint can help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain, especially in the early stages of frozen shoulder.
Rehabilitation:
- Home Exercises: Patients are often prescribed specific exercises to perform at home to maintain and improve shoulder mobility.
- Patient Education: Understanding the condition and adhering to the prescribed treatment plan, including exercises and modifications in activities, is crucial for successful recovery.
- Follow-up: Regular follow-up appointments with a healthcare provider or physical therapist to monitor progress and adjust treatment as necessary.
Exercises for frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, should be gentle and aimed at gradually improving range of motion and reducing stiffness.
Here are some exercises that are commonly recommended:
- Pendulum stretch:
– Lean over slightly and support the unaffected arm on a table or chair.
– Let the affected arm hang down.
– Gently swing the arm in small circles, about a foot in diameter.
– Perform 10 circles clockwise and 10 counterclockwise.
– Repeat several times a day.
- Finger walk:
– Stand facing a wall with your fingertips touching the wall at waist level.
– Walk your fingers up the wall as far as you comfortably can.
– Repeat several times, gradually increasing the height as your shoulder improves.
- Cross-body reach:
– Use your unaffected arm to lift your affected arm at the elbow.
– Gently and slowly pull your affected arm across your body towards the opposite shoulder.
– Hold for 15-30 seconds.
– Repeat 10-15 times, gradually increasing the stretch.
- Towel stretch:
– Hold a towel behind your back with both hands, one end in each hand.
– Use your unaffected arm to pull the affected arm upward gently.
– Hold for 15-30 seconds.
– Repeat 10-15 times, increasing the stretch as tolerated.
- Armpit stretch:
– Use your unaffected arm to lift the affected arm onto a shelf at shoulder level.
– Gently bend your knees forward until you feel a stretch in your armpit and shoulder.
– Hold for 15-30 seconds.
– Repeat 10-15 times.
It’s important to perform these exercises gently and slowly, without forcing the movement or causing pain. Gradually increase the range of motion as your shoulder improves. If you have any concerns or if the pain worsens, consult with a healthcare professional or a physical therapist for guidance tailored to your specific condition.
If you leave it untreated it can result in severe Pain especially at night and also while resting along with severe loss of Range of Motion which makes it difficult to complete Activities of daily living like combing, wearing clothes, reaching to pockets Etc.
At Synchrony we use to deal with it through our evidence-based rehabilitation approach which includes Manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilizations and manipulations can help restore normal joint mechanics and improve range of motion in the shoulder.
This is crucial because frozen shoulder is characterized by a progressive loss of shoulder movement.
Manual therapy can help alleviate pain associated with frozen shoulder. Techniques like soft tissue mobilization, massage, and gentle stretching can reduce muscle tension and improve circulation, which can decrease pain levels.
In frozen shoulder, adhesions (abnormal bands of tissue) form within the joint capsule, restricting movement. Manual therapy techniques, particularly joint mobilizations, can help break down these adhesions and restore normal joint function.
By improving joint mobility, reducing pain, and breaking adhesions, manual therapy can facilitate the body’s natural healing processes.
This can accelerate recovery and help prevent long-term stiffness and disability.
Later to involve in Exercise based program to further enhanced and maintaining the shoulder flexibility, strength& Endurance and better painfree and strong functioning of joint.
At Synchrony, Treatment of frozen shoulder is tailored to each individual’s symptoms and stage of the condition. Conservative measures are typically effective in most cases, especially when started early. However, patience is key as recovery can be slow, often taking several months to years to achieve full resolution of symptoms.
For individuals with underlying conditions such as diabetes, managing blood sugar levels is essential to optimize treatment outcomes.
