Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is when the shoulder capsule swells, stiffens and restricts mobility of the joint. It is a painful and often debilitating condition. However there is hope for treatment. Here are four ways to help frozen shoulder without surgery or drugs.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Symptoms have a gradual onset and slow progression. Patients often don’t seek medical advice until the symptoms are advanced. By then the pain is severe and range of movement is already limited.
The first stage is the ‘painful stage’. This is where pain occurs in the shoulder and the range of movement starts to become limited.
The second stage is the ‘frozen stage’ where the shoulder freezes and range of motion becomes limited.
The third stage is the ‘thawing stage’ where the range begins to improve again. This can often last between 12 to 42 months. Symptoms can often be worse at night, disrupting normal sleep patterns and increasing stress levels.
Who gets adhesive capsulitis?
Doctors aren’t sure why this happens to some people and not to others. Although it’s more likely to occur in people who have experienced prolonged immobilisation of their shoulder, such as after surgery or an arm fracture. Or have had an injury to the shoulder such as a fall or blow. The exact cause is unknown, and often misdiagnosed.
Risk factors include age (between 40 and 70 years old), gender (female), reduced mobility, previous rotator cuff injury, and some systemic diseases such as diabetes, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism), cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis and Parkinson’s disease.
What is the treatment?
Your GP will prescribe anti-inflammatory or cortisone medications. However, there is little evidence to support their effectiveness.
Injections into the joint are often prescribed however, they produce varied results. They can cause further pain and damage throughout the joint and supporting structures.
Surgery should only be considered after three months or more of non-effective conservative treatments. An arthroscope is the usual method for diagnosis and treatment. Although it is only likely to reduce the term of the pain on average by a few weeks, when compared to physical therapy.
Are there any complications?
Typically there are no long-term complications of adhesive capsulitis. There is a small chance of the condition returning or presenting in the other shoulder.
Four Ways to Help Frozen Shoulder
1. Physical Therapy including massage
Manipulation and stretching of the joint, in conjunction with massage, can help manage pain and increase range of motion. Massage can also help manage pain associated with compensation for the limited range of the shoulder.
2. Gentle stretching exercises
Stretching the rotator cuff in all it’s directions can help increase the range of the shoulder and ease muscle tension. Be sure to not force any movement and risk further damage to the joint.
Read here for suggested stretches
3. Heat and ice
Use ice to ease any inflammation and pain for ten minutes at a time. When you are resting the shoulder, use heat on the surrounding muscles to reduce tension.
4. Relaxation
Ten to thirty minutes of relaxation a day, techniques like meditation will help ease any heightened nerve activity and pain. Relaxation will also help reduce your stress levels, manage the pain naturally and improve sleep quality.
