Frozen shoulder is a lot more common than you think and the condition is exactly what the name implies, the movement in the shoulder is severely restricted, usually due to pain in movement and the shoulder is for all purposes -”frozen”. The actual name of this condition is “adhesive capsulitis” and is often a result of an injury that lead to lack of use of the shoulder due to pain in movement.

Another reason for the condition is the progression of arthritis and also shoulder surgeries are often to blame. Individuals that will have a high risk for suffering a frozen shoulder include people suffering from diabetes stroke victims, people suffering lung disease, arthritis sufferers, individuals with heart disease and people that have had accidents injuring the shoulder and haven’t rehabilitated the injury. An interesting statistic about frozen shoulder is that it is rarely seen in people under the age of 40.

Diagnosing Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder is usually very easy to spot. The joint of the area becomes so stiff and tight that it is nearly impossible to move. Simple body movements such as raising the arm are nearly impossible to do. Many people with frozen shoulder will comment that their shoulder area is worse at night. To get a 100% diagnosis, your physician will do an arthrogram on the area.

Frozen Shoulder Treatment

The treatment of frozen shoulder will begin slowly and increase as the level of pain in movement subsides. In most cases, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs will be given and the heat will be applied to the shoulder frequently to help relax and loosen the muscles. Then gentle stretching exercises will be done and the repetitions of these exercises will be very slowly increased over a period of many days. This is usually done with the help of a therapist and should never be attempted without medical supervision as you can actually tear the muscle and worsen the condition.

A more high-tech approach to the pain of frozen shoulder is found with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). This is basically a small, battery-operated unit that delivers nerve impulses that block pain. It is a pain blocker of choice method for many people and for other people it simply will not work. General manipulation of the shoulder area under general anesthesia is also sometimes necessary for a shoulder that has been allowed to “freeze” for a long period of time.

Once you begin treatment however, continue the regimen of daily stretching, heat and exercise and you should be able to have a shoulder that is back to 100% functioning in the near future.