We often undervalue our shoulders and forget that they play a vital role in letting us perform all the daily…
We often undervalue our shoulders and forget that they play a vital role in letting us perform all the daily activities. Simple movements such as reaching an arm back to put on a coat, taking a book off an overhead shelf, or even a simple morning stretch turns nearly impossible if the shoulders are weak. Shoulder stiffness is common. But, if you’re experiencing a severe seizure in your shoulders or feeling your shoulders go freeze or struck when kept in one position for a long time and if the pain gets worsens over time, it may be “Frozen shoulder” and if any doubt then it is advised to consult an orthopedician at the earliest to diagnose and address this condition.
Frozen shoulder medically termed as “adhesive capsulitis” is the most common causes of shoulder pain. The typical symptoms of frozen shoulder include severe and painful seizures and stiffness of muscles around the shoulders that may be followed by periods of immobilisation. The resulting disability can turn more critical and tends to get worse if left untreated. Frozen shoulders are mostly experienced by people of age 40 to 60 and are more common in women than men.
What are the causes of Frozen Shoulder?
The shoulder often freezes because of inactivity for an extended period, which may either be due to surgery, injury, trauma or illness making you more vulnerable to inflammation and adhesions, which are bands of frozen tissues.
Frozen shoulder mainly due to inflammation, thickening, scarring, or shrinkage of the capsule that surrounds the shoulder joint. Any injury to the shoulder may lead to frozen shoulder, including bursitis, tendinitis, and rotator cuff syndrome. Frozen shoulders occur more frequently in people with risk factors of diabetes, chronic inflammatory shoulder arthritis, or after chest or breast surgery. Long-term immobility of the shoulder joint can put people at higher risk to develop a frozen shoulder.
What are the symptoms of Frozen Shoulder?
A frozen shoulder does not happen suddenly, but it amplifies over a period, and the main symptoms include:
- Limited movement of arm
- Pain that often worsens at night
- Stiff muscle
What are the stages of the Frozen shoulder?
- Stage 1- Freezing, or painful stage
The shoulders become sore, painful and stiff during movement. Movements get limited. The pain worsens at night.
- Stage 2 – Frozen, or adhesive stage
The shoulders become increasingly stiff, rigorously limiting the range of motion. Pain may not diminish, but it does not usually worsen.
- Stage 3 – Thawing stage
Movements start to improve. Pain may fade but may also reoccur.
How to diagnose Frozen shoulder?
If the physical examination show limited shoulder movements, your doctor might suspect it as a frozen shoulder. An X-ray may be done to examine whether symptoms are for frozen shoulders or any other underlying health condition such as fracture or osteoarthritis.
What are the treatment options for Frozen shoulders?
Treatment for frozen shoulders involves frequent stretching and sometimes injecting corticosteroids and numbing medications into the joint capsule. In some cases, surgeries may also be recommended to loosen the joint capsule. Non-pharmacological pain control methods include PEMF therapy devices like Vega, developed by Sensonica.
Even complementary therapies like physical therapy is often essential for recovery and can include ultrasound, electrical stimulation, range-of-motion exercise manoeuvres, stretching, ice packs, and eventually strengthening exercises.
