Frozen shoulder, scientifically referred to as adhesive capsulitis, paints a very painful picture and causes restraint of movements of the shoulder joint. The hollow inside the joint of the shoulder becomes thicker and tightens, which affects the movement of the shoulders and brings about the associated pain.
This painful happening usually happens in three major stages, which could stretch into several months or, at times, years. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment become crucial to recovery.
Signs and Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder
There are mainly 4 stages of Frozen Shoulder out of which 3 are of primary importance:
1.Freezing phase
- Pain at night that keeps increasing with the shoulder moving.
- Pain continues to increase, causing difficulty in raising or swinging an arm or shoulder.
- Period lasts from about 6 weeks to 9 months.2. Frozen Stage
- With pain diminishing more and more, the shoulder motory dependency becomes restricted.
- Moving a shoulder while doing activities of daily living becomes almost impossible.
- Duration: 4 to 12 months.3. Thawing Stage
- Hopefully, in the end, the mobility of the shoulder goes back to normal.
- Recovery might take anything between 6 months to 2 years for a full 100% recovery.
They may mean a dull ache in such areas as the shoulder and upper arm; it could make it quite difficult to lift them or rotate them, and it would radiate down the affected side of the arm.
What Causes Frozen Shoulder?
Well, frozen shoulders might not be entirely understood as being the cause of several factors, but at least one may be attributed to them.
1. Injury or Surgery
- Trauma or surgery that proved to immobilize shoulder activity would lead to a frozen shoulder.2. Chronic Disease
- It has been noticed that 20% of diabetics develop frozen shoulders during their lives.
- Some of the related disorders hypothyroidism gives a higher chance to develop this disorder
3. Autoimmunity Factors
- Intense activity of the immune system can result in blockage formation in joints, thereby limiting shoulder movement.
Frozen shoulder treatment
The treatment involves postoperative analgesia with mobilization of the joints and elbow and shoulder mobility. Some of those have been listed below:
- Rehabilitation:
- Assist in shoulder range of motion frozen shoulder exercises.
- Treatment via physical therapy is the mainstay of Frozen shoulders management and can take months to obtain perfect recovery.
2. Medications:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, are used for pain and inflammation, and corticosteroid injections are used for short fixes in severe cases.
3. Hot and cold therapy:
This involves the use of hot packs and cold packs alternately to relieve pain and facilitate muscle relaxation in the shoulder area.
Conclusion:
Frozen shoulders are painful and restrictive and can often take years to recover fully from. Early diagnosis and a continued effort at treatment, especially regarding physiotherapy and pain management, will be key factors to recovery.
Anyone suffering acute shoulder pain should consult an orthopaedic surgeon as early as possible so that the most effective treatment can be applied and, ultimately, the prognosis improved.