Frozen Shoulder Treatment

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in your shoulder joint. The tissues around the joint stiffens, scar tissue forms, and shoulder movements become difficult and painful. The bones, ligaments and tendons that make up your shoulder joint are encased in a capsule of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder occurs when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting its movement.

Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly, and in three stages. Each stage can last a number of months.

• • Freezing stage. Any movement of your shoulder causes pain, and your shoulder’s range of motion starts to become limited.

• • Frozen stage. Pain may begin to diminish during this stage. However, your shoulder becomes stiffer, and using it becomes more difficult.

• • Thawing stage. The range of motion in your shoulder begins to improve.

Signs and symptoms typically begin gradually, worsen over time and then resolve, usually within one or two years. Your risk of developing frozen shoulder increases if you’re recovering from a medical condition or from a procedure that affects the mobility of your arm — such as a stroke or a mastectomy.

Common symptoms of frozen shoulder

• • • Pain and stiffness of shoulder

• • • Pain sometimes occurred by raising or lowering the arm

• • • Loss of mobility and strength in affected arm

• • • Pain when sleeping on the affected side

Treatment for frozen shoulder involves stretching exercises and, sometimes, the injection of corticosteroids and numbing medications into the joint capsule. In a small percentage of cases, surgery may be needed to loosen the joint capsule so that it can move more freely.

Most frozen shoulder treatment involves controlling shoulder pain and preserving as much range of motion in the shoulder as possible. It is advised and recommended to see Dr Siow for a professional treatment if the pain persists after long period of rest or home treatment.