Frozen Shoulder Treatment and Relief

Frozen shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capitalistic, is a disorder that causes pain, stiffness, and loss of normal range of motion in either one or both shoulders. The restricted movement affects both active and passive range of motion.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery, frozen shoulder affects two percent of the general population in the United States at some point in their lives. 
A frozen shoulder is often caused by prolonged immobility or reduced mobility following an injury, illness or a heart, brain, or breast surgery.
The condition usually affects people aged between 50 and 65 and is more common in women than men.
The pain and stiffness caused by frozen shoulder can prevent the patients from performing their routine activities, such as wearing a shirt and overhead motions like combing hair.
The condition usually develops in one shoulder and stretches to the opposite shoulder over time.
Usually, frozen shoulder does not require surgery. However, it may be considered when all other treatments do not help.
Timely treatment of frozen shoulder can help you control the symptoms and prevent permanent pain and stiffness.
Causes of Frozen Shoulder
The exact cause of frozen shoulder is not known. However, experts believe that it develops as a result of inflammation, scarring, thickening or hardening of the capsule that surrounds the shoulder joint.
Common injuries that lead to the frozen shoulder include tendinitis, bursitis, and rotator cuff injury.
People suffering from diabetes are also at an increased risk of developing a frozen shoulder. These patients tend to have a higher degree of stiffness in the shoulder that lasts for a long time. In fact, studies show that 10-20% of people who develop the condition are diabetes patients.
Some other problems associated with the condition include Parkinson's disease, cardiac disease, Tuberculosis, Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and Under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism).
How is a Frozen Shoulder Diagnosed?
If you feel pain or stiffness in your shoulder that makes it difficult for you to move your shoulder, it is advisable to see a doctor. He/she will ask you about your medical history and current symptoms and conduct a physical exam to assess your range of motion.
During the physical exam, your doctor may ask you to raise your hands up, scratch your back, touch your opposite shoulder or perform other movements involving your arms to determine if the pain occurs due to motion.
If necessary, your doctor may also suggest a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) test and X-rays to check for arthritis or other problems in your shoulder.
Signs & Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of frozen shoulder can vary from patient to patient. However, some common symptoms include stiffness, along with muscle, bone, and joint pain in the shoulder. The patients suffering from the condition also experience limited range of motion while trying to move the joint.
How to Treat a Frozen Shoulder?
The experts at MaxWell Medical massage therapy clinic suggest the following treatments to reduce pain and stiffness and restore the normal range of motion of the shoulder.
(1)   Cold or Heat Therapy
Cold or heat compression packs can help reduce pain and swelling from the frozen shoulder. It is recommended to switch between the two therapies for quick results. You can either create your own heat or cold packs or use commercial packs.   
(2)   Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is one of the most common treatments for a frozen shoulder. The treatment typically involves using therapeutic modalities and procedures to reduce pain, restore the normal motion, and improve the mobility of the shoulder.
A physical therapist can also teach you specific exercises and stretches to improve strength, and flexibility of your shoulder and avoid re-injury during the rehabilitation period.
Depending on the extent of scarring of the tissues around the shoulder, your recovery after frozen shoulder therapy may take from 3-4 weeks to several months.
(3)   Over-the-Counter Medications 
Over the counter Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) can greatly help in reducing inflammation and alleviating mild shoulder pain.
However, since not all over-the-counter medications are suitable for every patient, it is important to consult with your doctor before using them.
(4)   TENS Therapy:
Trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses low voltage electric current to relieve pain from frozen shoulder. It is typically performed using a TENS unit, a small battery-operated device that consists of a microcomputer, electrodes, and control settings.
During the treatment, electrodes are placed on the patient’s skin over the painful shoulder, and low-voltage current is sent in the body. These soothing pluses travel along nerve fibers to override the painful signals moving to the brain, which in turn modulates the sensation of pain.
(5)   Shoulder Arthroscopy:
It is a minimally invasive surgery that is recommended when a frozen shoulder does not respond to non-surgical treatment. During this treatment, a surgeon injects fluid into the patient’s shoulder to the joint and sees the structures of your shoulder through an arthroscope. He/she then makes a small puncture in the shoulder for the arthroscope.
Once the problem is detected, the surgeon inserts a small endoscope, or tube, through separate incisions to repair it and then closes them with stitches before covering them up with a soft bandage.
Conclusion
Frozen shoulder is a common problem that is often caused by prolonged immobility. Generally, a frozen shoulder develops gradually and gets worse over several weeks or months.
Frozen shoulder tends to get better steadily on its own, with self-remedies and non-surgical treatments and may take from six months to three years to return to normal strength and range of motion. In some cases, however, the mobility does not restore completely even after several years, and some degree of stiffness remains there.
Patience is the key in your recovery from frozen shoulder. Therefore, it is important to be adherent to your treatment regimen to regain your normal range of motion and maintain optimal long term function.
Regular movement of the shoulder after injury or surgery is an important measure to prevent a frozen shoulder.