Frozen shoulder is a painful condition that affects your shoulder joint. It causes excruciating pain and causes stiffness in the shoulder. Anatomically, your shoulder is made up of three bones: upper arm, shoulder blade, and collarbone. These bones collectively form the ball-and-socket joint that is held together with connective tissues. These tissues are known as the shoulder capsule.
In a frozen shoulder, the shoulder capsule becomes excessively thick, thus restricting movement. The condition of a frozen shoulder may take anywhere between 1 and 3 years to cure.
Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder
The first and most prominent symptom of a frozen shoulder is pain and stiffness. You will persistently feel a dull pain in one shoulder, making it very difficult to move it. Gradually, the pain will spread to the upper arm as well. In most cases, the pain worsens at night.
Typically, in a frozen shoulder, the symptoms experienced can be categorized into the following 3 stages as shown below:
Frozen Shoulder Treatment
The most effective treatment for frozen shoulder involves controlling pain and stiffness and preserving the range of motion in the best possible way. For this, any one of the following treatment methods can be prescribed by your doctor.
Medications
Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or aspirin can be used for easing the pain and inflammation. In case the pain is excruciating, your doctor may prescribe some stronger doses of NSAIDs or pain-relieving medicines.
Therapy
Taking the help of a physical therapist, you can define a set of exercises that can improve your mobility over time. These are basically stretching exercises that serve as an effective frozen shoulder treatment. It is important to properly warm up your shoulder before performing these exercises. It is best to take a hot bath for about 10-15 minutes as that can loosen up the stiffness in your shoulder a little. On the other hand, you can also use a hot towel or a heating pad to warm your shoulder. While performing these exercises, stretch to the point of tension, but not pain as that can aggravate the condition.
Surgical and Other Procedures
Mostly, frozen shoulders get better on their own. Simple strengthening exercises can help to speed up the recovery process. However, in case the symptoms persist for longer than a year without showing any signs of improvement, your doctor may prescribe any one of the following treatments:
Alternative Remedies for Frozen Shoulder Treatment
When to Seek Medical Help?
In case the symptoms persist for longer than usual, it is imperative to consult your doctor for frozen shoulder treatment. The doctor will examine the shoulder joint and check for the range of motion. Depending on the severity of the problem, he will prescribe an appropriate method for shoulder pain relief.