Effective Strategies for Managing Frozen Shoulder Pain

Frozen shoulder, medically termed adhesive capsulitis, causes pain, stiffness, and limited shoulder mobility. Excessive shoulder use or injury often triggers this condition, especially in individuals with underlying health issues like stroke or diabetes. The tissues surrounding the shoulder stiffen and form scar tissue, making movements painful and restricted. Symptoms develop gradually, typically resolving over approximately a year. Certain factors, such as injury, chronic illnesses, or inactivity, increase risk, especially among women aged 40-70. Proper management involves alleviating pain and restoring normal shoulder function.

Primary Causes of Frozen Shoulder
Prolonged shoulder immobility due to injury, pain, or health conditions like stroke or diabetes can lead to frozen shoulder. Any shoulder problem, if left unaddressed, may cause this condition. It predominantly affects adults between 40 and 70 years old, with women, especially postmenopausal women, being more prone.

Treatment Options for Frozen Shoulder
The goal of treatment is pain relief and regaining shoulder mobility.

Medications for Pain and Inflammation
Over-the-counter options such as aspirin and ibuprofen are commonly used to reduce pain and swelling. For severe pain, physicians may prescribe stronger anti-inflammatory drugs under supervision.

Diagnostic Procedures
Doctors evaluate restricted shoulder movements during physical exams, and X-rays help exclude fractures or arthritis as causes.

Therapeutic Approaches
Initial treatments include NSAIDs, applying heat or cold packs, and gentle stretching exercises. Corticosteroid injections can alleviate pain and swelling. Physical therapy enhances flexibility and restores motion.

Physical Therapy
Guided exercises from a physical therapist improve shoulder range of motion. Consistent practice accelerates recovery.

Injectable Steroids
When symptoms persist beyond 12-18 months, steroid injections into the joint can significantly lessen pain and improve mobility, especially during early stages.

Joint Distension
Injecting sterile fluid into the joint capsule helps stretch tissues and ease movement.

Shoulder Manipulation
Performed under anesthesia, this procedure involves moving the shoulder to loosen tight tissues and scar tissue.

Surgical Intervention
In rare cases, surgery removes scar tissue and adhesions, often performed with small instruments through minimal incisions.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Maintaining gentle shoulder movement, applying heat or cold, and practicing acupuncture can assist recovery. TENS therapy, which delivers mild electrical impulses to nerve pathways, helps block pain signals and encourages natural pain relief mechanisms.

Early medical consultation is essential to prevent long-term immobility. Diagnosis involves physical examination and imaging, while treatment plans are tailored to individual needs and underlying causes.