My Shoulder is Frozen?

The syndrome known as Frozen Shoulder is characterised by painful loss of movement of the shoulder joint. In this case, the word "frozen" is analogous to "stiff". "Adhesive Capsulitis" is a medical term for this syndrome. Frozen shoulder, usually affects one shoulder at a time, although some people may eventually develop frozen shoulder in the opposite shoulder.
Signs and symptoms
Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly, and in three stages. Each of these stages can last a number of months:
Painful stage. During this stage, pain occurs with any movement of your shoulder 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 your range of motion decreases notably. Avoid extreme movements that cause pain during this stage. But, you can and should continue normal use of your shoulder. Thawing stage. During the thawing stage, the range of motion in your shoulder begins to improve.
For some people, the pain worsens at night, sometimes disrupting normal sleep patterns.
With treatments recommended by their doctors and through self-care efforts, most people with frozen shoulder eventually regain nearly full shoulder range of motion and strength as signs and symptoms improve.
The capsule surrounding the shoulder joint becomes thickened and contracted. A decrease in the amount of synovial fluid inside the capsule (fluid that supplies and lubricates the joint) decreases. The result is restriction of movement of the shoulder accompanied by pain. This restriction affects only certain movements of the shoulder, thus presenting a specific pattern.
Why the syndrome occurs is a bit of a mystery. It is more common in people between the ages of forty and sixty years and is often associated with a bursitis. It can occur in athletes following trauma if the shoulder is immobilized for an excessive period of time, but this seldom happens. Many people acquire the syndrome without any specific at all. It may develop in people following a virus and can even affect both shoulders of an individual consecutively over a period of years.
Pain, stiffness and recovery are the three phases of the frozen shoulder syndrome, which together can last for up to two years. In some cases it is possible that early intervention in the syndrome can help prevent the progression to a fully developed frozen shoulder and its lengthy involvement.
Maintaining a good range of motion is important but this must be done respecting pain limitations. Please be advised that ignoring the problem and compensating with the other arm is likely to contribute to further progression of this syndrome.
Warning signs to watch for are a progressive restriction of shoulder movement accompanied by varying degrees of pain. Other significant findings include waking up at night, being unable to lie on the given shoulder and pain radiating to the elbow or hand.
Seeing your GP early on is important so that other pathologies can be ruled out, and may help prevent the syndrome from becoming prolonged.
Medication can be indicated in some cases.
However can play a very important role in educating an individual on exercises appropriate for each stage of this syndrome in order to optimize healing time and pain management. This is usually done in "bouts" with long term monitoring of the condition. Frozen shoulders, as mysteriously as they come on, can self-resolve almost spontaneously after two years has elapsed.
However, proper management and education can certainly optimize a sufferer's function and productivity during the prolonged course of the syndrome.
Terry O'Brien Back Trouble UK backtrouble.co.uk

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