While the thought of frozen creams, yogurts, and berries is tempting for almost all of us, the term ‘frozen’ takes on a much less appealing meaning when it refers to a frozen shoulder, a condition that brings pain and discomfort with no delight.
What Is A Frozen Shoulder? What Are The Symptoms Of Frozen Shoulder?
Before the medical aspects of a frozen shoulder are understood. Let us get into what changes in the one experience that may lead them to think something is going odd with the shoulder movement.
Are you experiencing simple motions, like reaching up to grab a cup from a high shelf or brushing your hair, becoming challenging tasks? It may be that you are experiencing a frozen shoulder, where your shoulder joint becomes so stiff and painful that everyday activities are affected.
In medical terms, a frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition where one experiences stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint.
It develops gradually, gets worse over time, and then resolves, often within one to three years, by following the do’s and don’ts for frozen shoulders. Before we discuss the do’s and don’ts for a frozen shoulder, let us help you understand the symptoms of a frozen shoulder.
Symptoms Of Frozen Shoulder
The symptoms of a frozen shoulder typically develop gradually and progress through stages. The condition can last for several months to a few years.
Common symptoms include:
Pain: Frozen shoulder pain is a dull pain that worsens over time. The ones who have experienced it say that the pain is usually felt deep within the shoulder and felt more at night. It may also affect their sleep quality.
Stiffness: Frozen shoulder doesn’t happen over time. It is a condition that progresses over time, and one experiences increasing stiffness in the shoulder joint. It is this gradual increase in the levels of stiffness that makes it difficult to perform daily activities (involving shoulder movement) such as reaching overhead, dressing, or combing your hair.
Limited Range of Motion: With the onset of stiffness, one experiences little movement in the shoulder. Simple shoulder movements like difficulty in raising your arm, rotating it, or reaching behind your back become a challenge over time.
Gradual Onset: Frozen shoulder often progresses through three stages:
- Freezing Stage: It is the stage where the range of motion becomes limited as the pain and stiffness are high.
- Frozen Stage: In this stage, pain may decrease, but the shoulder remains stiff, and the range of motion is significantly restricted.
- Thawing Stage: At this stage the condition of the shoulder gradually begins to improve, and the range of motion starts to return. This stage can take several months to years.
Please note, not all shoulder pain and stiffness are due to a frozen shoulder. Conditions like rotator cuff injuries or osteoarthritis can have similar symptoms. Suppose you think your condition is a frozen shoulder. Consult a healthcare professional to confirm the same and learn about the do’s and don’ts for frozen shoulders for effective treatment.
Do’s & Don’ts For Frozen Shoulder
These are the general guidelines, as treatment approaches vary depending on the severity of your frozen shoulder.
Do’s for Frozen Shoulder:
- Make sure that you follow the treatment plan made by your healthcare provider with full dedication. From physical therapy to medications and home exercises, do everything as recommended.
- Try to take physical therapy from certified physical therapists. They shall help you with exercises that shall improve shoulder mobility and strength. Make sure that you do the exercises the right way, as consistency is key to making progress.
- If the pain seems to be not getting better, then you may take pain-relieving medications as directed by your healthcare provider.
- Apply heat or cold packs that are from reputed manufacturers and medically approved. Frozen shoulders definitely get comfort from heat or cold therapy. For this, we suggest using heat/ice pads from Express Heat Therapy. They are the leading distributor of instant heat pads. Many healthcare providers recommend their range of heating and cooling pads to help reduce pain and inflammation.
- If recommended, use supportive devices such as slings or braces to immobilize your shoulder and reduce strain.
- Maintain proper posture. Do not slouch or round your shoulders to prevent additional stress on your shoulder joint.
- Give your shoulder adequate rest. Avoid activities that worsen your symptoms or cause discomfort. Please note you may continue to do low-impact exercises for overall fitness.
Don’ts for Frozen Shoulder:
- Avoid overloading your shoulder
- Avoid high-impact Sports
- Don’t push through pain
- Avoid reaching overhead. It may strain the shoulder joint.
- Avoid prolonged immobility for extended periods, as this can contribute to stiffness.
- Continue with your follow-up appointments.
In these general and safe do’s and don’ts for frozen shoulder, there is the mention of ice or heat to manage the frozen shoulder. Though there is some confusion regarding Which is Better for Treating Frozen Shoulder: Ice or Heat?
Here is the answer for the same:
- Use ice (cold therapy) for pain and swelling during the early stages of a frozen shoulder.
- Opt for heat (warm therapy) to relax muscles and improve mobility in the later stages.
- If you have any doubts before beginning any of these therapies, consult with your healthcare provider for tailored recommendations.
