Causes and Treatment of Frozen Shoulder Pain

For a patient with frozen shoulder, pain becomes a way of life until the inflammation subsides. Along with this pain comes a significant loss of range of motion. Frozen shoulder is also called adhesive capsulitis, a name that is appropriate due to the fact that the capsule of the shoulder becomes stuck due to the accumulation of scar tissue.

Frozen shoulder pain can be caused by any number of conditions, including scar tissue, inflammation, shortening or thickening of the tendons in the shoulder capsule, tendonitis, or bursitis. An injury to the rotator cuff can also cause the symptoms of frozen shoulder because many injuries require a period of immobility which can cause stiffness…

Patients with chronic-inflammatory arthritis in the shoulder, diabetes, or have had some type of chest surgery are more prone to having a bout of frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder pain is often mimicked by other similar conditions such as arthritis in the shoulder which might cause pain, swelling, and stiffness, and rotator cuff injuries. The difference between frozen shoulder and rotator cuff injuries is that with frozen shoulder the patient’s range of motion is totally restricted, whereas with a rotator cuff injury, it is generally not restricted in all directions, only specific ones.

Treatment of frozen shoulder pain must be swift and aggressive. This is because, if left untreated, the condition may result in permanent paralysis of the shoulder joint. Treatment usually includes an injection of cortisone right into the capsule of the shoulder, anti-inflammatories taken orally, and physical therapy.

Most physical therapy for frozen shoulder pain includes deep-heat ultrasound treatments, stretching exercises, and strengthening exercises. The speed with which the frozen shoulder is treated will make all of the difference in how long the recovery period needs to be. Typically, recovery can take between several weeks and several months.

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