Frozen Shoulder
Is a condition that leads to pain and stiffness of the shoulder. It is also known as adhesive capsulitis or shoulder contracture.
The symptoms tend to gradually get worse over a number of months or years. You will typically experience shoulder pain for the first two to nine months, which can be severe, followed by increasing stiffness.
The stiffness may affect your ability to carry out everyday activities and, in particularly severe cases, you may not be able to move your shoulder at all.
The condition may improve with time, but this can sometimes take several years.
Symptoms
Pain and persistent stiffness in the shoulder joint are the two main symptoms of a frozen shoulder.
This makes it painful and difficult to carry out the full range of normal shoulder movements. You may find it difficult to perform everyday tasks, such as:
- bathing
- dressing
- driving
- sleeping comfortably
Symptoms vary from mild, with little difference to daily activities, to severe, where it may not be possible to move your shoulder at all.
Stages
The symptoms of a frozen shoulder usually get worse gradually, over a number of months or years.
There are three separate stages to the condition (see below), but sometimes these stages may be difficult to distinguish. The symptoms may also vary greatly from person to person.
Stage one
During stage one, often referred to as the “freezing” phase, your shoulder will start to ache and become very painful when reaching out for things.
The pain is often worse at night and when you lie on the affected side. This stage often lasts for two to nine months.
Stage two
Stage two is often known as the “frozen” phase. Your shoulder may become increasingly stiff, but the pain does not usually get worse and may even decrease.
Your shoulder muscles may start to waste away slightly because they are not being used. This stage usually lasts 4 to 12 months.
Stage three
Stage three is the “thawing” phase. During this period, you will gradually regain some movement in your shoulder. The pain will begin to fade, although it may come back occasionally as the stiffness eases.
You may not regain full movement of your shoulder, but you will be able to carry out many more tasks. Stage three can last from five months to many years.
Treatment
We can treat Frozen Shoulder with Sessions of Shockwave Therapy. The amount of sessions on what phase you are in and how long you have had it. Please give the clinic a call 0404 80005 and we can go through it further, obviously the quicker we treat the better and quicker the results.