Medically known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder creates pain and stiffness in one shoulder, starting gradually, worsening, then eventually passing in a cycle that can take years. In most cases, you won’t develop frozen shoulder in that arm again, but you might on the other side.
The musculoskeletal injury specialists at New Tampa Interventional Pain and Sports Medicine can help you when self-care provides limited benefits. While recovery can still be a long haul, medical intervention can minimize pain and preserve range of motion.
Adhesive capsulitis typically moves through three stages. First, you go through the freezing stage, where pain increases and shoulder mobility reduces, usually over a period lasting up to nine months.
The frozen stage limits the shoulder’s movements. You’ll still have pain, but it may ease up when compared to your experience during the freezing period. Using your shoulder is the most difficult in the frozen stage. The frozen stage can last up to a year.
Thawing of the shoulder sees a gradual return of mobility as well as a reduction of pain until the shoulder returns to normal. The thawing stage lasts anywhere from five months to two years.
If you suspect you’re entering the freezing stage, we can run tests to confirm that the issue is frozen shoulder and not another joint disorder. Treatments are mostly conservative and designed to work through the adhesions that freeze up the shoulder capsule.
Immobilizing the shoulder is not recommended for frozen shoulder. In fact, lack of movement may be a contributing cause to the problem. The goals for treatment seek to reduce pain and restore mobility.
We can help with physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, prescription pain medication, and other treatments. You can likely speed up your recovery with attention to your condition at home.
Frozen shoulder pain is usually manageable with over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They also help to minimize tissue irritation in the joint. Acetaminophen can also help to reduce pain after physical therapy.
Continuing certain shoulder exercises at home can help you recover shoulder mobility. Avoid exercises that require overhead movement or other positions that trigger pain. The idea is to gently stretch the limits of motion to the point of tension, to slowly regain range. Warming your shoulder with a shower or heating pad prior to stretching can help.
Full recovery from frozen shoulder can be slow, though your efforts make the transition more manageable. Contact the team at New Tampa Interventional Pain and Sports Medicine as your therapeutic partners through the frozen shoulder experience. Book your appointment over the phone or through the online link at the top of this page today.
