Is a Pinched Nerve Causing Your Nagging Back Pain?
Do you have back pain that radiates into your buttocks or leg? You may have a pinched nerve. Learn what causes pinched nerves in the spine and how to get effective pain relief.
Understanding Frozen Shoulder: Causes and Treatment Options
Shoulder pain and stiffness have many causes. But when the discomfort worsens to the point that you can barely move your shoulder, you may have a condition called frozen shoulder. This painful joint problem significantly limits shoulder movement, causing the supportive tissue to become inflamed, thickened, and tight, making activities even more difficult.
At Orthopedic & Wellness in Waldorf, Frederick, and Germantown, Maryland, Dr. Ojedepo Ojeyemi understands your frustration when dealing with frozen shoulder. Here, we explain what frozen shoulder is, why it occurs, and the treatment options available to restore mobility and comfort.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, occurs when the shoulder capsule thickens and stiffens, causing pain and limiting movement. The shoulder capsule is the strong connective tissue that surrounds your shoulder joint, securing the ball joint of the upper arm in the socket joint of the shoulder blade.
The condition often starts with shoulder pain that leads you to limit movement. Over time, this lack of movement causes the capsule to tighten and thicken, further restricting motion and increasing thickness.
How did your shoulder freeze?
Researchers are still looking into the underlying cause of frozen shoulder, but it occurs from inflammation and stiffening of the connective tissue. Certain factors seem to increase your risk of developing the condition, including age, gender, and shoulder health.
You’re more likely to experience this shoulder condition between ages 40 and 70, and it’s more common in women. While frozen shoulder affects about 2% of the general population, people with diabetes are five times more likely to experience it. The connection between frozen shoulder and diabetes is unclear, but it’s believed that excess sugar in the blood may change the structure of the shoulder capsule, making it thick and stiff.
Frozen shoulder can also develop after periods of immobilization, such as following a shoulder injury or surgery, when movement is limited for an extended period of time.
Treatment options for frozen shoulder
Pain management is a first-line treatment for frozen shoulder and may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hot and cold therapy, or joint injections. Stretching and range of motion exercises provided by a physical therapist is also part of the treatment plan.
When traditional interventions fail to alleviate symptoms, we may try hydrodilation. For this procedure, we inject sterile saline into the shoulder to improve movement.
If the pain and immobility continues we may recommend procedures like shoulder manipulation or arthroscopic surgery to break up the tightened tissue.
Even without surgical intervention, it can take up to three years for a frozen shoulder to improve.
Expert care for your shoulder pain
If you’re at risk for frozen shoulder, daily stretching and gentle range-of-motion exercises may help prevent the condition. Keeping the joint mobile after injury or surgery and seeking help for your pain and stiffness right away can also reduce risk.
Although frozen shoulder can improve over time without treatment, professional medical care may help speed up the process and restore quality of life. If you’re experiencing shoulder pain and stiffness, our team at Orthopedic & Wellness can find the cause and create a personalized plan.
Call us today or book an appointment online to get the expert care you need.
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