Frozen shoulder is a condition where you are unable to move your shoulder freely. This may be the result of an injury, excess stress on your shoulder, diabetes, or a stroke. A frozen shoulder is characterized by pain and stiffness in the shoulder.

It is also more prevalent in people in the ages of 40 to 70, especially women. Usually, this condition gets better on its own over the course of about 12 to 15 months. Frozen shoulder treatment mostly includes pain management and flexibility enhancement.

Frozen shoulder treatment
Physiotherapy for frozen shoulders: Physiotherapists typically prescribe a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises, massage, and heat and cold therapy.

• Stretching exercises: It is a good idea to physically warm your shoulders before starting the exercises by applying a heat pack. Some common stretch exercises are:
• Pendulum stretch: Lean over a table and allow the affected arm to hang by your side. Swing the arm in clockwise and anti-clockwise circles, 10 times each. As the pain recedes, try increasing the diameter of the circles
• Finger walk: Place the fingertips of your affected arm on the wall while facing towards it. Then extend your fingers one before the other so that your fingers start walking. Take your hands as far above your head as you can and then back to waist level. Repeat this 10 to 20 times.
• Crossbody stretch: Stretch your arms in front of your body, move your affected arm to the opposite side of your body and press it with your other arm as much as you can bear. Repeat with the other arm. Hold the stretch for 15-30s.
• Strengthening exercises: Once movement improves with stretching, you can move to strengthening exercises. Make sure that your body is appropriately warmed up with stretches before attempting these exercises. Rubber-band exercises are popular and can be done at home. Keeping one end of the rubber-band constant, stretch the other end with the affected hand for 10 repetitions outward and then in the other direction.

Heat and cold therapy: Applying an ice or heat pack to the shoulder relieves the pain to some extent, especially in the initial stages. The packs should be used for around 20 minutes, with a 2-hour interval between sessions. Take care not to apply ice directly to the skin, as it may cause ice burns. You can apply heat and ice packs alternately.

Pain medications: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are used to reduce inflammation and pain. These drugs are easily available without a prescription. Ibuprofen is one such drug, which dulls the chemical signals in the shoulders that cause inflammation. Paracetamol and codeine are two such painkillers that can be bought off the counter.

Corticosteroid injection: In cases where nothing else helps the pain, epidural steroid injections offer relief. These are administered via X-ray injections. Steroids reduce inflammation in the affected area. However, the effect of this frozen shoulder treatment wears off within a few months. It is inadvisable to go for this too frequently, as there are many side effects associated with the intake of steroids.

Arthroscopic capsular release: A frozen shoulder is the result of the formation of scar tissues or stiffened tissues around the shoulder joint that hinder the movement of the joint. These tissues are usually formed due to an injury. Arthroscopic capsular release is a keyhole surgery, where the thickened parts of the shoulder area (which hinder movement) are removed using high-frequency radio waves. Although surgery is generally not necessary for a frozen shoulder, it may be advised in case of severe pain and discomfort.

Hydrodilatation: A mixture of steroids, saline and anesthetic is injected into the tissues around the shoulder joint. This procedure is done under local anesthesia and is generally a safe procedure. It may offer immediate relief, but the effect lasts only for a few months, as in the case of administration of corticosteroid injections.

Lifestyle remedies: The condition of frozen shoulders can be prevented or stopped from getting worse by following the below lifestyle checks:

• Stretching exercises: If you follow an overly sedentary lifestyle, it is advisable to include exercises into your daily routine; stretches are a vital part of this. Include shoulder rotations and arm exercises to keep your muscles active
• Posture check: Keep your shoulders slightly rolled back while sitting, and avoid slouching.
• Properly managing conditions like diabetes and thyroid: One of the prime causes of frozen shoulders is diabetes. It is necessary to keep your body active through gentle exercises and proper diet to avoid the disease from affecting your muscular and skeletal system. People with both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are at risk of developing a frozen shoulder. Following these frozen shoulder treatments and keeping these conditions under control through medication, and sticking to a prescribed diet, can help you avoid a painful shoulder.