A lot of people have heard about this condition it is a very painful condition of the shoulder what this does is not only pain it also restricts the movements in all directions so you are unable to move your shoulder you also can have severe night pain which affects your sleep if these symptoms are there then you could be suffering from frozen shoulder.
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition affecting the joint capsule of the shoulder. It is characterized by inflammation of the capsule, leading to pain and stiffness with shoulder movements.
Frozen shoulder is categorized as either primary or secondary. Primary frozen shoulder occurs for no clear reason, while secondary frozen shoulder develops following an injury or surgery of the joint.
Frozen shoulder usually follows a typical pattern and can be separated into three stages, freezing, frozen and thawing. The pain begins in the freezing stage as an ache or twinge with movements. The pain gradually increases, and the shoulder begins to feel stiff as well as painful. Usually, shoulder movements away from the body or rotating outwards are the most painful and restricted.
As the condition progresses, everyday activities can be significantly impacted, with activities such as dressing, grooming, reaching overhead and behind the back becoming difficult. Lifting heavy objects can be very painful, and the pain is often felt at night-time, interrupting sleep. The three stages follow a typical pattern;
Freezing – Pain is present at rest/night, increasing pain and stiffness with shoulder abduction and external rotation.
Frozen– Pain starts to lessen, but the stiffness of the shoulder joint increases.
Thawing – Pain reduces to lower levels and movement begins to return.
It can be easily diagnosed by a medical professional through a complete physical examination. The physiotherapist may inquire about the difficulties you face while doing physical activities. Some of the common difficulties are lacking the ability to throw a ball, unable to sleep on your side, etc.
After checking your medical history and the symptoms, the physiotherapist may ask you to perform certain shoulder movements. He may move your shoulders carefully in all directions to see the range of movements. Additionally, the physiotherapist will compare these passive movements with the active movements.
Other tests to confirm frozen shoulder
Stiffness and shoulder pain can be diagnosed due to a number of other reasons. In order to make sure, you may be directed to undergo an X-ray or MRI test to rule out any other doubts.