Frozen Shoulder – Treatment
11 March, 2010 
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Difficulty in moving the shoulder might indicate that you are suffering from frozen shoulder. The affected shoulder becomes stiff, and even the slightest movement will produce a sharp pain. Usually a single shoulder is affected by this condition. Rarely, frozen shoulder affects both the shoulders.
Causes of frozen shoulder
Although the symptoms of frozen shoulder are similar to that of arthritis, frozen shoulder is not a form of arthritis. Researchers have not yet found the exact factors responsible for this painful condition. In a small number of cases, shoulder injury and surgery could make your shoulder stiff. Hormonal changes might make women vulnerable to frozen shoulders during menopause. Frozen shoulder is widely prevalent among diabetics. Deposition of the glucose molecules on the collagen fibers present in the capsule of the shoulder joint might be responsible for the stiffness of the shoulder. The risk of frozen shoulder might increase if you don’t move your shoulder for a long time such as during fracture of hand bones. Poor posture could even make a person susceptible to frozen shoulder.
Symptoms of frozen shoulder
The medical term for frozen shoulder is adhesive capsulitis. The stiffness of the shoulder joint is comparable to the stickiness caused by an adhesive. Capsulitis means swelling of the capsule of the shoulder joint. There are three stages of frozen shoulder – painful phase, stiffening phase and the thawing phase. The painful phase lasts for about two to nine months. The pain worsens during the night. It is followed by the stiffening phase characterized by stiffness and pain of the affected shoulder. This stage might last up to a year. During the thawing phase, your shoulder gradually regains its movements.
Frozen shoulder treatment
If the pain becomes intolerable, anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroid injections administered to the shoulder could help to reduce the pain and inflammation. Heat compress and ice pack could help to treat the pain and swelling. Keeping your shoulder immobile for a prolonged period out of fear of pain would increase the shoulder stiffness. Physiotherapy and deep tissue massage could help you to move the affected shoulder. Black sesame seeds could help to reduce the pain and stiffness. Soak a teaspoon of black sesame seeds in a cup of water overnight. Consume the sesame seeds along with the water the next morning.
