It is a condition which affects the joint of the shoulder. It generally includes stiffness and shoulder pain which increases gradually. After the first stage it worsens and then it finally goes away. The whole condition can take up to 3 years to heal naturally. Human shoulder is made up of three bones which form ball and socket joint. These three bones include the upper arm or the humerus, the shoulder blade or the scapula and the collar bone or the clavicle. There is also some tissue which surrounds the entire joints and helps to hold everything together in its place. This is known as the shoulder capsule. When frozen shoulder develops, this shoulder capsule becomes very tight and thick which makes it very hard to move. In this condition scar tissue also develops and there is also reduced quantity of the synovial fluid which is a liquid which helps to keep the joints well lubricated. With the decrease in the quantity of synovial fluid, the motion of the shoulder becomes more limited.
The primary symptoms of frozen shoulder are stiffness and shoulder Joint Pain which makes movement impossible. The pain starts as achy pain in one shoulder. Generally this pain worsens during the night which makes sleeping impossible. In most of the cases, patients go through three stages with frozen shoulder, each with its own timeline and symptoms.
The actual cause behind this condition is still not known. However, it affects women more than men within the age range of 40 to 65 years. A person can be more likely to develop frozen shoulder if that person has diabetes also. Certain other medical conditions are also linked with frozen shoulder treatment like thyroid, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.
The best treatment for frozen shoulder includes controlling the movement of the shoulder as well as restricting the motion as much as possible. Over the counter medications like Motrin IB and Advil helps to reduce inflammation and pain. Another treatment for frozen shoulder includes PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy. PRP is rich in growth factors and helps to cure several soft tissue disorders and is collected from the blood of the patient itself. So, it does not have any side effects as well. It helps to speed up the Recovery Process. Other treatments include surgery and shoulder manipulation. However, PRP has shown great results in treating frozen shoulder.
