Shoulder: A most flexible joint in the body. However, this is not a stable joint because of the range of motion allowed. It’s easy to get injured because the upper arm ball is more significant than the shoulder cavity that holds it and to be stable, the arm gets anchored by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Some shoulder pain arises from the destruction of these soft tissues as a result of injury or excessive use of the shoulder. Another problem arises from the degenerative process where the tissue is damaged and no longer functioning correctly.

Frozen shoulders can significantly affect daily life. At some point, it gets better on its own, but sometimes it takes a long time. It takes a long time for a frozen arm to improve. In frozen shoulders, the shoulder gradually begins to hurt for several weeks. The pain will improve after a few months, but it becomes more challenging to move the shoulder. It can be so stiff that it is impossible to raise your hand. After a few more months, it gradually loosens again.

Several different treatments can help relieve pain and increase mobility. With frozen shoulder, patients cannot move the shoulder freely and correctly. The doctor needs to diagnose the shoulder pain in the shoulder joint and treat the cause of the shoulder joint. This article provided by Dr Chandrasekhar.B gives the information about what is frozen shoulder, and the frozen shoulder treatment in Hyderabad.

Frozen Shoulder(Adhesive capsulitis ):

A frozen arm is a painful condition in which the arm is wholly or partially unmovable. This process can take a long time, sometimes two years or more. The lining of the shoulder joint, known as a capsule, is usually a very flexible elastic structure. It gets loose, and elasticity allows the movement of shoulder joints in a vast range. With frozen shoulder, the capsule and the ligament become swollen, inflamed and contracted.

Later on, normal elasticity disappears, and pain and stiffness occur, which leads to restriction of shoulder movements. The age of onset is usually between 35 and 65 years. It affects about 10% to 20% of people with diabetes.

Symptoms and treatment of frozen shoulder:

Frozen shoulder pain is usually dull or painful. It can get worse if you try to move. This disorder is characterized by limited shoulder movement or stiffness. The affected person cannot move the shoulder normally. Movement is also limited when others try to move the patient’s shoulder.

Frozen Shoulder as Having Three Stages

• Stage I: Know as synovitis stage from (0 – 3 months)
• Stage II: In the freezing stage, the patient experiences a slow onset of pain. As the pain increases, the shoulder loses movement. This phase can last from six weeks to nine months.
• Stage III: A slow increase in pain characterizes the frozen stage, but stiffness persists. This phase usually lasts four to nine months.

Stage IV: The final step is thawing, where the shoulder movements slowly return to normal. It usually takes five to 26 months.

Diagnosis:

Doctors can diagnose frozen shoulder based on symptoms and physical examination of the patient. X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is sometimes used to rule out causes of stiffness and other shoulder pain.

Frozen Shoulder Treatment:

A frozen shoulder usually improves with time, although it can take up to 3 years. Treatment focuses on pain control and recovery of movement and strength through physical therapy.

How can you reduce the pain yourself? Home Care:

Many people use cold or warm compresses to relieve shoulder pain. When using this type of packs, it is essential to protect your skin with a towel from extreme temperatures, e.g. Cold and heat can damage the skin.

If you put an ice pack on your shoulder for 15 minutes several times a day, you can relieve pain. Work with a physiotherapist, and can do exercises at home. Your physical therapist will instruct you about the type of exercise you should do, how often, and when to push harder. Most people with frozen shoulders can improve their condition without surgery.

Treatment:

Nonsurgical Treatment:
Most people with frozen shoulder improve with a relatively simple treatment to control pain and restore movement.

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug: Medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen relieve pain and swelling.
• Steroid injections: Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory drug that is injected directly into your shoulder joint.
• Hydrodilatation or Joint distension: If your symptoms don’t improve with the above treatments, a doctor can recommend hydrodilatation. This procedure gently injects around 40ml of saline, steroid and further local anaesthetic into the shoulder joint to dilate and stretch the shoulder joint capsule and facilitate joint movement. Hydrodilation is carried out by radiologists who use images to control fluid placement.
• Physical therapy: Special exercises help restore movement. They can be done under the supervision of a physiotherapist or through a home program. This therapy includes stretching exercises or movements for the shoulder.  Physiotherapy helps relieve pain and return to almost normal functional mobility. NSAIDs and sometimes intravascular steroids are used in combination with physiotherapy as the most effective treatment route.

Surgical and other procedures:

Most frozen shoulders get better in 12 to 18 months. If symptoms persist, meet a doctor. If your symptoms do not improve with therapy and other conservative methods, you and your doctor should consider surgery. It is essential to talk with a doctor about the potential for recovery as you continue with the simple treatments and risks associated with surgery.

Frozen shoulder surgery is usually offered in phase 2: Frozen. The goal of this surgery is to stretch and release the stiff joint capsule. Standard methods are manipulation of anaesthesia and shoulder arthroscopy.

Manipulation under anaesthesia:  If progress is slow, the doctor may recommend manipulating the arm when the patient is under anaesthesia. This procedure allows the doctor to stretch the shoulder joint capsule and break up the tissue from the scar. In most cases, manipulating the shoulder increases movement in the shoulder joint by relaxing tightening and increases range of motion.

Shoulder arthroscopy:  If none of the above treatments does improve your condition, surgery is an option. Arthroscopic surgery involves making a small incision in the shoulder and using a camera called an arthroscope to remove or expose tissue scars. It allows the arm to restore lost motion. If your shoulder is frozen due to injury, surgery is usually more successful if done within a few weeks after the injury.

Surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis, and stitches will likely be removed in 10 days. Postoperative physiotherapy is also often required. Many patients have a full range of motion within three months.

In many cases, manipulation and arthroscopy are used in combination to achieve maximum results. Most patients have good results with this procedure. Surgery carries risks. Therefore, talk with the best doctor for frozen shoulder treatment before deciding on the procedure.

Best Frozen Shoulder Treatment in Hyderabad:

Whether you need knee arthroscopy, full hip replacement, or a shoulder procedure, choosing the right orthopaedics for the job is the first step towards successful surgery and quickly returning to your healthy lifestyle. To know which surgeon is right for you, a few simple tips that you can use to evaluate potential surgeons to get the best results from your procedure.

Important considerations are the experience and skills of your surgeon board-certified, how you work with this doctor, how comfortable you are, and whether you trust your surgeon. The point is simple: the better you know the specialist you choose to do your orthopaedic surgery, the easier the whole process will be.

Remember, do your research. Ask questions until you are sure that you made the right choice. Some things are more important than health. So take your time to make the right health care decision. Dr Chandrasekhar.B  internationally trained shoulder surgeon has tremendous experience in arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Conclusion:

Most people recover in two years. Physiotherapy and pain relief medications accelerate this progress. Physical therapy courses can certainly help you relieve pain and increase shoulder mobility so you can get back to normal activities. If you are going to have surgery, it is essential to select the best surgeon, and exercise for the next few months so that the problem does not recur.  If you have frozen shoulder, contact Dr Chandrasekhar.B at 9959588389 to make sure you receive adequate care.