Frozen Shoulder Causes, Symptom, Treatment - delhi, India

Feb. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- What is Frozen Shoulder?
Shoulder pain, as a result of frozen shoulder (also known as Adhesive Capsulitis), is a condition that affects the shoulder joint capsule and results in pain, stiffness and loss of movement in the shoulder joint.
Frozen shoulder is different from rotator cuff injury or shoulder tendonitis in that frozen shoulder affects the joint capsule, where as the other two conditions affect the muscles and tendons of the shoulder joint.
What Causes Frozen Shoulder?
The exact cause of frozen shoulder is unknown, however in a number of cases, frozen shoulder occurs after another shoulder injury like rotator cuff tear, arthritis or shoulder surgery.
Also, poor posture can cause a shortening of the ligaments around the shoulder joint, which can lead to frozen shoulder. Other theories have suggested that hormonal and genetic conditions like diabetes and hyperthyroidism can also contribute to frozen shoulder.
Symptom of Frozen Shoulder
The most common symptoms of frozen shoulder are pain and stiffness. Pain usually takes the form of a persistent dull ache and stiffness prevents the full range of motion of the shoulder and upper arm. Patients are often unable to lift the arm above their head or rotate their arm inward.
The normal progression of frozen shoulder has been described as having three stages.
   In stage one, (the freezing phase) the patient begins to develop mild pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. This stage can last from a few weeks to a few months.
   In stage two, (the frozen phase) the stiffness remains but the pain begins to decline. This stage can last from a few months to nearly a year.
   In stage three, (the thawing phase) the full range of movement begins to return to the shoulder joint. This stage can also last a few months.
Most sufferers of frozen shoulder will be fully recovered within 4 to 6 months but some cases have lasted for up to three years, although these are extremely rare.
Frozen Shoulder Treatment
Frozen shoulder treatment primarily consists of pain relief and physical therapy techniques. Pain relief usually takes the form of anti-inflammatory medication and the aim here is to reduce the pain enough so that physical therapy can be initiated.
Two other forms of therapy should also be considered; heat and massage.
   Heat is extremely good for increasing blood flow to a particular area. Heat lamps and hot water bottles are the most effective way to increase blood flow; while heat based creams are distant second choices.
   Massage is one of the best ways to increase blood flow to an injured area, and of course the oxygen and nutrients that go with it. The other benefit of massage is that it helps to reduce the amount of scar tissue which is associated with all muscle, tendon and joint injuries.
During this period of pain relief treatments physical therapy should also be initiated. This is an extremely important part of the treatment process and full recovery will not occur without a dedicated approach to physical therapy treatments.
Firstly, don't stop moving. Some doctors will often tell patients to keep the injured area still, and this is not always the best advice. Gentle movement will help to keep the blood flowing to the injured area. Of course, if pain is present, limit the amount of moving you do, but don't stop moving all together.
Next, specific stretching and strengthening exercises should be started to help loosen up the shoulder joint and speed up the recovery process. A full description of appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises are included in the next section.
Contact Details:
Dr.Prateek Gupta
M.S., M.ch-orth(Livepool),FICS(USA),
D.Orth.(London), F.R.C.S - Orth(London),
Consultant Orthopedics & Sports Surgeon
Visit: http://www.sportsmedicineclinicdelhi.com
Call at : 0091 9810633876, 011-26517776, 9810852876

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A+ sports medicine clinic is a specialized establishment looking after Orthopaedic problems and taking care of need of all in the field of sports and physical activity. Established in 2002 with view to address all the needs of people of all age group.