Frozen Shoulder

Do you have a "frozen" shoulder?

The medical name for this condition is "adhesive capsulitis". In a true "frozen shoulder", movements are limited and painful in all directions because the capsule (which is the fibrous tissue that holds the shoulder together whilst allowing it to move) gets inflamed and painful, and involves other things around the shoulder, like nerves and connective tissue.

It often gets confused with a rotator cuff injury, where just the shoulder muscle tendons get inflamed. Treatment is different for the two conditions.

GP treatment options include:

• 
  Painkillers like ibuprofen (an anti inflammatory) and paracetomol, but these often don't help much with the pain especially if the nerves are involved.
• The option to have a steroid (cortisone) injection. These sometimes work miraculously, and sometimes don't help at all, so they are a bit of a lottery.
  
  

Physioplus+ treatment options:

We have found with experience over more than 30 years that the traditional physio approach of exercise and capsule manipulation is just too painful for most people with a frozen shoulder. After trying different treatment and pain-killing approaches, we found that combining acupuncture with gentle mobilisation gets the fastest results. The acupuncture controls the pain whilst allowing movement to take place more easily.

Typically, a course of this treatment combination takes about eight sessions to solve the problem to about 90% ( which we achieve with over 90% of our patients) and people can then work with exercises themselves to get the last bits of movement. It really doesn't matter how long you have had it for, although if you have been putting up with it for many years, it may take a little longer.
 
Often people are told that if will "sort itself out" in about eighteen months, so they don't even think of trying to get help before then. Sooner works better!

Think you have a frozen shoulder? Come and see our shoulder specialist Vino (think 🍷) who will check your diagnosis and then treat you!

See our website at www.physioplusguisborough.co.uk for assessment and treatment prices, and case studies for shoulders and other conditions.

Appointments can be made by telephone to our practice in Guisborough between 09:00 am and 12:00 noon, or by leaving your number on our answerphone outside those hours. We do daytime and evening appointments - 01287 201006

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