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A frozen shoulder is essentially considerable stiffness as well as pain in the shoulder area. It is also known as adhesive capulitris. When inflammation occurs in the connective tissues that surround the gienohumeral joint, stiffness and extreme pain in the shoulder occurs. A frozen shoulder condition can be divided into three stages, namely, a freezing stage, a frozen stage, and a thawing stage. As the name suggests, stage one involves the beginning of pain and stiffness; in the second stage, which is the frozen stage, shoulder movement is compromised. In the last stage, which is the thawing stage, the pain and stiffness starts to wear off. Even though the condition is not severe in the beginning, it aggravates and becomes chronic. Frozen shoulder pain usually gets resolved on its own.

Causes of Frozen Shoulder

The exact cause of frozen shoulder is unknown. However, people who have undergone shoulder surgery or have shoulder injury are prone to get a frozen shoulder as they cannot move their shoulders for a long time. People who are wary of exercising their shoulders experience frozen shoulder condition as it causes inflammation and adhesions between the joint surfaces, thereby constraining the motion.

Mostly, people do not undergo any treatment as a frozen shoulder is resolved on its own. However, it takes time and it may not be easy to bear the pain. Exercises and home remedies can help to alleviate the pain.

Home Remedies for Frozen Shoulder

Given below are some of the effective home remedies for frozen shoulder pain.

• Add three cloves of garlic in mustard oil, boil it. Once it is cooled, apply the oil to the frozen shoulder.
• Applying turmeric paste helps to relieve the pain.
• Put camphor in coconut oil and warm till the camphor melts. Apply this oil twice times a day.
• Physiotherapy is an effective treatment for frozen shoulder pain. Regular practice of physiotherapy exercises helps to prevent the muscles from becoming stiff. Although initially doing physiotherapy seems to intensify the pain, it eventually eases shoulder movements.
• Apart from physiotherapy, massage helps to alleviate shoulder pain. Although warm body oil massage can relieve pain, an aromatherapy massage has therapeutic effects and is much more effective.
• Applying heat and cold to the area is an effective home treatment that can significantly relieve the pain. Press a heating pad on the shoulder. This will warm the muscles and help them relax. Then, apply an ice pack on the shoulder. This alternate application of heat and cold is one of the best natural remedies that can alleviate frozen shoulder pain.
• Additionally, you can support your shoulder with a water pillow when sleeping to ease the pain.
• NSAID medications and pain killers can be used if the pain worsens.
• Simple heat compresses help in pain relief as they relax the stiff joints and enhance blood circulation.
• Stretching the shoulder also an effective way to alleviate shoulder pain. Stretching the shoulder muscle helps to keep the joints active.

Treatment for Frozen Shoulders

If there is no sign of improvement, one has to consult a doctor. Surgery, electric stimulation, and corticosteroids are some of the medical treatment options to get rid of frozen shoulder pain.

Distention process involves the injection of sterile water directly into the capsule of the joint thereby stretching the frozen tissues in order to make the easier movement of the joints. Manipulation of the shoulder using anesthesia makes the shoulder numb. Then, the shoulder is moved around to increase the mobility. Surgery is the last option.

Avoiding injury to the shoulder helps to prevent frozen shoulder.

References

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001490/
2. http://www.hss.edu/conditions_adhesive-capsulitis.asp