You may experience a pain in your shoulder that makes you wonder, is my shoulder frozen? That could very well be the explanation. The technical term is adhesive capsulitis and it affects 2 to 5 percent of the population in the United States. When your frozen shoulder pain becomes more than you can handle and does not allow you to complete daily tasks, it is time to seek medical attention.

What is a Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is a condition that causes the shoulder to become stiff and painful. The capsule or lining of the shoulder becomes inflamed and thickened. This leads to varying levels of pain and decrease in motion of the shoulder.  You may experience a sudden inability to get your arm over your head with associated pain.

Who is at Risk of Frozen Shoulder?

It has been found that people who are in the age range of 40 to 60 are at the highest risk for frozen shoulders. Women have been shown to be more at risk than men. Additionally, certain medical conditions put patients at increased risk of experiencing frozen shoulder, such as diabetes and thyroid disorders. Minor traumas or having surgery can also place you at risk. These are a couple of examples of what can cause this condition. Other times, they can just happen seemingly out of nowhere. Whenever you feel pain in your shoulder, you might want to reach out to your healthcare provider and ask, is my shoulder frozen?

Diagnosing a Frozen Shoulder

You might be wondering how to know if the symptoms you are experiencing are due to a frozen shoulder. Well, there are several phases to this injury. The first sign is pain, which can happen during the inflammation phase. As this worsens you may begin to experience stiffness in your shoulder. Then comes the frozen phase which is often the worst. This is when every movement you make with your shoulder is extremely painful. You may find it difficult to do simple tasks like showering or getting dressed.

The key to mitigating these symptoms is to lower the inflammation in your shoulder before it gets worse. You must keep in mind that even if the inflammation begins to go down, you may not regain mobility.

Getting a diagnosis requires a physical examination from a healthcare provider. An x-ray or other imaging may also be ordered so other potential ailments are ruled out. An MRI is typically not recommended as it can show other issues that can cause misdiagnosis and complicate recovery.

Treatment

Fully recovering can take a year or more, although many people can recover quicker. The mainstay of treatment involves lots of physical therapy.  Other medications and occasionally steroid injections can also be very helpful.

Schedule an Appointment at Academy Orthopedics

If you are experiencing signs of a frozen shoulder, seek care from the experienced team at Academy Orthopedics. Do not hesitate if you’ve been asking yourself, is my shoulder frozen? Call our office at 770-889-0891 today to schedule an appointment.