Frozen shoulders are a painful ailment. When you find yourself choosing to keep the shoulder still instead of encouraging gentle movement because of the pain, it is time to seek help. You might have found putting on clothes excruciating or putting off reaching things. All of these are valid reasons to find a solution to the frozen shoulder syndrome that can affect anyone for a number of reasons. Below, are some possible causes for frozen shoulders and a few tricks to help them heal.
What Are the Warning Signs of a Frozen Shoulder?
The general warning signs for a frozen shoulder are easy to spot.
- You have pain when reaching up high for an object.
- Putting on a sweater or top is difficult and uncomfortable.
- The shoulder feels stiff.
- You’re reluctant to move it.
You have the symptoms, but what is the cause? There are several things that cause shoulders to become painful and freeze up.
What Could Be The Underlying Issue?
The reason behind your shoulder pain will be specific to your circumstances, and it is not a pain that should ever be ignored because it could mean something more serious in your health profile.
Arm Injury
The most common cause is an arm injury of some description. Whether severe or mild, any blow to the arm can ripple up to the shoulder and cause this affliction.
Lack of Movement
Similarly, after an arm injury, if the arm stays too still for a prolonged period, it will make the shoulder freeze up and cause a lot of pain.
Arthritis
Arthritis sufferers contend with inflammation of their joints. This can spread anywhere in the body and shoulders are commonly affected.
Diabetes
Diabetes causes sugar in the blood to attach to collagen. This in turn attaches to joints like the shoulder, which consequently brings pain and stiffness.
What Treatment Options Are There?
For conditions like arthritis and diabetes, it is always recommended to check in with your doctor for the best course of action. These underlying conditions require their own treatment, like specific arthritis injections, but there are still ways that you can alleviate the pain and encourage movement to return.
Physical Therapy and Massage
Physical therapy and muscle massages carried out by a professional will give you a course of action to aid recovery. Backed up by science and expertise, these methods are highly beneficial for stiff shoulders.
Injection Therapy
Injection therapy is where the patient is injected with some form of steroid to target joint healing by reducing inflammation and therefore pain. Always ask a doctor or professional physiotherapist establishment like the ATP Physio Clinic if you want to try a solution like hyaluronic acid joint injections because this is not a treatment that the inexperienced can carry out properly.
Heat and Cold
Heat therapy like applying a warm compress can ease the pain while cold therapy will help with swelling or inflammation. These target the symptoms and are highly effective.
Pain Management
Painkillers from over the counter will help manage the pain when episodes flare up but check with your doctor if they are either not helping or it’s been longer than a few days.
Conclusion
Frozen shoulders can be very painful! It’s important to get the best help possible to move forward.
