Ladies, have you ever felt your shoulders feel stiff? It could be a frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis causes limited shoulder movement and is very painful. A frozen shoulder occurs when the strong connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint (shoulder joint capsule) thickens and then becomes stiff and inflamed. The word "frozen" refers to the more pain, the less likely the shoulder can be used.
Women experience this condition more often than men, where the most common age ranges from 40-60 years. In addition, those who have had a shoulder injury, have had surgery where the shoulder cannot be moved, diabetes or thyroid disorders will have a higher risk of developing a frozen shoulder.
Symptom
A frozen shoulder will only be felt when the shoulder hurts. The pain and stiffness will worsen when the shoulder rests for too long. Ultimately, the shoulder can not be moved as it used to be. A simple example is when you can no longer reach objects on the highest shelf. Symptoms of a frozen shoulder are generally divided into 3 stages, namely:
1. Freezing Stage
Painful and stiff, so difficult to move. The pain will slowly increase and then get worse at night. This stage lasts 6 weeks to 9 months, and the longer the shoulder, the more difficult it is to move.
2. Frozen Stage
The pain may decrease, but the shoulder remains frozen. This stage lasts 2-6 months, making it difficult for a person to carry out daily activities, including work.
3. Thawing stage
Also called the recovery stage, where the pain has decreased, and the shoulder can slowly be moved. This stage lasts 6 months to 2 years until the shoulder fully recovers.
The 3 stages of frozen shoulder development are freezing, frozen, and thawing
Diagnosis
The doctor will usually conduct an initial assessment of the symptoms and then proceed with a physical examination. Passive range of motion examination, in which the doctor moves the shoulder in all directions to check its range of motion and pain. Then, check the active range of motion when a person is asked to move his shoulder.
The two types of motion are then compared. People with frozen shoulders will have limited active and passive range of motion. In addition to a physical examination, X-rays should be taken periodically to ensure that the cause of the frozen shoulder is not due to another problem with the shoulder, such as arthritis.
Treatment
If the frozen shoulder is still at a mild stage, then the type of treatment that can be done is compressing using warm or cold water, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or pain relievers, injecting steroids or corticosteroids, stretching exercises by a therapist, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
When these methods could not relieve the shoulder's pain and stiffness after a year of trying, the other alternative was surgery. The first is by manipulating the shoulder and moving it in various directions under the influence of anesthesia. Another option is shoulder arthroscopy, which removes scar tissue to improve shoulder movement.
Surgery is necessary if home remedies do not improve the condition
A frozen shoulder is a condition in which the shoulder experiences stiffness. The severity will increase over time. Of course, we don't want that to happen because it can impact daily activities. Therefore, the condition must be examined for the best recommendations and treatment. Ladies who have experience related to this, let's share it with other friends!