Frozen Shoulder FAQs (Part 2)

Frozen shoulder (“adhesive capsulitis”) is a very common, yet complex and painful problem that affects a large number of people. In this two part article Dr. Rehman answers patients frequently asked question about frozen shoulder.

CLICK HERE for Part 1 of Frozen Shoulder FAQs

How can I avoid developing frozen shoulder?

The best way to keep from getting frozen shoulder is to regularly move your arm and shoulder as much as possible, leaving your shoulder and arm immobile only when absolutely necessary.

Many people have a natural tendency to “baby” a frozen shoulder due to the pain – but this is the worst thing you can do. Appropriate exercise and movement is required to keep the freezing from getting worse.

If you begin to notice pain in your shoulder or begin to notice a reduced ability to move your shoulder, seek medical attention immediately. Early intervention is the key to stopping frozen shoulder from progressing and “locking up” the arm further.

Can a person experience frozen shoulder multiple times?

While it is possible for frozen shoulder to occur more than once, it is extremely infrequent for the same shoulder to be afflicted more than once. In most cases of a person experiencing frozen shoulder more than once, it develops in the opposite shoulder.

Once my shoulder thaws, will I regain my full range of motion?

In most cases of frozen shoulder, it is reported that following the thawing stage, the full range of motion returns to the shoulder.

How do doctors treat frozen shoulder?

For the most part, frozen shoulder is treated with a combination of anti-inflammatory medicine, such as Ibuprofen, along with intensive physical therapy. In some cases, steroid injections are also implemented.

Physical therapy will entail specific stretching and strengthening exercises that help “release” the frozen shoulder over time. Prior to commencing these exercises the patient should always warm up the shoulder – with a warm shower or bath for 10 to 15 minutes, or a moist heating pad or damp towel.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation  – or TENS – therapy can also often help patients find relief from frozen shoulder. Hydrodilatation – the injection of warmed saline water into the affected shoulder – has also recently emerged as a potential non-surgical option in the management of frozen shoulder.

Should these treatment options fail to thaw the frozen shoulder, surgery is an other option for treating frozen shoulder.

Is there any connection between frozen shoulder and arthritis?

While the symptoms can be similar, there is not a direct relation between arthritis and frozen shoulder.

Bloomfield Hills Frozen Shoulder Doctor

If you are suffering from an injury or pain in your fingers, wrist, elbow, arm or shoulder, contact board certified Bloomfield Hills surgeon Doctor Rehman for a comprehensive evaluation and consultation. As with most medical conditions, early detection, awareness, and a prevention or treatment plan is the most effective way to combat the effects of frozen shoulder.

Doctor Rehman will assess your individual situation, and prescribe the frozen shoulder treatments and therapies that are best for you.

Bloomfield Hills Frozen Shoulder Doctor: 248.335.2638