Frozen Shoulder Specialists in Sukhdev Vihar, Delhi

What is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder, medically known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by progressive stiffening and pain in the shoulder joint due to thickening and tightening of the connective tissue capsule surrounding it. It typically develops slowly over months, passing through distinct freezing, frozen, and thawing phases, and can severely limit the ability to perform overhead or reaching movements. It is more common in people with diabetes and those who have had prolonged shoulder immobilization following injury or surgery. Most cases eventually resolve, though the full course can take one to three years.

Causes of Frozen Shoulder

The exact cause is often unclear, but it results from inflammation and fibrosis of the joint capsule that restricts normal shoulder movement. Risk factors include diabetes, thyroid disorders, prolonged immobilization after shoulder injury, surgery or stroke, and being female between the ages of 40 and 60. Some cases develop without any identifiable preceding cause.

Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder

Gradual onset of shoulder pain, progressive stiffness and reduced range of motion, difficulty raising the arm overhead or behind the back, pain that worsens at night and disrupts sleep, aching that may radiate to the upper arm, marked reduction in ability to perform daily tasks like dressing

Treatment & Types of Frozen Shoulder in Sukhdev Vihar, Delhi

Treatment centers on physical therapy with progressive stretching exercises to restore range of motion, combined with pain relief using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroid injections into the joint. Hydrodilatation, where fluid is injected to stretch the joint capsule, can help in resistant cases, while manipulation under anesthesia or arthroscopic capsular release is reserved for cases that fail to improve with conservative care. Recovery is often gradual over many months.

Frozen shoulder progresses through three distinct clinical phases: the freezing stage, marked by increasing pain and gradually worsening stiffness; the frozen stage, where pain often lessens but stiffness and restricted movement are at their worst; and the thawing stage, during which range of motion gradually improves over months. It is also classified as primary, occurring without a clear preceding cause, or secondary, developing after shoulder injury, surgery, or prolonged immobilization.

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