Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition in which the lining of the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, then thickened and tight. The shoulder grows steadily more painful and stiff — often with no injury to explain it — until simple things such as combing your hair, fastening a bra or reaching into a back pocket become difficult. Night pain is common and can be severe.

It is most common between the ages of 40 and 60, more common in women, and far more common in people with diabetes or thyroid disease. It can also follow a period of keeping the arm still after an injury or operation. Frozen shoulder is often confused with rotator cuff problems and impingement; the key difference is that a frozen shoulder is stiff in every direction, even when someone else moves the arm for you. For other causes of shoulder pain, see shoulder pain.

Frozen shoulder has a natural course of three phases — freezing, frozen and thawing — and treatment is matched to the phase you are in. At ACTYMED, our Frozen Shoulder Clinic combines pain relief in the painful early phase with progressive mobilisation and exercise as the shoulder allows, together with Ayurvedic therapies such as Podikizhi, Elakizhi and Marma Kizhi. Most people regain good, useful movement without surgery.

How long does a frozen shoulder last?

Left alone, frozen shoulder commonly lasts one to three years through its phases, and some people are left with a degree of stiffness for longer. Treatment cannot switch the condition off overnight, but it eases the pain sooner and helps movement return faster and more completely.

What are the stages of frozen shoulder?

The freezing phase (roughly 2–9 months) is dominated by pain, especially at night, as movement starts to reduce. In the frozen phase (roughly 4–12 months) pain eases but the shoulder is at its stiffest. In the thawing phase (months to a couple of years) movement gradually returns. The phases overlap and vary a great deal between people.

Why did I get a frozen shoulder?

Often there is no clear reason. The strongest links are diabetes, thyroid disease, age between 40 and 60, and a period of keeping the arm still after an injury, fracture or operation. If you have not been checked for diabetes, a simple blood test is worthwhile — frozen shoulder is sometimes the first clue.

Is exercise safe with a frozen shoulder?

Yes — the right exercise for your phase. In the painful freezing phase, gentle movement within comfort is best; forcing a painful shoulder usually flares it. As pain settles, stretching and mobilisation become more active. Matching the intensity to the phase is the heart of good treatment.

Will a steroid injection help?

In the early, painful phase, a steroid injection into the shoulder joint can reduce pain and help movement in the first few months, and it works best combined with exercise. It is less useful once the shoulder is simply stiff. People with diabetes need to watch their blood sugar for a few days afterwards.

How is frozen shoulder treated at ACTYMED?

In our Frozen Shoulder Clinic, treatment follows your phase: pain relief, gentle movement and sleep advice early on; joint mobilisation, manual therapy, dry needling and progressive stretching and strengthening as the shoulder allows; and Ayurvedic therapies such as Podikizhi, Elakizhi, Marma Kizhi and Upanaham to ease pain and stiffness throughout. We also check and help control diabetes and thyroid problems.

Can Ayurveda help a frozen shoulder?

Kizhi therapies and Marma treatment can ease pain, muscle guarding and stiffness, which makes the exercises that restore movement easier to do. We use them as part of a phase-matched plan with measurable goals, never instead of it.

Can a frozen shoulder come back?

It rarely returns in the same shoulder. The other shoulder is affected at some point in a minority of people, particularly those with diabetes.

When is surgery indicated for frozen shoulder?

Only for the small minority whose shoulder remains severely restricted after 6–12 months of properly staged conservative care. Options then include hydrodilatation, manipulation under anaesthesia or arthroscopic capsular release — all followed by the same rehabilitation the condition needed anyway. The great majority of frozen shoulders resolve without any procedure, which is why patient, phase-matched treatment comes first.

When should shoulder stiffness be checked urgently?

Get prompt assessment if the shoulder became stiff and painful after a fall — a fracture or dislocation must be ruled out — if the joint is hot and swollen or you have a fever, or if pain spreads down the arm with numbness or weakness. Shoulder pain with chest pain, breathlessness or sweating needs emergency care.