Is Frozen Shoulder Permanent?

There are many difficulties surrounding frozen shoulder, aka adhesive capsulitis, including the medical community’s uncertainty about the exact causes of the condition. 

Consequently, you will find many websites and medical authorities saying that frozen shoulder can become permanent unless aggressive treatments aren’t employed. Many think that some of the best ways to treat frozen shoulder include regularly seeing a physical therapist, taking cortisone injections, or undergoing arthroscopic surgery, depending on your situation.

While a frozen shoulder can become permanent for some individuals, we don’t believe aggression is the answer. At World Frozen Shoulder, we can cure the condition without aggressive measures by using the non-invasive MCD procedure.

Frozen Shoulder Symptoms & Stages

Trained medical professionals still struggle to diagnose frozen shoulder, but there are various signs that they look for when evaluating your affected shoulder and assessing your medical history:

• For the first two to nine months, the patient experiences minor pain and limited range of motion. Some misdiagnose this as bursitis or a rotator cuff tear, recommending patients to go for physical therapy. This treatment will only manage symptoms for a while before worsening. This is the first stage of frozen shoulder where the shoulder “freezes.” 
• For several months and up to a year, the patient’s range of motion is reduced to minimal or no movement of the upper arm. This is the second stage where the shoulder is defined as “frozen.”
• Between six months and two years, the shoulder begins to loosen up by itself (without medical assistance). This is the third and final stage known as “thawing.” Pain and stiffness will be present, but with physical therapy, patients can strengthen and stretch their shoulder again.

The Early Stages of Frozen Shoulder

Patients in the early stage of frozen shoulder may have these common symptoms:

• A dull ache in the shoulder area
• Pain while sleeping on the affected shoulder
• Limited shoulder motion, with severe pain if it is moved beyond a certain range
• Difficulty with activities (e.g., washing hair, getting dressed, etc.)

Advanced Stages of Frozen Shoulder

Patients with advanced frozen shoulder may experience these symptoms:

• Neck Pain
• Upper Shoulder Pain
• Elbow/Forearm Pain
• Neck Stiffness
• Headaches
• Numbness in hands

What Happens to the Shoulder Joint When You Have Frozen Shoulder? 

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that rotates the arm for motions that achieve lifting, pushing, and pulling. The shoulder capsule is the area that includes the upper arm, shoulder blade, and collarbone. When the shoulder joint capsule develops adhesions (small pieces of scar tissue) and the bursae become inflamed, the shoulder experiences a restricted range of motion and begins to “freeze.”

With limited shoulder movement, the patient feels pain and stiffness from the inflamed connective tissue and adhesions and it will worsen over time. Patients experiencing frozen shoulder aren’t generally diagnosed until after a long time has passed and the symptoms are much clearer. 

Because some sufferers never regain their full range of motion by not seeking medical treatment, we recommend that you don’t hesitate for one day longer than you need to. Consult us any time, and you’ll be amazed at how fast we can help you get rid of the pain and get back to normal. 

How Can Physical Therapy Help Frozen Shoulder?

Once you have gone through the manual capsular dissection (MCD) procedure, we will design a customized and intensive physical therapy schedule with frozen shoulder exercises that will strengthen your muscles. 

Within one hour, World Frozen Shoulder can cure your shoulder condition, but expect your recovery to take a minimum of several weeks before you can be deemed healthy.

Visit Our Clinic for Shoulder Pain Relief 

Don’t suffer with frozen shoulder for months or years. We can cure the condition, so you have a normal shoulder joint again and enjoy life. Our staff will provide medical advice on how to recover after the procedure and answer any questions you have. 

Contact us today to book an appointment!

Categorised in: Blog - World Frozen Shoulder Clinic