The shoulder’s extensive mobility comes from the glenohumeral joint, which connects the humerus to the scapula.
A capsule filled with synovial fluid lubricates this joint, with surrounding ligaments, tendons, and bursae cushioning movement. The rotator cuff stabilizes and directs motion but also makes the shoulder prone to “frozen shoulder” or adhesive capsulitis. This condition begins with inflammation, causing pain and limited movement that leads the joint capsule to thicken and tighten, restricting the humerus.
Risks include lack of exercise therapy after injury, prolonged sling use, rotator cuff disorders, immobilization from stroke or surgery, and conditions like thyroid disease. For frozen shoulder treatment, you should consult a skilled and experienced doctor like Dr. Manohar Kanwaria.
Techniques to Relieve Frozen Shoulder Pain
The following are some effective techniques that can help you relieve your frozen shoulder pain:
1. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is essential in treating frozen shoulders by gradually restoring the shoulder’s mobility, strength, and function. Through a tailored program, therapy helps reduce pain and prevent further stiffness by gently stretching the tight joint capsule and surrounding muscles. Initial treatments may focus on pain relief and improving circulation through heat applications, massage, and mild stretching exercises.
As pain subsides, therapy progresses to more intensive stretches and strengthening exercises aimed at increasing the shoulder’s range of motion. These frozen shoulder exercises focus on the glenohumeral joint and surrounding muscles, particularly the rotator cuff, to improve stability and support. Techniques such as passive stretching, manual therapy, and guided exercises help release adhesions and scar tissue within the joint capsule, facilitating smoother, pain-free movement.
Regular physical therapy by frozen shoulder specialists encourages proper blood flow and prevents recurrence by enhancing flexibility, enabling patients to return to daily activities and prevent long-term complications from frozen shoulders.
2. Pain Alleviation
Pain alleviation is a crucial part of treating a frozen shoulder, as it helps break the cycle of pain, stiffness, and immobility that characterizes the condition. By reducing pain, patients can engage more effectively in stretching and strengthening exercises essential for restoring shoulder function. Initial treatments often include anti-inflammatory medications or corticosteroid injections to decrease pain and inflammation within the joint, making movement easier and reducing discomfort.
Non-invasive methods like heat therapy, ice packs, and ultrasound are also effective. Heat applications before exercises help relax tight muscles and improve blood flow, while ice packs reduce post-exercise inflammation and soreness. Techniques such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) target pain relief by disrupting pain signals sent to the brain.
Effective pain management allows patients to move their shoulders with greater ease, which aids in loosening the joint capsule, restoring flexibility, and supporting the healing process for long-term improvement.
3. Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization is a specialized technique used for shoulder pain relief, focusing on restoring movement and flexibility to the stiffened glenohumeral joint. This hands-on approach involves a therapist applying gentle, controlled forces to the shoulder joint, helping to stretch and loosen the tight joint capsule and surrounding tissues. Mobilization techniques, such as gliding and oscillating movements, target specific points of restriction, allowing for gradual improvement in joint motion without causing pain.
By improving joint mobility, these techniques help increase the shoulder’s range of motion, reduce stiffness, and alleviate pain, making it easier for patients to perform everyday activities. Joint mobilization also encourages synovial fluid production, which lubricates the joint and reduces friction between surfaces. As a result, patients experience less discomfort and gain the flexibility necessary for progressing through additional physical therapy exercises, ultimately enhancing the shoulder’s stability, function, and overall recovery from a frozen shoulder.
4. Steroid Injections
Steroid injections are an effective treatment for reducing pain and inflammation in frozen shoulders, allowing patients to regain movement and participate more actively in physical therapy. These injections, typically corticosteroids, are administered directly into the shoulder joint to target inflammation within the joint capsule, reducing swelling and easing pain almost immediately. When asked by professionals about how to cure frozen shoulders quickly, steroid injections remain their first choice as they break the cycle of immobility that often worsens frozen shoulders, enabling patients to stretch and move the joint without significant discomfort.
Steroid injections are particularly beneficial in the early stages of a frozen shoulder, when inflammation is at its peak and movement is most restricted. Reducing inflammation also minimizes the risk of scar tissue formation, which can lead to further stiffness and prolonged recovery. In combination with physical therapy, steroid injections create a window of opportunity where pain relief supports gradual improvements in flexibility, range of motion, and overall shoulder function, accelerating the healing process.
5. Hydrodilatation
Hydrodilatation, or saline distension, is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat frozen shoulders by expanding the joint capsule, alleviating pain, and improving mobility. During hydrodilatation, a saline solution, often mixed with corticosteroids and anesthetics, is injected directly into the glenohumeral joint. This fluid stretches the tight, inflamed joint capsule, breaking down adhesions and scar tissue while relieving pressure and pain.
The specialists answer the question of how to treat frozen shoulders by suggesting this treatment. In this treatment, the capsule is physically distended and hydrodilatation creates more space within the joint, allowing the humerus to move more freely, which significantly improves the shoulder’s range of motion. This increased mobility enables patients to progress more effectively in physical therapy, leading to faster recovery.
Additionally, the corticosteroids included in the injection reduce inflammation and pain, further supporting movement and flexibility. Hydrodilatation is particularly beneficial for patients who haven’t responded to other treatments, offering immediate pain relief and setting a foundation for long-term improvement in shoulder function.
6. Surgical Intervention
Surgical intervention can be effective for treating severe cases of frozen shoulder, particularly when conservative treatments fail to restore mobility and when frozen shoulder symptoms intensify. The two main surgical options are manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) and arthroscopic capsular release.
In MUA, the shoulder is gently manipulated while the patient is under anesthesia, breaking up adhesions in the joint capsule to improve the range of motion. Arthroscopic capsular release, a minimally invasive procedure, involves inserting a small camera (arthroscope) and surgical instruments into the shoulder to carefully cut and release tight portions of the capsule.
Both techniques aim to relieve the contractures that limit shoulder movement, ultimately restoring mobility and reducing pain. Following surgery, physical therapy is essential to maintain the newly gained flexibility and prevent the recurrence of adhesions. Surgical intervention offers a quicker path to recovery for patients who experience persistent, debilitating symptoms, allowing them to regain normal function and resume daily activities.
Conclusion
Frozen shoulder treatment involves various approaches, including physical therapy, pain management, joint mobilization, and hydrodilatation, with surgical options reserved for severe cases. Timely intervention by pain specialists like Dr. Manohar Kanwaria can restore mobility, reduce pain, and promote long-term shoulder health, enabling patients to return to daily activities and prevent recurrence.
Dr. Manohar Kanwaria is renowned for providing exceptional frozen shoulder therapies for patients suffering from frozen shoulders, offering a comprehensive range of treatments tailored to each patient’s unique needs. His commitment to using the latest techniques and his attention to detail make him the ideal choice for frozen shoulder treatment.
