The Best Way to Take Care of a Frozen Shoulder

To perform even the simplest of our routine tasks requires a healthy joint condition. While all our body joints are equally important, there is something different, yet important about a human shoulder joint. From throwing a ball to dragging a heavy suitcase, our shoulder joints help us perform a variety of movements. Due to this, the shoulder muscles are known as the most flexible joint in our body. But all these benefits also come with their share of problems, the frozen shoulder being one of them.

A painful condition that causes stiffness and inflammation, it also limits the affected person's movement.

Hence, it is important to find the right care for this issue, and we are here to help you with it. So, tighten your seatbelts to jump right into it.

Anatomy of Shoulder Joint

A normal shoulder is a ball and socket joint made up of 3 bones- the Humerus (upper arm bone), Scapula (Shoulder Blade), and Clavicle (Collarbone) along with 2 joints- the acromioclavicular joint (juncture of Clavicle and Scapula), and the glenohumeral joint (head of the humerus meets the cavity of Scapula).

What is Frozen Shoulder?

Also known as Adhesive Capsulitis, it is a painful condition which affects the connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint, making them thick, stiff and inflamed. It hampers the movement of the shoulder since the synovial fluid that keeps the joint lubricated gets lesser in quantity due to the formation of scar tissues.

Symptoms

Apart from a consistently painful and stiff shoulder joint, nothing noticeable is experienced as a symptom of frozen shoulders. The pain and stiffness can develop gradually and resolve on their own. But sometimes, the situation can be too severe to improve and might require external intervention.

Causes

Finding the main reason behind this issue can be difficult since it is unclear why frozen shoulder occurs in people. But, to summarise in a few pointers, it can be due to-

• Keeping your hand still for longer durations
• Accident or Injury
• Age factor (40 and above)
• Certain surgery
• Diseases such as Diabetes, Thyroid, etc.
• Prolonged stress leads to inflammation

Stages of Frozen Shoulder

This condition usually develops in 3 stages-

Freezing- In this stage, any movement in the shoulder can cause pain, thus limiting its ability to move.

Frozen- As a part of this stage, the pain might lessen, but the stiffness increases, making its usage even more difficult.

Thawing- In the last stage of this condition, the shoulder's ability to move starts to improve.

How to take care of a Frozen shoulder?

Taking care before a situation worsens is always the best since it is easier and certainly more suitable for your body. Since one of the prominent reasons for experiencing a frozen shoulder is lack of movement, make sure to move your shoulder at regular intervals, especially after an injury or accident.

Apart from this, OTC medications also prove to be a lot helpful in this situation since they may effectively ease pain and inflammation without much hassle.

Dr. Ortho for Frozen Shoulder

So, you must be thinking about which OTC medicine to give a try. Then worry not as Dr. Ortho has the perfect suggestion for you. Dr. Ortho's pain reliever spray is one of the best pain relief sprays to get quick relief from many different types of joint pain, including the shoulder.

Made with a blend of 6 ayurvedic herbs like Nilgiri oil, Alsi oil, Peppermint, etc., it is an easy-to-use, travel-friendly and quick pain-relieving product.

For a better result, you can even visit a specialist that can guide you through certain strength-building exercises. And in case, the pain still doesn't improve, it would be better to visit a specialist.

FAQ's

How to detect if you have a frozen shoulder or not?

Lookout for the following signs-

• Dull, achy pain
• Stiffness makes it impossible for the shoulder to move
• Difficulty in doing any kind of movement.

How long does it take for the shoulder to unfreeze?

Without any full-fledged treatment, a frozen shoulder can unfreeze anywhere between 4-12 months. The time may vary from person to person.

Why Dr. Ortho's pain reliever spray is a good option in this condition?

Dr. Ortho pain reliever spray can be an easy-to-use, travel-friendly, and non-greasy, with quick pain-relieving properties. With its blend of 6 ayurvedic herbs, it has a lightweight texture which makes it easy to absorb into the applied area, thus providing relief anytime, anywhere.

Can heat therapy help?

It is better to use cold therapy rather than heat to ease frozen shoulders since they will respond to cold better than heat. But make sure to not apply it directly but wrap it in a towel before applying it on the affected area.