A frozen shoulder is a (very) painful condition that can last a long time, sometimes as long as three years. Naturally, patients with a ‘frozen shoulder’ want to be free of the pain as quickly as possible and be able to use their shoulder fully again. Treatment by an osteopath can reduce the symptoms and speed up recovery.
A frozen shoulder starts with pain in the shoulder, which often radiates into the upper arm. The pain gets steadily worse and the shoulder stiffens. Whereas at first there is only pain on movement, later there is also pain at rest, especially at night. The pain can be so severe that patients struggle with simple things such as driving, cycling, housework or getting dressed. Sleeping can also be difficult, because no comfortable, pain-free position can be found. Understandably, patients with a frozen shoulder are keen to be rid of their symptoms quickly.
A frozen shoulder is usually caused by inflammation inside the joint capsule. The capsule stiffens, making it increasingly difficult to move the shoulder. The shoulder ‘freezes’. Doctors speak of a frozen shoulder when the patient has reduced movement of the shoulder in at least three directions.
A frozen shoulder can also develop after a fall or surgery, although usually no clear cause can be identified. Patients with diabetes, thyroid problems, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease are more likely to develop a frozen shoulder. Prolonged stress can also play a part.
Most patients with a frozen shoulder are women between the ages of forty and sixty-five.
Over a period of a few weeks to around nine months, the pain in the shoulder gets worse and worse. The pain can radiate into the upper and lower arm and can be severe. The pain is also present at rest. The shoulder becomes increasingly stiff.
This phase lasts four to nine months on average. The pain in the shoulder decreases, but the shoulder remains stiff.
This phase usually lasts four to twelve months. The pain disappears and mobility slowly returns to (almost) normal.
A frozen shoulder usually resolves on its own, but it is a long process. The osteopath tries to find out where the cause of the frozen shoulder lies. That cause may be physical, but hormonal or emotional factors may also cause the shoulder to seize up. For example, an unhealthy diet can cause problems in the digestive organs, which in turn can trigger an inflammatory response elsewhere in the body. And someone who constantly hunches their shoulders because of tension will have reduced blood flow to the shoulders. In that case a frozen shoulder may be slower to heal.
After taking a thorough medical history, the osteopath will examine you for possible reduced mobility in your organs, tendons and bones, throughout your whole body. Where reduced mobility is found, the osteopath will use gentle techniques to make it more supple. The inflammatory response should then subside.
At the end of a consultation the osteopath will always give the patient tips and lifestyle advice to help manage the symptoms as sensibly as possible. If necessary (and if the patient is open to it), an approach involving other disciplines is also possible (such as physiotherapy, the GP, acupuncture, a dietitian or a mesologist).