Quick thaw for frozen shoulder

Q: I was told that I have frozen shoulder. It’s painful and restricting. What can I do for it, and what kind of specialist should I see for effective treatment? – Roseanna G., Atlanta

A: Frozen shoulder syndrome, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition in which connective tissue surrounding your shoulder joint (the capsule) thickens and adheres to adjacent structures, making the shoulder so tight that moving it causes pain. An orthopedic doctor who has handled many cases of FSS is your best bet for diagnosis and treatment.

FSS progresses through three stages. No. 1 is called “freezing.” Over six weeks to nine months, pain worsens and motion becomes restricted.

The second stage, “frozen,” lasts four to six months; though pain may lessen, it can become even more difficult to use your shoulder or arm.

The last stage, “thawing,” is a return to normal or near-normal function, which takes from six to 24 months (but you don’t want to wait that long to feel good again).

FSS affects women twice as often as men, usually between the ages of 40 and 60.

And while around two to five per cent of the population contends with FSS, more than 13 per cent of folks with diabetes have the condition.

Although FSS is also associated with thyroid and heart disease, an accident or sports injury and some medications, there’s usually no obvious cause.

Treatment options: 90 per cent of the time, you can improve substantially with physical therapy, using painrelieving NSAIDs or taking a course of prednisone. There also are injections that can break up adhesions and restore motion.

Surgery may involve manipulation that stretches or tears the capsule and adhesions, restoring movement or shoulder arthroscopy, in which the surgeon cuts through the tight areas of the joint capsule.

We are sorry you have to contend with the discomfort of FSS, but with comprehensive treatment, you should feel better sooner rather than later.