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an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables applied to the shoulder for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day can also help with pain.anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox).Treatment for frozen shoulder may include the following:
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Your clinical will develop your treatment plan. The treatment for a frozen shoulder is focused on relieving pain and restoring the shoulder's normal range of motion. An MRI may be ordered to check for a rotator cuff tear. Your healthcare provider may take x-rays to make sure there's no other underlying problem, such as arthritic changes or a dislocation. These movements may include reaching across your chest to touch the opposite shoulder or down your back to touch the opposite shoulder blade (the Apley scratch test). To assess your shoulder's range of motion, the clinician will ask you to perform various movements with your arm. If you think you have a frozen shoulder or are already developing one, see your clinician or a shoulder expert for a physical exam. other conditions such as thyroid disorders or Parkinson's disease.enforced immobility resulting from a stroke, heart condition, or surgery.rotator cuff disorders (about 10% of people with these rotator cuff disorders develop frozen shoulder).wearing a sling for more than a few days without intermittent stretching.lack of exercise therapy after tendinitis or an injury.The frozen shoulder risk is increased by the following factors: In advanced cases, bands of scar tissue (adhesions) form between the joint capsule and the head of the humerus. The humerus has less space to move in, and the joint may lose its lubricating synovial fluid. Trying to avoid the pain caused by moving the shoulder leads to further contraction of the capsule.
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When the shoulder becomes immobilized in this way, the connective tissue surrounding the glenohumeral joint - the joint capsule - thickens and contracts, losing its normal capacity to stretch. Inflammation causes pain that is worse with movement and limits the shoulder's range of motion. The process usually begins with an injury (such as a fracture) or inflammation of the soft tissues, typically due to overuse injuries such as bursitis or tendinitis of the rotator cuff.
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Fortunately, the shoulder can usually be unfrozen, though full recovery takes time - and lots of self-help. Sometimes freezing occurs because the shoulder has been immobilized for a long time by injury, surgery, or illness. We don't fully understand what causes a frozen shoulder, but an inflammatory process is probably involved. Scar tissue (adhesions) may also form between the joint capsule and the head of the humerus. A shoulder is "frozen" when the capsule protecting the glenohumeral joint contracts and stiffens. Normally, the head of the humerus moves smoothly in the glenoid cavity, a depression in the scapula. This elaborate architecture of soft tissues accounts for the shoulder's marvelous flexibility, but also makes it vulnerable to trauma as well as chronic wear and tear. The band of muscles and tendons that stabilizes the shoulder and controls its movements is called the rotator cuff. The capsule is surrounded by ligaments that connect bones to bones, tendons that fasten muscles to bones, and fluid-filled sacs called bursae that cushion tendons and bones during motion. A flexible capsule filled with a lubricant called synovial fluid protects the joint and helps keep it moving smoothly. The glenohumeral joint helps move the shoulder forward and backward and allows the arm to rotate and extend outward from the body. It pivots mainly on a ball-and-socket arrangement called the glenohumeral joint, which joins the top of the humerus (upper arm bone) to a scooped-out part of the scapula (shoulder blade) called the glenoid cavity (see the illustration below). The shoulder has a wider and more varied range of motion than any other part of the body. Although the pain may slowly improve, stiffness continues, and range of motion remains limited.
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With frozen shoulder, the shoulder feels stiff, painful, and has limited motion in all directions. It affects mainly people ages 40 to 60 with women affected more often than men. The resulting disability can be serious, and the condition tends to get worse with time if it's not treated. Frozen shoulder (also called adhesive capsulitis) is a common disorder that causes pain, stiffness, and loss of normal range of motion in the shoulder.
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