What is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a health conditioncharacterized by stiffness and pain of varying degree in the shoulder. The shoulder joint is encompassed within a connective tissue capsule which provides structural support to the shoulder joint.
Fibrous tissue and adhesions may develop within this capsule hampering the mobility and functions of shoulder joint. Stiffness, pain and difficulty to move the affected shoulder are the primary symptoms of frozen shoulder.
Treating Frozen Shoulder
Treatment of frozen shoulder is entirely dependent on the patient’s symptoms, chronicity of the condition, general health, associated musculo-skeletal disorders among other things.
Every patient will experience symptoms of frozen shoulder in varying intensity. The causative factors are also different in each case. The prognosis and approach to treatment varies with each case of frozen shoulder.
Consult some of the best orthopedic surgeons for frozen shoulder treatment in Mumbai.
The most common treatment methods that show great results for frozen shoulder are mentioned below:
- Oral Medication
Steroids, pain relief medicines, anti-inflammatory medicines in the form of tablets and capsules help patients of frozen shoulder to obtain some relief. In addition to these medicines, nutritional supplements for vitamins and calcium may also be prescribed.
- Injections
Steroids can also be given in the form of injections administered directly within the capsule encompassing the shoulder joint. This treatment method is known to work faster than oral steroids. It helps in reducing inflammatory changes around the shoulder joint rather rapidly.
- Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy involves massage, electrotherapy, stretching exercises and other methods of physical manipulation. Physiotherapy for shoulder improves muscle strength, joint mobility and helps to stretch the capsule of affected shoulder joint. These factors help to improve the patient’s condition considerably.
- Surgery
Surgery is often the last resort when all other methods to treat frozen shoulder fail to show positive results. Minimally invasive techniques are used to access the affected shoulder joint. The diseased shoulder capsule is stretched using surgical devices. Part of the capsule that has developed fibrosis or inflammation is cut during surgery and allowed to heal naturally.
Shoulder joint replacement surgery is an extremely rare method of treatment employed in case of recurrent frozen shoulder or cases of frozen shoulder which have developed severe complications. This surgery is performed with minimal complication by some of the best joint replacement surgeons in Mumbai.
The above mentioned treatment methods may be recommended individually or in combination with one another depending on the intensity of symptoms.
Importance of Timely Treatment For Frozen Shoulder
Timely diagnostic tests, scans and treatment will help to detect frozen shoulder and prevent it from worsening. If the condition is left undiagnosed or is neglected, it can lead to multiple health complications like fibrotic changes in the shoulder muscles, gradual worsening of shoulder pain, rapid loss of shoulder joint motion and generalized ill health.
For a comprehensive check up and consultation for frozen shoulder treatment, consult with some of the top orthopedic doctors in Mumbai.
