Getting dressed. Reaching for a coffee mug. Brushing your hair. When you have a frozen shoulder, these simple daily tasks can feel completely impossible. The condition isn't just about pain—it's the frustrating, unrelenting stiffness that can truly disrupt your life. If this sounds familiar, you're in the right place. We'll walk through what causes this condition and, more importantly, what you can do to find relief and get your arm moving freely again.
We have good news — you don't have to endure a frozen shoulder until the symptoms go away on their own, which could be years. Come in and see us at Lazar Spinal Care. We can help you heal faster and get your life back.
So, What Exactly Is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder is a condition affecting the shoulder joint. Its medical name is adhesive capsulitis. It happens when connective tissues around the shoulder joint thicken due to an injury or aging, causing tightness around the joint and limiting motion. Symptoms typically include:
Pain
Stiffness
Limited mobility
Sometimes, it's easy to determine what caused frozen shoulder. For example, if you recently had shoulder surgery or broke your arm, you probably had to keep your arm still for a long time. That may have led to the condition. Or, if you caught yourself in a fall, you could have injured the tissues around your shoulder joint, causing frozen shoulder.
Maybe you're not sure why you have frozen shoulder, which is also common. While we may not always know the cause, some risk factors increase the chance of developing the condition. These include:
Lifting heavy objects for extended periods or engaging in repetitive overhead motions
Having a health condition or disease like diabetes, hypothyroidism or cardiovascular disease
Being between the ages of 40 and 60
Regardless of the cause, frozen shoulder can drastically affect a person's life, making it difficult to carry out daily activities and fall asleep at night. Although frozen shoulder usually heals eventually, it could take up to three years for injured tissues to recover.
Common Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder
The experience of frozen shoulder often begins subtly, but the symptoms can become quite disruptive. The primary signs are pain and a significant loss of mobility in the shoulder joint. While it might start as a minor annoyance, it can progress to a point where simple tasks like reaching into a cupboard or brushing your hair become challenging. Understanding the specific type of pain and when it occurs can help you and your healthcare provider identify the condition early. Recognizing these symptoms is the first step toward finding a solution that addresses the root cause of your discomfort and gets you back to living comfortably.
Dull, Aching Pain
The pain associated with frozen shoulder is most often described as a persistent, dull ache deep within the shoulder joint. This discomfort is typically most noticeable during the initial phase of the condition and tends to flare up whenever you try to move your arm. You might feel it when you reach for something, lift an object, or even just stretch. This constant, nagging pain can be frustrating because it limits your daily activities and serves as a constant reminder of your shoulder's restricted state. It’s a clear signal from your body that the joint is not functioning as it should be.
Worsening Pain at Night
For many people, one of the most challenging aspects of frozen shoulder is the way the pain intensifies at night. Lying down can put pressure on the shoulder joint, and the simple act of rolling over can trigger a sharp, jolting pain that disrupts sleep. This lack of restorative rest can lead to fatigue and irritability, compounding the frustration of the physical limitation. If you find yourself struggling to get comfortable in bed or waking up frequently due to shoulder pain, it’s a strong indicator that you could be dealing with the inflammatory process of adhesive capsulitis.
What's Happening Inside the Joint?
To understand frozen shoulder, it helps to picture the anatomy of your shoulder. The joint is enclosed in a flexible sac of connective tissue called the shoulder capsule. In a healthy shoulder, this capsule is loose and pliable, allowing for a wide range of motion. With frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, this capsule becomes inflamed, causing it to thicken, stiffen, and tighten around the joint. As the condition progresses, thick bands of tissue, known as adhesions, can form inside the joint. This process effectively "shrinks" the capsule, severely restricting movement and causing the characteristic pain and stiffness of the condition.
The Three Stages of Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder isn't an overnight event; it develops and resolves through a slow, methodical process that can be broken down into three distinct stages. Each stage has its own set of symptoms and timeline, and understanding this progression can help you manage your expectations for recovery. While the entire process can take a couple of years to resolve on its own, knowing what's happening inside your shoulder can make the journey less mysterious. The goal of effective care is to support your body through these phases, reduce pain, and restore mobility more efficiently than if you were to simply wait it out.
Stage One: The Freezing Stage
The first stage, known as the "freezing" stage, is when you'll likely notice the most pain. It comes on gradually, and with it, your shoulder's range of motion starts to decrease. Any movement of the shoulder can trigger pain, which often feels worse at night. This initial phase is driven by active inflammation in the joint capsule. The freezing stage can last anywhere from six weeks to nine months, and during this time, the primary focus is often on managing the pain while trying to maintain as much mobility as possible without aggravating the inflammation. It’s a frustrating period where your shoulder feels like it's progressively getting worse.
Stage Two: The Frozen Stage
Once you enter the "frozen" stage, you may notice that the sharp, constant pain begins to subside. However, the stiffness in your shoulder becomes the dominant issue. The adhesions within the joint capsule have fully formed, making movement extremely difficult. While the pain might be less intense, your range of motion is at its most limited during this phase. This stage typically lasts for about four to six months. Daily activities that require reaching overhead, behind your back, or out to the side can feel nearly impossible, making this a particularly challenging time for maintaining independence and performing simple tasks.
Stage Three: The Thawing Stage
The final stage is the "thawing" stage, which marks the beginning of recovery. During this phase, your shoulder's range of motion slowly begins to improve. The stiffness and tightness start to resolve, and you'll gradually be able to move your arm more freely. This recovery process is often very slow and can take anywhere from six months to two years to complete. While the improvement is welcome, it requires patience. The goal during the thawing stage is to gently encourage the return of mobility and strength without causing a setback, helping your shoulder return to its normal function.
Who Is at Risk for Frozen Shoulder?
While frozen shoulder can sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere, certain factors can make you more susceptible to developing it. It’s not always tied to a specific injury; sometimes, it’s related to your age, gender, or other underlying health conditions. Understanding these risk factors can provide clues as to why you might be experiencing symptoms. It also highlights the importance of managing your overall health, as systemic issues can directly impact the health of your joints. Knowing if you fall into a high-risk category can encourage you to seek a diagnosis sooner rather than later.
Key Risk Factors
Several key factors are consistently linked to a higher incidence of frozen shoulder. These aren't guarantees that you'll develop the condition, but they do increase the statistical likelihood. The most prominent risk factors include your age, your gender, and the presence of certain systemic diseases. Additionally, periods of prolonged immobilization, such as after an arm fracture or surgery, can also trigger the condition because the lack of movement allows the joint capsule to tighten. Recognizing these connections is an important part of understanding your own health profile and potential vulnerabilities to conditions like adhesive capsulitis.
Gender and Age
Demographics play a significant role in the likelihood of developing frozen shoulder. The condition most commonly affects people between the ages of 40 and 60. While the exact reason for this age-related vulnerability isn't fully understood, it may be linked to hormonal changes or the natural aging process of connective tissues. Furthermore, women are more likely to develop frozen shoulder than men. This gender disparity suggests that hormonal factors could be a contributing element in the development of the inflammation and adhesions that characterize the condition.
Systemic Conditions like Diabetes
One of the strongest risk factors for frozen shoulder is having a systemic condition, particularly diabetes. In fact, it's estimated that 10% to 20% of individuals with diabetes will experience frozen shoulder at some point. The connection is thought to be related to the effects of high blood sugar on collagen, a key protein in your connective tissues. Glucose molecules can attach to collagen, causing it to become stiff and less flexible, which may contribute to the thickening of the shoulder capsule. Other conditions like thyroid disorders and heart disease have also been linked to an increased risk.
Can Frozen Shoulder Come Back?
If you’ve been through the long process of recovering from a frozen shoulder, the last thing you want is for it to happen again. The good news is that it's very rare for frozen shoulder to recur in the same shoulder once it has fully resolved. Your body has gone through the entire inflammatory and remodeling process, and it typically doesn't repeat it. However, it is possible for some people to develop the condition in their opposite shoulder. This usually happens within about five years and is more common if you have underlying risk factors like diabetes that haven't been addressed.
How Is Frozen Shoulder Diagnosed?
Getting an accurate diagnosis is the most critical step toward effective relief. Because shoulder pain can stem from many different issues—like a rotator cuff tear, arthritis, or bursitis—it's important to rule out other possibilities. A thorough diagnosis involves a combination of a physical examination and sometimes imaging tests to get a clear picture of what’s happening inside your joint. At Lazar Spinal Care, our diagnostic process is designed to uncover the true source of your problem. We perform a comprehensive NeuroBioStructural Analysis to ensure we understand the complete picture of your health before recommending a care plan.
The Physical Examination
The diagnostic process almost always begins with a detailed physical exam. Your doctor will talk with you about your symptoms and then assess your shoulder's range of motion. This is typically done in two ways. First, you’ll be asked to move your arm in various directions on your own, which is called active range of motion. Then, the doctor will gently move your arm for you to see how far it can go without your help, which is known as passive range of motion. In cases of frozen shoulder, both active and passive ranges of motion are severely limited, which is a key diagnostic sign.
Imaging Tests
While frozen shoulder itself doesn't show up on an X-ray, imaging tests are still a valuable part of the diagnostic process. An X-ray is often ordered to rule out other potential causes of your pain and stiffness, such as bone spurs or arthritis. In some cases, an MRI or ultrasound may be used to get a better look at the soft tissues around the shoulder. These tests can help eliminate other conditions like a torn rotator cuff, which can sometimes present with similar symptoms. Using these tools ensures that your diagnosis is accurate and that your treatment plan is targeting the correct issue.
Common Medical Treatments for Frozen Shoulder
When you receive a frozen shoulder diagnosis, the conventional medical approach typically focuses on two main goals: managing your pain and preserving as much range of motion as possible. The treatments are often aimed directly at the shoulder joint itself and are designed to reduce inflammation and stretch the tight capsule. While these methods can be helpful for some, they primarily address the symptoms rather than a potential underlying cause related to your body's overall structure and function. Understanding these common treatments can help you make an informed decision about the type of care you want to pursue.
Physical Therapy and Medications
The cornerstone of conventional treatment for frozen shoulder is physical therapy combined with pain management. A physical therapist will guide you through specific stretching exercises designed to improve flexibility and restore mobility to the shoulder joint. This is often paired with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen to help reduce pain and swelling. While consistent stretching is crucial for recovery, it can be a slow and painful process, especially during the "freezing" stage when the joint is highly inflamed and irritated by movement.
Steroid Injections and Other Therapies
If physical therapy and oral medications aren't providing enough relief, a doctor might recommend a cortisone injection. Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory steroid that is injected directly into the shoulder joint to reduce inflammation and provide significant pain relief. This can make physical therapy more tolerable and effective. Another procedure, called hydrodilatation, involves injecting a large volume of sterile water into the joint capsule to stretch it out. These interventions are more invasive and are typically considered when more conservative measures have failed to produce results.
Surgical Procedures
In a small number of cases where symptoms are severe and persistent, surgery may be recommended. This is usually considered a last resort, typically after at least six to twelve months of non-surgical treatment. One common procedure is shoulder manipulation under anesthesia, where a surgeon forcefully moves your shoulder to break up the adhesions while you are asleep. Another option is a shoulder arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure where a surgeon uses small instruments to cut through the tight portions of the joint capsule. Both procedures are followed by intensive physical therapy to maintain the new range of motion.
How Can a Chiropractor Treat Frozen Shoulder?
Chiropractors apply various methods to relieve shoulder pain, promote healing and improve mobility. At Lazar Spinal Care, we use Quantum Spinal Mechanics (QSM3) to gently address the root cause of pain and help patients heal faster.
QSM3 is an advanced upper cervical care technique that brings balance to the spine and takes stress off of bones, muscles and surrounding tissues. It improves your nervous system functioning, helping to accelerate healing and relieve pain. With your whole body in balance, you'll also have an improved range of motion.
We also offer tissue regenerative technology to encourage regrowth of damaged tissues. This technology delivers a shockwave to the injured connective tissues around the painful shoulder joint, stimulating tissue growth and alleviating pain.
Our Gentle Approach at Lazar Spinal Care
We understand that when you're in pain, the last thing you want is an aggressive treatment. Our approach to frozen shoulder is designed to be both gentle and highly effective, focusing on the root cause of your discomfort. We utilize a specialized technique called Quantum Spinal Mechanics (QSM3), which restores balance to your entire body through precise, light corrections to the upper neck. This process takes the strain off your shoulder's muscles and connective tissues, allowing your nervous system to function optimally and kickstart the healing process. In addition to QSM3, we may use Tissue Regenerative Technology, a non-invasive method that sends gentle shockwaves to the injured shoulder joint. This stimulates your body’s natural repair mechanisms, encouraging new tissue growth and reducing pain so you can regain mobility and get back to your life faster.
What to Expect During Your Chiropractic Visit
Reaching for a glass in your kitchen cabinet or finding a cozy sleeping position shouldn't be something to dread. We believe you deserve better than that, and we'll help you get there.
If you're seeking relief from frozen shoulder, we're only a phone call away. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment
When you first visit us, our primary goal is to understand exactly what's happening with your shoulder. We'll start by talking with you about your symptoms, your health history, and how this issue is impacting your daily life. A physical examination is a key part of this process. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, a doctor will assess both your passive and active range of motion to see how limited your movement has become. At Lazar Spinal Care, we go a step further with our NeuroBioStructural Analysis. We use advanced tools like PostureIQ™ imaging and Insight™ neurological scans to get a precise picture of your spinal alignment and nervous system function, helping us uncover the root cause of your shoulder problem.
A Tailored Care Plan
Once we have a clear understanding of your condition, we don’t just hand you a generic set of exercises. We create a care plan that is completely tailored to you. While physical therapy is often a central part of recovery, our approach is designed to support your body's natural healing process from the inside out. Depending on your specific needs, your plan may include our gentle and precise QSM3 adjustments to restore balance to your entire body, reducing stress on the shoulder joint. We might also incorporate advanced therapies like Laser Therapy to reduce inflammation or Tissue Regenerative Technology to stimulate the repair of damaged connective tissues, helping you find relief and regain mobility more effectively.
What Does Recovery from Frozen Shoulder Look Like?
Patience is a big part of the healing journey with a frozen shoulder. It’s a condition that unfolds in stages, and recovery doesn’t happen overnight. The good news is that it almost always gets better with time. According to medical experts, a full recovery can take a while—sometimes up to three years if left to resolve on its own. However, that timeline doesn't mean you have to live with severe pain and stiffness for that long. Proactive care can make a significant difference in managing your symptoms and supporting your body through each phase of healing. The goal is to ease the pain, restore as much movement as possible, and help you get back to your life sooner, without waiting for the condition to run its lengthy natural course.
The Natural Healing Process
Your body has an incredible capacity to heal, and a frozen shoulder typically follows a predictable pattern of recovery. Symptoms often start slowly, then worsen during the "freezing" and "frozen" stages, before gradually improving in the final "thawing" stage. This natural progression can take anywhere from one to three years. While it's reassuring to know that the condition usually resolves on its own, you don't have to simply wait it out. Our role at Lazar Spinal Care is to support and accelerate this natural process. By addressing underlying structural imbalances and improving nervous system communication, we help create the optimal environment for your shoulder to heal, potentially shortening the timeline and making the recovery process much more comfortable.
Managing Underlying Conditions for Better Recovery
Sometimes, what’s happening in your shoulder is connected to your overall health. Certain conditions, like diabetes, are known risk factors for frozen shoulder. In fact, managing your blood sugar effectively can play a role in speeding up your recovery. This is why we take a whole-body approach to care. We look beyond the immediate symptoms to understand if other health factors are contributing to the problem. By ensuring your spine is properly aligned and your nervous system is functioning without interference, we help your entire body work more efficiently. This comprehensive focus supports not just your shoulder but your overall wellness, which is crucial for a lasting recovery from the many conditions we help with.
Can You Prevent Frozen Shoulder?
While you can't always prevent a frozen shoulder, especially if it's linked to a systemic disease, there are definitely steps you can take to lower your risk. One of the most important preventative measures is to keep the shoulder joint moving, particularly after an injury or surgery. If you've had a procedure or an accident that requires you to immobilize your arm, it's crucial to talk to your doctor about safe exercises you can do to maintain your range of motion. Regular chiropractic care can also play a preventative role. By maintaining proper spinal alignment, you ensure your nervous system is functioning optimally, which supports better joint health and muscle function throughout your body. If you're concerned about your shoulder health, a proactive check-up can help identify and address minor issues before they become major problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will chiropractic adjustments hurt my already painful shoulder? That’s a completely valid question, especially when you’re already in so much pain. Our approach is specifically designed to be gentle. We use a technique called QSM3 that involves very light and precise corrections to the upper neck, not forceful manipulation of the shoulder itself. The goal is to restore balance to your entire body, which takes the stress off your shoulder joint and allows it to heal without causing more pain.
How is your approach different from physical therapy? Physical therapy is an important tool that focuses directly on stretching the shoulder capsule to regain mobility. Our work complements that by addressing the bigger picture. We look at your body's overall structure and nervous system function to find the root cause of the problem. By correcting imbalances in your spine, we help your nervous system work better, creating the right conditions for your shoulder to heal properly and reducing the chances of other issues popping up down the road.
How quickly can I expect my shoulder to feel better? Frozen shoulder has a mind of its own and moves through its stages on a unique timeline for each person. While there's no magic wand, our care is designed to support your body's natural healing process. By addressing the underlying structural issues, we can help make the recovery journey more comfortable and efficient than if you were to just wait it out. Many patients find they experience pain relief and improved movement sooner than they expected.
Do I need a referral from my doctor to make an appointment? No, you don't need a referral to see us. You can schedule an appointment directly with our office whenever you're ready. We're happy to coordinate with your other healthcare providers, but you can take that first step all on your own.
My shoulder started hurting out of the blue. Can you still help if there wasn't a specific injury? Absolutely. It's very common for frozen shoulder to develop without one single, memorable injury. Sometimes, it’s the result of smaller, repetitive stresses or underlying health conditions. Our comprehensive diagnostic process is designed to uncover these hidden imbalances in your body's structure, so we can create a care plan that addresses the real source of the problem, even if the trigger isn't obvious.
Key Takeaways
- Recovery Happens in Stages: Frozen shoulder isn't a quick fix; it progresses through distinct "freezing," "frozen," and "thawing" phases. Knowing this helps you understand the healing process and why patience, supported by the right care, is essential.
- Underlying Factors Are Often the Cause: This condition isn't always from a direct injury. Risk factors like age, gender, and systemic issues like diabetes play a significant role, showing that your shoulder's health is connected to your entire body's well-being.
- A Whole-Body Approach Addresses the Root Problem: Instead of just targeting shoulder pain, gentle chiropractic care focuses on restoring your body's overall balance. This can reduce stress on the joint, improve nervous system function, and help your body heal more effectively without invasive procedures.