Frozen Shoulder Syndrome (FSS) is very painful and unbearable condition in which the arm movement becomes extremely limited. It is a slow healing syndrome, which might take a year to completely develop the symptoms. Researchers have proven that it affects women more than men. Inflammation and scar tissue formation of joint capsule are most common characteristics of FSS. The “ball and socket” shape of the shoulder joints enables them to perform huge range of motion which helps hand and arm move in different positions.
Frozen Shoulder Causes
The cause of Frozen Shoulder is unknown. It is seen commonly in diabetic hypothyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, and cardiac disease or surgery patients. Numerous theories are suggested on the cause of Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), such as:
- Past Injuries or Trauma
- Heart Attack ( Myocardial infarction)
- Arm and Shoulder surgery or mastectomy
- Less active use of shoulder joint
If the shoulder is unused or unable to use arm, and if the joint remains in same position in long period, the auto immune response of the body stiffen and restricts the joint which is initial stage of FSS.
Stages of Frozen Shoulder Syndrome (FSS)
FSS is a slow and progressive condition that follows three stages: Freezing stage, Frozen stage and Thawing stage.
The Freezing Stage: In the initial stage, shoulder pain is felt which occurs without any obvious cause. But the pain gets worse over time, progressively limiting movement of the shoulder and arm. The pain is constant and sharp. The freezing stage lasts from few weeks to several months.
The Frozen Stage: Once the shoulder reaches its maximum restricted movement pattern, it is classified as frozen shoulder. Pain is often felt whenever its moved past the restriction point. Typically a person facing FSS will be unable to reach behind their back and will be unable to bring the hand above the height of the shoulder. The frozen stage typically last for up to nine to ten months.
The Thawing Stage: After the frozen stage, the patient will slowly be able to increase their range of motion. There is a natural course of healing where the frozen shoulder typically thaws within 12 to 18 months, without any treatment! This is a mystery to most doctors and therapists.
Chiropractic Treatment for Frozen Shoulder Syndrome
Nerves related to shoulders originate in neck. Chiropractor assesses neck for vertebral subluxations. Restoring proper movement in spine can help nerves to function properly in the shoulder area which contributes in recovery with proper exercise and stretching. Exercise and stretching provides muscular coordination for shoulder movement. In some tough cases when these therapies are not effective, removing the capsular adhesions can be considered as last resort. But it is more expensive and carries greater risk. Chiropractic adjustments are very effective tool to resolve painful conditions. Only thing to keep in mind that Frozen Shoulder Syndrome Treatment usually takes a long time to heal hence any improvement represents a significant enhancement to patient. A chiropractor may resort to use Matrix Therapy or Laser Therapy or Tissue Magnetic Stimulation to treat the frozen shoulder.
Matrix Rhythm Therapy is a method developed by scientists from clinical- based scientific studies related to cell biology, conducted at Erlangen University in Germany.
The headpiece of this specially shaped therapy device is designed to cause the same physiological vibrations that are unique to our body. These vibrations are mechanically applied externally to the Body to stimulate the skeletal muscles and the nervous system harmonically and rhythmically without causing pain. As a result, metabolismwill return to normal in a very short period of time, thus restoring the healing and renewal process in the tissues at a cellular level.
Class IV Laser therapy has become standard of care for many musculoskeletal injuries. Laser therapy can alleviate pain, reduce inflammation and accelerate recovery from a wide range of acute and chronic clinical conditions.
Tissue Magnetic Stimulation is a noninvasive method of delivering a rapidly pulsed, high-intensity magnetic field to the periphery. Salus Talent® Pro is a unique therapeutic device used worldwide for transcutaneous magnetic stimulation. It delivers a new method of treatment of musculoskeletal problems where the application of very strong pulsed magnetic fields up to 3Tesla (=30.000Gauss), is produced & inducted without contact in muscle and nerve contraction as well as tissue stimulation is achieved.