Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, has recently become a serious problem in modern society. Women, especially those in their 40s, are especially vulnerable. This disorder is generally characterized by stiffness in the shoulder, even accompanied by pain and headaches.
Unfortunately, this condition is often underestimated and only considered as a result of fatigue. In fact, if left untreated, joint stiffness can worsen and cause the shoulder area to become increasingly difficult to move. What are the signs of frozen shoulder, its causes, and how to deal with it? Check out the following explanation!
What Are Frozen Shoulders?
According to the Mayo Clinic, frozen shoulder is joint stiffness in the shoulder area. This condition is characterized by stiffness in the shoulder area, and is accompanied by pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting, and a number of other disorders. Although initially not very painful, adhesive capsulitis will continue to get worse over time.
Without intensive treatment, new patients can recover completely within a period of 1-3 years. This condition is clearly quite disturbing, especially for active women who have many activities.
Causes of Frozen Shoulder
As reported by My Green Growers, this disorder arises because blood circulation is not smooth. Another cause is the accumulation of body waste substances that accumulate in the shoulder muscles, thus affecting the nerves. In addition, frozen shoulder can also be triggered by stress, tired eyes (due to staring at a computer screen or smartphone for too long), work that relies on the back and shoulders, improper posture, lack of exercise, too cold temperatures, and many more.
Without a healthy lifestyle, basically everyone has the potential to experience this condition. However, women experience a higher risk because of activities that are generally monotonous and lack muscle training, for example in cooking jobs that involve standing or looking down for too long.
In addition, frozen shoulder can also affect someone who has certain medical conditions, making it impossible to move the shoulder a lot (arm and hand injuries, fractures, stroke, post-surgery). Sitting too long in the shoulder area will create joint stiffness. In addition, adhesive capsulitis disorders can also appear in people with diabetes, tuberculosis, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and thyroid disorders.
Frozen Shoulder Symptoms
Frozen shoulder generally appears in three stages, from the initial symptoms to the recovery period. However, each phase can last for months. Here's the order, as reported by the Mayo Clinic:
Initial Stage (Freezing Stage): Begins with stiffness and pain when moving the shoulder. You start not being able to freely move body parts around your shoulders. Some people have a pretty tough time because of headaches, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and other complaints.
Stiff Stage (Frozen Stage): At this stage, the pain begins to decrease, but the shoulder area becomes stiffer and difficult to move. This reduces mobility.
Healing Stage (Thawing Stage): Over time, the condition begins to improve and the shoulder begins to move. Slowly, you will recover from this disorder.
One can experience this over and over again. However, joint stiffness rarely occurs in the same location. For example, if you've had this disorder on your right shoulder before, there's still a chance that you'll experience it again on your left shoulder.
How to Overcome Frozen Shoulder
In a fairly severe stage, doctors will generally provide medical action and drugs. However, you can ease the symptoms by moving the muscles in the shoulder area a lot. The first way is to do stretching. There are several things you can do, including:
Move the neck left and right, and raise the chin up and down. Do it over and over.
You can also move your head up and down, while holding both hands on the back of your head. Move it many times.
The third technique, you can use the help of a small towel. Grasp both sides tightly, then lift up. With this position, raise and lower your elbows by passing the towel behind your head. Do it repeatedly.
The fourth way, try using two tennis balls to massage the shoulders. Place it on a wall or floor, between your shoulders, and move your body for a few minutes.
Those are some ways to deal with frozen shoulder. In order not to experience this, you must be diligent in exercising. For those who are recovering or having certain medical conditions, don't forget to talk to your doctor about what sports are suitable for treating frozen shoulder. Hope it is useful!