Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition where the shoulder becomes very painful, stiff and restricted in movement. Symptoms can often be debilitating and you may find that everyday tasks such as driving, dressing and sleeping very difficult.

The exact cause of frozen shoulder is not clear but it is thought to be due to inflammation in the shoulder capsule and the formation of scar tissue.  If you've been diagnosed with frozen shoulder, you may have noticed that it followed a shoulder injury but in most cases, the symptoms come up without any apparent reason.

what can be done FOR FROZEN SHOULDER?

Your doctor may recommend that you use painkillers or corticosteroid injections to help with the pain.  If these are not helping, physiotherapy and acupuncture is often recommended as the next stage of treatment.   

Some clinical trials have shown that acupuncture can help improve recovery from frozen shoulder.  This might be through regulating the nervous system which increases the production of pain-killing biochemicals such as endorphins to reduce the pain itself. It may also reduce inflammation within the shoulder joint and increase the activity of immune system cells at specific sites of the body aiding in local repair and healing.

what can i expect during treatment?

After carrying out a physical assessment, we will often recommend a short course of acupuncture treatment and which might be combined with moxibustion.  Both treatments offer a gentle means of treating a deep rooted problem, particularly if you are in severe pain and cannot tolerate spinal manipulation or deep tissue massage.  Our patients commonly report reduced levels of pain and stiffness after two treatments.

If you have been diagnosed with frozen shoulder and are interested in finding out more about our treatments, please do get in touch for a free no-obligation consultation.