Frozen Shoulder

Many of you know that I have been dealing with a very frustrating left shoulder pain which I believe is a syndrome called Frozen Shoulder. It has been a thorn in me for about 9 months now and I am happy to say that it is about 99% better after seeking treatment from numerous professionals. My biggest nightmare is coming true ... my right shoulder is developing the same symptoms! It sucks! I ran across a blog that defines it quite well so I'm posting here just in case you're interested!
Description

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a disorder characterized by pain and loss of motion or stiffness in the shoulder. It affects about two percent of the general population. It is more common in women between the ages of 40 years to 70 years old. The causes of frozen shoulder are not fully understood. The process involves thickening and contracture of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint. A doctor can diagnose frozen shoulder based on the history of the patient's symptoms and physical examination. X-rays or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) studies are sometimes used to rule out other causes of shoulder stiffness and pain, such as rotator cuff tear. Risk Factors/Prevention

Frozen shoulder occurs much more commonly in individuals with diabetes, affecting 10 percent to 20 percent of these individuals. Other medical problems associated with increased risk of frozen shoulder include: hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Parkinsons disease, and cardiac disease or surgery. Frozen shoulder can develop after a shoulder is injured or immobilized for a period of time. That's me..Of course I have hypothyroidism so maybe that's what has caused this misery. Attempts to prevent frozen shoulder include early motion of the shoulder after it has been injured. Pain due to frozen shoulder is usually dull or aching. It can be worsened with attempted motion.

The hallmark of the disorder is restricted motion or stiffness in the shoulder. The affected individual cannot move the shoulder normally. Motion is also limited when someone else attempts to move the shoulder for the patient. Some physicians have described the normal course of a frozen shoulder as having three stages:

* Stage one: In the freezing stage, which may last from six weeks to nine months, the patient develops a slow onset of pain. As the pain worsens, the shoulder loses motion.

* Stage two: The frozen stage is marked by a slow improvement in pain, but the stiffness remains. This stage generally lasts four months to nine months.

* Stage three: The final stage is the thawing, during which shoulder motion slowly returns toward normal. This generally lasts five months to 26 months.

So here is my frustration with people who JUST DON?T GET IT: the recovery from this is very long.