Everything You Need to Know About Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive Capsulitis is the scientific name of this painful, stiff sensation in the arm, and its something no one wants to endure. But frozen shoulder – as it’s commonly known – isn’t just caused by a muscle pull due to excessive workouts or injuring yourself while playing a sport. If your pain is persistent, it can be a huge indicator of many underlying health issues you may not even know you have. Learn more about what could be causing pains in your shoulder joint, so as to get timely diagnosis and adequate treatment:

If you’re prone to high sugar and your diabetes is poorly controlled or ignored, you’re probably twice as likely to develop frozen shoulder. Collagen in the system holds the joints of the shoulder together, and its this collagen that gets triggered by high blood sugar and becomes sticky, leading to stiffening of the shoulder muscles. Up to 29 per cent people who have diabetes – whether undetected or poorly controlled – can develop frozen shoulder over time, usually in one arm. Regular diabetes medication and a proper diet to keep sugar levels as low as possible help a lot, along with frequent simple exercises like yoga to keep the shoulder joints flexible and mobile.

While it’s not totally clear why thyroid-related issues result in frozen shoulder syndrome, it's assumed to be the common factor of the production of cytokines – proteins that serve as ‘messengers’ between cells. Increased presence of cytokines stimulate inflammation, which lead to both an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and a frozen shoulder. Studies have also found that many people suffering from a frozen shoulder do have a high level of hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid). Those with benign thyroid nodules also tend to have a higher risk of developing frozen shoulders over time, so it’s wise to get your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels checked frequently so any disorder can be caught early and treated adequately.

Your heart is the most important organ of your body – and it’s the one that most don’t seem to care for enough. Cardiovascular diseases and other heart-related issues like hypertension and high cholesterol are also huge risk factors for other ailments like developing frozen shoulder. While studies are still being conducted to find out the relationship between the two, researchers note that the risk factors caused by heart disease may reduce blood flow to some parts of the body, including the delicate shoulder area, leading to pain and stiffness in the joint thereafter. Studies show that the more heart disease factors a person tends to have, the more likely they will have shoulder issues – so controlling your blood pressure levels and other heart risk factors are key in reducing the risk of frozen shoulder as well.

Many know that Parkinson’s is a degenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system and leads to a slow decline of a person’s motor skills, memory and life skills over time. But few are aware that frozen shoulder could be an early symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) as well. In some patients, it’s seen that frozen shoulder that lasts for months or years has been the very first symptom of PD, sometimes years before other typical symptoms follow. If you have a genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s and have a persistent frozen shoulder or stiffness, it’s worth getting tested to get your symptoms checked early on.

While the treatment for frozen shoulder involves a combination of medication, physical therapy and surgery in some severe cases, it’s worth noting that being aware of the various factors that lead to this painful and debilitating condition can help to figure out if your pain is just that, or something much deeper.