What is frozen shoulder pain like?

People who have or had frozen shoulder already know the pain this condition causes, but the rest of us may wonder what frozen shoulder pain is like. This condition is also called adhesive capsulitis, and it causes pain and extreme stiffness in the shoulder. Frozen shoulder is often the result of shoulder injuries that require you to keep the shoulder still during healing, but it can also be caused by conditions like diabetes and hyperthyroidism. The pain of this condition has three main characteristics. 

1.   Starts as a dull ache

Frozen shoulder pain starts out like a dull ache in the shoulder joint. The ache may feel like it’s in your shoulder joint, or it may seem to come from the muscles of the shoulder. Some people have also said the ache can be felt in the upper arm. 

2.   Slowly gets worse

The pain caused by adhesive capsulitis tends to gradually get worse over a period of six to nine months. This period is often referred to as the freezing stage of the condition, and the shoulder also increases in stiffness during this time. Also, patients may begin to have trouble doing normal daily tasks at this stage. For example, the stiffness and pain can make it harder to reach up for objects in an overhead cabinet. Stretching your arm back to put on a coat is another task that can gradually become impossible as this condition progresses. 

3.   May be greater at night

Those people who want to know what frozen shoulder pain is like should also know that the pain tends to be worse at night. Most of us don’t think about how much our shoulders are affected by how we sleep, but frozen shoulder can change that in a hurry. 

In many cases, the pain of this condition makes it hard for people to sleep comfortably, and this is especially true if you’re used to sleeping on the affected shoulder. Adhesive capsulitis pain can also be increased by doing certain shoulder movements, and people may unconsciously make one of these movements while asleep. In turn, this can lead to an increase in pain that’s so severe it wakes you up. 

Physical therapy from Armor Physical Therapy can help treat frozen shoulder pain

Now that you know a bit about what frozen shoulder pain is like, you may be wondering how it can be treated. At Armor Physical Therapy, we can help you find the answer. Our team will do a one-on-one screening to determine what specific movements cause your pain to increase. We can then create a personalized treatment plan that’s designed to provide benefits like: 

• Reduced pain
• Improved range of motion
• Increased ability to do normal daily tasks

Take the next step to get our help for your frozen shoulder pain. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment.