How to diagnose and treat frozen shoulder

  Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis and frozen shoulder, is caused by soft tissue lesions around the shoulder joint, resulting in shoulder joint pain and dysfunction. It is more common in patients over 40 years old, with more women than men (about 3:1), and more left shoulders than right shoulders. It is characterized by a gradual increase in shoulder pain and shoulder joint dysfunction, with the pain gradually subsiding after several months or even longer. After several months or even longer, the pain gradually subsides. Function gradually recovers and the disease heals itself.  The cause of the disease is still unclear, but it is generally believed to be related to the following factors: 1) Reflexive shoulder pain caused by diseases other than the shoulder joint, such as coronary heart disease and pneumonia, which restrict the shoulder joint movement.  2)Immobilization of the upper limb for too long due to upper limb fracture, neck thrust disease, etc.  3) Degeneration of the soft tissues around the shoulder joint.  I. Symptoms and signs Chronic onset, most have no history of trauma, and a few have only minor trauma. The main symptoms are gradually increasing shoulder pain and joint movement. The pain is usually located in the anterolateral shoulder, sometimes radiating to the elbow, hand and scapular area, but there is no sensory impairment. The pain is worse at night, affecting sleep and preventing the affected side from lying down. Continuous pain can cause muscle spasm and muscle atrophy.  There is pressure pain at the anterior, posterior and deltoid stops of the shoulder. When the shoulder joint is abducted, externally rotated or posteriorly extended, the pain is increased and the shoulder muscles are atrophied. Sometimes the blood circulation of the upper limb is obstructed due to vasospasm, and the forearm and hand become swollen, cold and the fingers move painfully.  There may be no obvious abnormalities on x-ray examination.  Most patients can gradually improve and heal. Patients should be made to understand the process and regression of the disease and build up confidence to overcome the disease. In the early stage of the disease, the upper limb should be suspended and braked, and the shoulder joint should be lightly moved several times a day. Take other anti-inflammatory and pain medications orally. If the canker is limited by pressure, use 1% nufocaine + hydrocortisone acetate for local closure. Once a week. 2 – 3 times in total.  Physical therapy or heat is different from antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and pain relief. Appropriate massage can not only reduce the pain, but also help to increase the range of motion. As far as the pain is tolerable, active functional exercises of the shoulder joint should be carried out actively and systematically. As the range of motion increases, the pain will gradually decrease.