Alternative Treatments for a Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis, also called frozen shoulder, manifests as pain, stiffness and impeded range-of-movement in the shoulder. Tissue around the joint stiffens, causes scar tissue to form and makes the movement of the shoulder painful and difficult. Frozen shoulder is often caused by an injury but can also develop when the joint is underused because of chronic pain or another chronic health condition such as arthritis. Medicinal treatment usually starts with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If the symptoms persist, doctors may give corticosteroid injections and prescribe physical therapy. In severe cases, surgery is needed. But there are alternative treatments that don't require drugs or surgery.

Home Treatments

• Home therapies for frozen shoulder include stretching, and the application of ice packs and/or and heating pads. Apply an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables to the shoulder for 15 minutes every 4 to 6 hours to reduce pain and inflammation. You can also heat the shoulder before exercising/stretches for 10 to 15 minutes. Taking a hot shower is also a good prep before stretching.

Physical Therapy

• Physical Therapy may include deep tissue massage, and shoulder manipulation. In more severe cases, shoulder manipulation may involve being put under general anesthesia.Therapists will likely prescribe a series of stretches and exercises to increase mobility. One of the main stretches used to improve frozen shoulder may include a pendulum stretch, where you allow your arm to swing forward and back, then side to side, then in small circles. Your therapist may include weights after a certain period. Other stretches may include an armpit stretch, where you rest the affected arm on a chest-high shelf and bend your knees opening the armpit; a finger walk stretch-- facing a wall and "walking" your fingers up the wall to raise your arm to shoulder level; and a towel stretch --- grasping a hand towel with both hands and holding it at a 45-degree angle, using the good arm to pull the affected arm toward the lower back.

Acupuncture

• Acupuncture, the insertion of fine needles at specific pressure points in the body, has been used to successfully treat frozen shoulder. The technique used is "contralateral needling" where acupoint is used on the right side for the the left frozen shoulder and vice-versa. The needles are inserted 2 1/2 inches into the skin and are followed by the rotation of a wide-amplitude needle with lifting and thrusting. The needle is left in for 20 minutes, with three short manipulations during that time. The patient is asked to perform a series of stretches during the process.

TENS Treatment

• Trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, involves taping electrodes to the skin and delivering a small electric current to specific points on a nerve pathway to release endorphins that block pain.

Distension

• Distension involves the injection of sterile water into the joint capsule. Distension can stretch the tissue surrounding the joint, making it easier to move. A small amount of water is injected into the affected joint--there is contrast material in the fluid so the procedure can be visually followed on an imaging device. The fluid is seen to expand the joint, and, in certain cases, the fluid flows out of the joint in a certain direction, which can help diagnose the problem area. The distension with the fluid can also disrupt scar tissue, opening the joint and improving range of motion.