Understanding Frozen Shoulder

If you feel nagging pain and stiffness in your shoulder, you may have frozen shoulder. This problem is sometimes called adhesive capsulitis. It is not well understood. But it often improves over time with treatment.

The pain from frozen shoulder may keep you from sleeping.

Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder

The first symptom you may have is shoulder pain. You may feel as if you've injured your shoulder. Other symptoms you may have include:

• Increased shoulder pain as you move your arm

• Shoulder stiffness that makes it hard to get daily tasks done

• Shoulder pain that keeps you from sleeping

• An arm that you can't raise or rotate beyond a certain point

Who Develops Frozen Shoulder?

Women are more likely than men to have frozen shoulder. This problem also occurs more often in women who are at least in their 40s. In some cases, people who have injured their shoulder may later develop frozen shoulder.

When You Have Frozen Shoulder

Your shoulder is a joint that is made up of many parts. They help you raise, rotate, and swing your arm. But if you have frozen shoulder, certain parts of the shoulder joint contract (shrink and pull in). This often causes pain and stiffness when you try to move your arm.