Frozen shoulder often starts with difficulty moving your shoulder or dull, aching pain in your shoulder area.
It gets worse over time and can eventually limit your shoulder mobility.
This article explains the correlation between frozen shoulder and thyroid disease.
Jiaqi Zhou / Verywell
It also covers frozen shoulder symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Frozen shoulder happens when this capsule thickens and inflames, causing it to contract and formscar tissue.
What Are Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is a condition that results from your thyroid producing too much thyroid hormone.
Hypothyroidism is a condition that results from your thyroid producing too little thyroid hormone.
Within that period, 162 of them developed frozen shoulder.
Elevated levels of cytokines happen in both hyperthyroidism and frozen shoulder.
Conceivably, one could trigger the other, or they could occur in tandem.
Finally,myopathy(muscle pain) is common in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Whether this is related to frozen shoulder specifically, however, is not clear.
Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder symptoms usually develop slowly over time and worsen gradually.
Often, the condition begins with mild shoulder pain over several months.
It typically goes through three stages, with different symptoms evident at each stage.
This stage typically lasts between six weeks and nine months.
In some cases, you may also have pain radiating down into your upper arm.
You may have shoulder pain while sleeping as well.
Your range of motion in the shoulder is also typically reduced.
Over time, the shoulder can become so stiff that it is almost impossible to move.
However, you may notice that your pain lessens as your shoulder becomes less mobile.
This stage lasts for four to six months.
Thawing Stage
During the thawing stage, you typically have less shoulder pain.
The range of motion improves over time.
Complete recovery can take up to two years.
As a result, healthcare providers often misdiagnose a frozen shoulder as a tear in the rotator cuff.
This altered movement adds to the challenge of getting an accurate diagnosis.
To diagnose a frozen shoulder, a healthcare provider will do a physical exam and assess your symptoms.
Diagnostic tests may include:
Treatment
Frozen shoulder usually resolves on its own over time.
However, this can mean several years of shoulder pain and restricted mobility until it returns to normal.
In some cases, the full range of motion in the shoulder never returns.
When frozen shoulder is identified and diagnosed early, treatment may help shorten recovery.
Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory steroid that reduces pain by reducing inflammation.
you could also get them in prescription strength.
However, it can take as long as a year to get total relief.
Physical Therapy
As opposed to more aggressivephysical therapy, gentle stretching can complement medication treatment.
Alternately, a healthcare provider may provide instructions to do them on your own, at home.
Transcutaneous electrical stimulation(TENS) is a treatment that PTs sometimes use to relieve shoulder pain.
It uses a battery-operated machine that works by delivering electrical impulses.
When this therapy is combined with stretching, it may also provide pain relief.
Surgeryoften performedarthroscopicallyfocuses on removing scar tissue and adhesions in the shoulder.
In arthroscopy, a special scope (camera) and tools access a joint through tiny incisions.
Frozen shoulder is characterized by shoulder pain and decreased shoulder joint mobility.
It gradually progresses, and recovery can take up to two years.
Diagnosing frozen shoulder involves range of motion tests and may include imaging tests.
Treatment consists of pain and anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, surgery, and managing your thyroid condition.
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