| Frozen shoulder syndrome or FSS is a condition | | | | nerve in the neck). |
| marked by stages of progressive pain and stiffness in | | | | Education begins by asking questions. Never take your |
| the shoulder which can take months or even years to | | | | doctor's word or anyone's word for that matter as the |
| recover. A cure implies a short course of treatment or | | | | "gospel" without probing a little further and asking what |
| single intervention which would eliminate the | | | | that strange word the doctor said means, and/or why |
| physiological process of frozen shoulder syndrome or | | | | you are getting the treatment you are getting. If you |
| "adhesive capsulitis". A "cure" would also imply an | | | | are seeing a doctor you are unfamiliar with, it doesn't |
| immediate halt to the progression of the stages of | | | | hurt to as what his/her medical specialty is (if it's not |
| FSS. None of the current treatments available for | | | | obvious). In these days of Medicare cuts and changes |
| frozen shoulder have met the above criteria, although | | | | the specialists are starting to branch out and see more |
| in my experience a well planned and developed | | | | diagnoses outside their specialty. If you decide to |
| program can hasten the end results a person with this | | | | educate yourself via the internet, make sure you are |
| condition desires, that is, return of normal and pain free | | | | familiar with the medical terminology within your |
| range of motion. Therefore the term "cure" for the | | | | diagnosis or otherwise your frozen shoulder "cure" you |
| purpose of this article refers to reduction of pain and | | | | find on the web can turn out to be harmful or |
| return of function. | | | | ineffective. |
| Studies have shown while there is no one single | | | | Decreasing the painful symptoms of a frozen shoulder |
| "frozen shoulder cure", there are treatments available | | | | is generally the primary criteria sufferers look for in any |
| to reduce pain and speed return of function when | | | | treatment or treatment procedure for frozen shoulder |
| otherwise just resting the affected limb will do little to | | | | syndrome. Most treatments that focus only on relief of |
| no good. | | | | symptoms are doing nothing to actually "heal" this |
| WHERE TO BEGIN? | | | | condition and warrant a closer look. While there are |
| * Start with an accurate diagnosis by a qualified | | | | some products that have their place in short term |
| physician, preferably one who specializes in treatments | | | | symptom relief, a quality multi-faceted treatment or |
| of frozen shoulder or conditions of the upper extremity | | | | program will address return of range of motion and |
| * Educate yourself about this condition and try to | | | | function and include exercises that accomplish this. |
| determine what stage you are in. Education is key in | | | | There is plenty of web sites with scholarly and |
| helping you maintain the motivation to continue and to | | | | well-meaning information about treatment of frozen |
| choose the right program or treatment | | | | shoulder syndrome, but give me a program designed |
| * Choose programs that are multi-faceted in approach | | | | by a professional that has his/her hands in it every |
| and treat both the painful symptoms and return of | | | | single day! In this day and age everyone specializes |
| function | | | | and it is these specialists who truly know what works |
| * Good programs are ones designed by a licensed | | | | and what doesn't by virtue of having treated hundreds |
| professional and provide follow up support or answers | | | | of cases of their specialty. In addition, internet based |
| to your questions | | | | programs should provide some sort of follow up |
| An accurate diagnosis prevents unnecessary | | | | support (email, forum, etc...) for patient questions and |
| treatments, wasted time and carries with it the benefit | | | | answers. |
| of finally knowing why your shoulder hurts. I have seen | | | | The above four tips should be the starting point for |
| numerous clients who self-diagnosed a frozen | | | | any patient with FSS as this is a complex condition |
| shoulder, put themselves through unnecessary | | | | and cannot be approaced half heartedly. With |
| injections and exercise only to find that the problem | | | | persistence, patience, and due diligence however, most |
| was coming from the neck (yes, you can have pain in | | | | sufferers can eventually find their frozen shoulder |
| the shoulder which is coming from a compressed | | | | "cure". |