Frozen Shoulder and Diabetes

, typically known as adhesive capsulitis. This means that your shoulder is totally stiff. The shoulder becomes impossible to move around, and doing even simple tasks is painful.

In the beginning of this problem, your shoulder will definitely pain you a lot. Therefore when this happens, you don't move it around or at all. And with not moving it around, your joints will stiffen up all the more.

As your shoulder gradually becomes stiffer, you use it even less and are afraid to even move it a tiny bit. What happens then? You lose range of motion of course, and it won't budge anyhow due to pain and even greater stiffness.

A frozen shoulder can happen due to an injury, or a bout with another bone problem such as bursitis, or tendonitis.

How does diabetes connect with a frozen shoulder? Well, one theory involves collagen, which is one of your main sources of ligaments and tendons. Collagen holds the bones together since it is holding bones together in joints. When glucose rises, it affects collagen, which is deposited abnormally into the tendons and cartilage of your shoulder. This buildup over time, causes you to lose range of motion, and your shoulder then stiffens up.

This problem affects about 30 percent of diabetic people, in comparison to only 7 percent of people who are nondiabetic.

This particular problem in the joints of the shoulder comes up in stages. You will notice pains at first, which is a generalized aching. There could even be spasms in the muscles.

The next thing to happen is maybe not quite so painful, but more inflexible, lack of motion, and stiffness. This second stage can go on for maybe six months at the most.

The third stage is the stage of recovery. As in stage one, this stage is not as painful. Your shoulder and arm might regain some or most of the neutral movement as the ligaments begin to stretch. The recovery may be off and on, with some painfulness as the lining of joints stretch out.

Treating frozen shoulder early is important to keep the shoulder moving and with a range of motion still. Physical therapies may help, even though there is pain. The lack of use only makes the problem worse, and this is why therapy helps, though yes, it's painful.

Motrin and Ibuprofen are great pain helpers, and will help a person start therapy. Your therapist will generally work with you, seeing how your tolerance for movement is, and going from there.

If there is more severe pain on the other hand from this problem, you should work with your doctor to find relief from either shots or oral medications that can be prescribed.

With pain that is only mild, and not too intense in your joints, you can try moist heat, Ibuprofen or Motrin for a little while. However, when your arm movements get so you can't move it at all, you need to see your doctor for treatment.

Surgery is also another option for this problem if need be, and it is intolerable to live with. It should be the very last thing to consider, but some people do need it. An orthopedic doctor will perform this operation under general anesthesia and manipulate your arm, loosening your joint. This helps resolve the painfulness of this problem, and re-establishes better range of motion as well. For information on trigger finger,please see this page.

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