Frozen shoulder – also known as adhesive capsulitis – causes pain and stiffness in your shoulder joint. The condition may come on gradually and continue to worsen for several months before starting to improve. A frozen shoulder can last for 18 months or longer, in some cases. Sometimes the condition may require surgery.
There are three distinct phases to a frozen shoulder:
- Freezing stage – during this phase the shoulder’s range of motion becomes limited and any movement causes pain which can be severe and may be worse at night.
- Frozen stage – during this phase, the pain starts to lessen but the shoulder remains stiff.
- Thawing stage – during this phase, the range of movement in your shoulder begins to improve.