A “frozen shoulder” occurs when the shoulder joint becomes stiff and painful because of inflammation within the tissue surrounding the joint, also called the “capsule.” It usually happens gradually and can lead to limited range of motion in the arm. The inflammation caused by frozen shoulder can lead to scarring within the joint. This is known as “adhesion” and it leads to pain and restricted movement.
There are many blood vessels within the shoulder joint. When inflammation occurs, an excessive amount of abnormally large blood vessels forms within the joint—this is the body’s natural attempt to heal itself. The body’s defenses are activated to deliver immune cells to the area, which include pro-inflammatory mediators, in an attempt to initiate the healing process and fight infection. While most injuries heal on their own, if they become chronic, persistent inflammation can begin to damage healthy tissues if left untreated.
Depending on the severity of symptoms, doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections and/or physical therapy for treatment. If these methods do not work and symptoms persist, arthroscopic surgery is sometimes recommended. However, surgery carries risks and can result in a long and painful recovery.
A new treatment option called frozen shoulder embolization offers lasting relief of the pain and stiffness of frozen shoulder and helps improve range of motion.