Is my shoulder frozen?
A frozen shoulder is also called adhesive capsulitis. It most commonly occurs between the ages of 40-70 years. One of the key symptoms is not that the shoulder is freezing cold but it becomes very stiff so it is impossible for you to move through the full range of motion.
Sometimes stiff and painful shoulders are misdiagnosed as frozen shoulder. A true frozen shoulder will mean that your movement is very restricted in at least one direction. The first symptom is often not being able to reach behind your back. The shoulder is usually very painful. When you over-reach or move suddenly there can be a very severe acute pain for a few minutes. Naturally a frozen shoulder heals but this can take between 18 months and 5 years. Treatment helps to speed up the process of a frozen shoulder so you get better much sooner.