Symptoms of Frozen shoulder

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Frozen shoulder is a painful, persistent stiffness of the shoulder joint, which makes it very difficult to carry out the full range of normal shoulder movements. You may find it hard to carry out everyday tasks such as dressing, driving and sleeping comfortably. Some people find they are unable to move the shoulder at all, hence the name, frozen shoulder.

Symptoms of frozen shoulder are usually experienced in three stages, which are spread over a number of months or years:

Stage one: the shoulder starts to ache and feel stiff, before becoming very painful. The pain is often worse at night and when you lie on the affected side. This stage lasts between two and nine months.
Stage two: this is known as the adhesive stage. The shoulder typically becomes more and more stiff, although the pain does not normally get worse. The muscles may start to waste slightly as they are not being used. This stage lasts between four and twelve months.
Stage three: this is the recovery stage in which you gradually regain movement of the shoulder. The pain also fades, although it may recur from time to time as the stiffness eases. Although you may not regain full movement of your shoulder, you will be able to do many more tasks. This stage lasts five to twelve months.