Early symptoms of frozen shoulder

Written by Su Zhen Bo
Orthopedics
Updated on April 07, 2025
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The patient is suffering from periarthritis of the shoulder, which is a type of aseptic inflammation. In the early stages, the primary symptom is a subjective feeling of pain in the shoulder, which tends to worsen at night. The skin and muscle tissues around the shoulder become adhesive and hardened, and touching the area can distinctly feel stiffness and hardening. At the same time, the range of motion in the shoulder joint decreases, and moving the joint can intensify the pain. Diagnostic clarity can be achieved through MRI scans and ultrasound examinations. In the early stages, topical plasters that reduce swelling and relieve pain can be used, along with acupuncture and moxibustion, and the application of analgesic medications. It is also necessary to strengthen shoulder joint function training under the guidance of a rehabilitation physician. Pendulum movements of the shoulder joint and arc movements can help alleviate pain and increase the range of motion of the shoulder joint.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
1min 50sec home-news-image

How to cure periarthritis of the shoulder using the arm-swinging method?

In the treatment of periarthritis of the shoulder, there is a method called "arm-swinging". The main technique of arm-swinging involves swinging the shoulder joint inward, outward, forward, and backward, forming a circle with the shoulder joint. This circle is actually two circles: one from the front to the back, and another from the back to the front. The arm-swinging method should be very effective for treating periarthritis of the shoulder, but the following issues need to be noted: First, it is crucial to exclude any rotator cuff injuries, especially tears in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscles. If tears in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscles occur, the arm-swinging method is not recommended due to its "zipper effect." This refers to a small initial tear that could further enlarge through improper exercise, eventually becoming a large tear. Thus, the first point is to rule out rotator cuff injuries. Second, when performing the arm-swinging method, one should not rush and should progress gradually. Initially, the range may be very small or the movement may not be possible to perform, but with consistent and persistent practice, the range of motion will gradually increase, making arm-swinging easier. However, rushing may lead to muscle tears around the shoulder joint or tear injuries to the joint capsule. Third, although the arm-swinging method can have a beneficial effect in treating periarthritis of the shoulder, starting the exercise can be very painful. Therefore, it may be necessary to use other methods initially, such as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs orally, or undergoing massage or physiotherapy, to relax the muscles and ligaments around the shoulder joint. This can reduce pain during the arm-swinging exercises and enhance effectiveness.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
1min 15sec home-news-image

How to massage for frozen shoulder

The disease known as periarthritis of the shoulder is also called frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis, or fifty-year-old shoulder, as it most commonly appears in middle-aged and elderly people around the age of 50. It is characterized by spasms, tension, and adhesion in the shoulder muscles, and sometimes may also involve dysfunction of the shoulder joint. Thus, for the treatment of periarthritis of the shoulder, massage techniques are generally employed. The purpose of the massage is primarily to relieve muscle tension, adhesions, and to relax the patient mentally. The technique must be gentle and not violent; local muscles can be massaged. On the affected side of the shoulder periarthritis, it can be found that the muscles are particularly tense. Massaging tender points gently can help relax these tense muscles, but one must ensure not to use rough techniques. Additionally, local acupoint massage of the shoulder can be performed, such as massaging common acupoints like Jianjing and Quyuan, which can also help alleviate pain. Simultaneously, combining these with physical therapy measures such as heat therapy, moxibustion, and acupuncture can yield better results.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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Shoulder periarthritis is what?

The so-called periarthritis of the shoulder is a sterile inflammation of the shoulder region caused by overexertion, straining stimuli, exposure to cold, or external injuries. It is primarily characterized by pain around the shoulder, especially during shoulder lifting, where the pain becomes more pronounced and can seriously affect the patient's normal shoulder-lifting function. This condition often occurs in middle-aged and elderly patients. Common treatments for periarthritis of the shoulder include rest and protection, local heat application, and local injection treatment for specific pain points. Additionally, topical ointments that invigorate blood and dissipate stasis can be used, along with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs to alleviate the patient's pain symptoms.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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Exercises for Periarthritis of the Shoulder

For the exercise methods of periarthritis of the shoulder, there are various exercise methods for patients with periarthritis of the shoulder in clinical practice. For instance, it is appropriate to gradually perform exercises such as pull-ups, but it is important to progress slowly and not be too vigorous at once, as this may cause potential damage to the shoulder joint capsule. Another exercise involves the "wall-crawling" movement to enhance the mobility of the shoulder joint and prevent stiffness. Additionally, for patients with severe pain from periarthritis of the shoulder, some medical treatments can be combined, such as using topical plasters that activate blood circulation and relieve stasis, oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and blood-activating drugs, as well as local treatments like heat application, small needle knife therapy, or injection therapy.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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How to diagnose frozen shoulder

How is periarthritis of shoulder diagnosed? Periarthritis of shoulder is a self-limiting disease that mainly affects middle-aged and elderly women. The primary symptoms are pain in the shoulder accompanied by limited mobility of the shoulder joint. So how is periarthritis of shoulder diagnosed? Firstly, medical history is very important. Diagnosis is determined based on the medical history. Additionally, an MRI of the shoulder joint can be performed to clarify whether there is adhesion of the muscles and tendons within the joint, which causes limited mobility of the shoulder joint, in order to further confirm the diagnosis. Thus, the diagnosis of periarthritis of shoulder is based first on the medical history and the characteristics of the onset of the disease, and also on the MRI of the shoulder joint to confirm the diagnosis.