Until now treatments have been either palliative or invasive.
| "There must be a better way! One Without Drugs and or Surgery?" |
| UK 'Which? magazine' examined every single published research trial for the treatment of Frozen Shoulder Syndrome. The 'Drugs and therapeutic Bulletin' (Nov 2000) makes the statement that until now:
'no treatment has been demonstrated to either reduce the duration or severity of Frozen Shoulder Syndrome' . |
The most common treatments are listed below. Click on the treatment below to find out more about the evidence behind it:
1. The Niel-Asher Technique® taps into the body's own inner healing; it is safe, drug-free and proven.
2. Physiotherapy/PT is advised during the 'Frozen' phase and is mainly aimed at keeping the shoulder mobile through stretching and pushing the joint ; it rarely seems to help speed up the recovery of the underlying condition. Exercise therapy is indicated and recommended, especially in the 'Freezing and Frozen' phases, to keep the shoulder as mobile as possible. It does not provide a 'cure' but is an important component .
3. Cortisone injections are often administered during the freezing and frozen phases. It is not uncommon to have up to 4 injections. Rarely, cortisone injections seem to cure the problem, sometimes they may give a few months of pain relief, but for the majority of patients they seem to give only a week or two of symptomatic relief . The steroid is a crystalline substance which is injected into the joint capsule. For more information visit www.shoulderdoc.co.uk or www.jointenterprise.co.uk .
'Intra-articular cortisone injections may reduce pain or increase mobility briefly, but can cause serious unwanted effects. Neither manipulation under anaesthesia (which risks significant injury) nor surgery has any clear place in management' - (UK Drugs & Therapeutic Bulletin Nov. 2000)
4. Manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA) again this is performed in the freezing phase (at least after 6 months) it is performed under general anaesthetic and followed up by several months of physiotherapy. Complications arising from this include fractures and dislocations of the Humerus, rotator cuff tears, increased inflammation and scarring and nerve palsy (especially radial Nerve.)
5. Suprascapular nerve block has been used in patients with severe pain associated with Frozen Shoulder Syndrome. This injection technique is usually performed 3 times over 3 weeks. It has given some relief for pain, but does nothing to address the stiffness in the shoulder.
6. Joint distension/hydrolysis - Here keyhole surgery is used to inject saline solution into the shrunken capsule to 're-inflate' it. There is now some evidence that this approach is more effective than standard physiotherapy . Many claims have been made about this technique. However the following should be noted: it involves anaesthetic, it ruptures the joint capsule and it often requires more than 10 physical therapy sessions. |
