Frozen Shoulder

Shoulder pain is a common endometriosis symptom. Adhesive capsulitis, otherwise known as frozen shoulder, is a condition in which the shoulder capsule (the mass of tissue surrounding the shoulder joint), becomes stiff and inflamed, causing a great restriction of movement. It is an increasingly common complaint and is often caused by lack of movement in the shoulder during everyday life. This, in turn, is often caused by an injury that inhibits movement. Rheumatic disease progression and recent shoulder surgery can also cause frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulders can also be caused by infrequent use of the shoulder muscles followed by heavy use.

People who suffer from lung disease, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, or who have been in an accident, are at a higher risk of suffering from frozen shoulder. Fortunately, frozen shoulder treatment is available and has been proven to work. As with many conditions, there are two methods of treatment available: drug-based and natural. The traditional , drug-based treatment involves administering nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and heat, followed by an array of gentle stretching exercises to help 'thaw' the shoulder. This is only done after a frozen shoulder diagnosis has been confirmed. An alternative technique, called the Niel-Asher Technique, discards the used of NSAIDs and focuses on moving the shoulder through a range of motion that doesn't impart much pressure on the blockage, as the traditional method does. Frozen shoulder symptoms normally resolve themselves after around 30 months, but this can be an extremely uncomfortable period for sufferers.

One sufferer, Lucas, says of his experience with frozen shoulder:

'My job involves arranging internships for people who wish to work in the upper echelons of London hotels. This is a rather sedentary job that involves a lot of sitting down and making phone calls. I guess it was because I didn't move around much that I started developing frozen shoulder. I can't describe exactly how it felt, but it was like I couldn't move my arm above shoulder height, and, when I did, it was approaching agony. This started developing just four months before my wedding, which was very annoying because everyone wants to look and feel their best on their big day.

'I went to my doctor, who put me on a course of anti-inflammatory drugs and started me going with some fairly painful exercises. They really helped but frozen shoulder is a long-term problem and I was still in pain for my wedding. It took almost three years for the pain to go away entirely, but, thankfully, I am back to normal now.'