We have heard of some crazy treatments people have tried in our Derbyshire clinic. Maybe placing an iceberg lettuce leaf on the shoulder isn’t the best way forward to treat a painful frozen shoulder. Read more for the more ‘conventional’ methods available.
Frozen shoulders or to give its official name, Adhesive capsulitis, is probably one of the most painful conditions we see in our Chesterfield clinic. Scientists are unsure why the condition occurs but it is more common in ladies between 40-60 years old and in patients who have diabetes.
It causes the capsule of the shoulder (which keeps the joint lubricated and in the socket) to become inflamed and causes severe pain and restriction in movement. Left untreated the condition can ‘burn out’ within two years. But why wait when there are options out there?
The most common is a steroid injection into the joint capsule which helps treat the inflammation and pain. This often helps the pain within two weeks, which allows you to gently stretch the joint to restore movement. You can opt for therapy instead, which involves stretching the joint, however caution needs to be taken as this often can cause more inflammation at the shoulder joint.
We have come across different treatments on the internet from people placing iceberg lettuce leaves on their shoulder, hanging from doorframes to even rubbing WD-40 on their shoulder! We do not recommend these options!