Dr. Nitish Mandal
Frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder is stiffness and night pain from a tight joint capsule. You cannot lift the arm to comb hair or reach a seatbelt. Dr. Nitish Mandal uses ultrasound-guided injections and hydrodilatation at Koramangala and J.P. Nagar when stretching has stalled.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder is stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint that slowly limits how far you can raise or rotate the arm. Rotator cuff-related problems can feel similar and are treated on the same visit when they are the source.
The joint capsule becomes tight. Stretching alone can take many months. Waiting it out can take many months. A guided procedure is discussed when the capsule stays locked.
How does frozen shoulder feel?
- Night pain that wakes you when you roll onto that side.
- You cannot raise the arm to comb hair, reach a seatbelt, or put on a shirt.
- The shoulder feels locked, not only sore.
How is the shoulder examined?
The visit checks how far the joint can move, where it is tender, and whether the problem is a frozen capsule, a rotator cuff issue, or both.
Ultrasound is used when an injection is planned, so medication is placed at the joint rather than guessed from the surface.
What have you already tried?
- Painkillers and a sling, with the stiffness still there.
- Months of stretching that hurt more than they help.
- Advice to wait it out, while work and sleep stay interrupted.
What is hydrodilatation?
Early care
- Avoid forcing the arm through a painful range.
- Keep using the arm in positions that do not spike the pain.
- Gentle stretching after the joint is less irritable.
When movement is stuck
- Hydrodilatation: fluid placed in the joint under guidance to help unstick a tight capsule.
- Ultrasound-guided injections at the pain site.
Will I use the arm the same day?
- The shoulder is examined and the plan is explained.
- Local anaesthetic is used. Ultrasound guides the needle to the joint.
- You are typically able to go home after the procedure the same day.
Targeted injections deliver medication at the specific pain site. Many people can use the arm more comfortably the same evening, though stiffness can take time to ease.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does frozen shoulder last if I only wait?
- It can last many months. Stretching is useful, but a tight capsule sometimes needs a guided procedure such as hydrodilatation before movement returns.
- Will I be able to use the arm the same day?
- The procedure is done as a clinic visit, not as an operation. Many people go home the same day. How quickly the arm lifts again depends on how stuck the joint was.
- Is this only for frozen shoulder?
- No. Rotator cuff-related pain is also treated with ultrasound-guided injections when that is the source.
- Frozen shoulder vs rotator cuff: how do I tell?
- A frozen joint will not lift. Rotator cuff pain often still lifts the arm, then catches or weakens. Examination sorts them. Both can be treated on the same visit if both are present.
Not every stiff shoulder is frozen shoulder, and not every frozen shoulder needs the same injection. The first visit is to find the source, then choose care that fits.
Reviewed by Dr. Nitish Mandal, MBBS, MD, FIPM, TIPM (Nashville). Clinics: Koramangala and J.P. Nagar.
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I cannot lift my arm and night pain is worse. What can you do?
Hydrodilatation and ultrasound-guided injections are listed when stretching has stalled. The visit is a clinic procedure, not an operation.
Can I use the arm the same day?
Many people go home the same day. How quickly the arm lifts again depends on how stuck the joint was.