====== 'Frozen shoulder' ======

Frozen Shoulder ( technical name : //Adhesive capsulitis// ) is a condition which causes severe pain and restricted movement of the shoulder joint. The pain is caused by abnormalities and hardening of the collagen in the tissues of the shoulder capsule joint.

The prevalence is estimated at 2% to 5% of the general population - i.e. many millions worldwide.

The cause is generally unknown, as is the underlying pathophysiology which leads to the joint degradation.

The condition can sometimes be partially relieved with NSAI drugs (e.g. [[content:medicine:drugs:paracetamol]]) and usually self-resolves, but this can take many months, sometimes even years.

Microscopic analysis of tissue samples have found some similarities with the damage caused in [[content:medicine:diseases:a-f:dupuytrens_contraction]], which also has an unknown cause. (Ref. [[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christian-Heiss-3/publication/5823449_Enhanced_alpha1I_mRNA_expression_in_frozen_shoulder_and_Dupuytren_tissue/links/551cf6260cf2fe6cbf793823/Enhanced-alpha1I-mRNA-expression-in-frozen-shoulder-and-Dupuytren-tissue.pdf|Eur J Med Res,12: 585-590]])

Note that it typically affects the 'non dominant' arm, also for unknown reasons.

Further info [[https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0301/p297.html|American Family Physician]] {{:oa_padlock_grn.png?16}}99(5):297-300.