People with diabetes face a constant battle of choosing the right foods, monitoring their blood glucose levels, and administering the right amount of insulin. What many may not know is that they’re at increased risk of experiencing a condition called adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as frozen shoulder. It occurs when the connective tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, stiff and swollen.

Effects of frozen shoulder

The pain and inflammation make it difficult to perform everyday activities. As the condition progresses, the stiffness becomes worse and the pain can be excruciating. Frozen shoulder is a symptom associated with poorly managed glucose levels. High levels of glucose affect the protein collagen that’s a major component of connective tissue.

Frozen shoulder typically affects those around the age of 52 and 25 percent of diabetics will experience it. As the condition progresses, the connective tissue of the shoulder thickens, tightens around the joint, and restricts movement. People with diabetes often experience the most severe cases of frozen shoulder.

Stages of frozen shoulder

There are three stages of frozen shoulder. The first is the “freezing stage” with stiffness and pain. In the “frozen phase,” there’s often less pain, but more shoulder stiffness. In the “thawing stage,” the shoulder returns to its previous, normal range of motion.

Since it develops slowly over time, frozen shoulder is often mistaken for arthritis and misdiagnosed by those in the medical community. Even with an MRI, doctors may see what’s termed as age-appropriate rotator cuff tears with a stiff shoulder. It’s a good idea to ask if it could actually be frozen shoulder, since the treatment for each is different.

Treatments

The usual treatment prescribed by physicians is a non-steroid anti-inflammatory medication for pain and a series of exercises that can be performed at home. If the condition doesn’t improve in a specified amount of time, the doctor may prescribe some combination of physical therapy, steroid injections or even acupuncture until frozen shoulder is resolved.

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