Frozen shoulder treatment in Dubai

Where in Dubai

Dr. Subhash Ushakoyala, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, sees patients with painful and stiff shoulders at Grand Infinity Medical Center in Al Muteena, Deira, Dubai. Diabetes raises the chance of a frozen shoulder, so bring your latest blood sugar results. At the first visit he examines the shoulder and arranges an X-ray to rule out other causes. He then plans pain relief and exercises around the stage your shoulder is in.

What is frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, is when the lining of the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, then thickens and shrinks. The shoulder gets painful and then stiff, so you cannot lift or turn the arm fully, even with help. It usually passes through three stages. First comes freezing, when pain builds over weeks to months. Then frozen, when the pain may ease but the stiffness stays. Last is thawing, when movement slowly returns. The whole course can take a year or more. It is most common between 40 and 60, more common in women, and much more common in people with diabetes or thyroid problems.

Common signs

• A shoulder that has become slowly more painful and then stiff, without a clear injury.
• Pain at night that disturbs sleep.
• Trouble reaching behind your back, fastening clothes or reaching up to a shelf.
• Stiffness that stays even when someone else tries to move your arm for you.
• Shoulder stiffness after a period of keeping the arm still, such as after an injury or an operation.

How Dr. Subhash approaches it

Dr. Subhash is a specialist orthopaedic surgeon who performs shoulder arthroscopy and shoulder replacement. Frozen shoulder treatment is on his own list of the conditions he treats. He first checks that the stiffness is a frozen shoulder and not arthritis, a tendon tear or another cause, because they are treated differently. Most frozen shoulders get better without an operation. He plans pain relief and exercises around the stage you are in, and, if you have diabetes, talks with you about blood sugar control, which can affect recovery.

What to expect

1. 01

   Consultation

   He asks when the pain started and how it has changed, then measures how far the shoulder moves on its own and with help.

2. 02

   X-ray

   An X-ray of a frozen shoulder is usually normal. It is taken to rule out arthritis and other causes of stiffness.

3. 03

   Easing the pain

   Pain relief, a heat pack and avoiding sudden painful movements come first. A steroid injection into the shoulder may be offered when pain is severe.

4. 04

   Getting movement back

   Gentle stretching exercises, often with a physiotherapist, help keep and regain movement. Hard gym exercises can make it worse.

5. 05

   If it does not improve

   If the shoulder stays very stiff after many months of treatment, he discusses whether a procedure to release the tight joint lining could help.

Getting better

Every patient is different. These are typical milestones, not a promise; your own plan comes from your consultation.

• The painful freezing stage often lasts from about six weeks to nine months.
• The stiff frozen stage often lasts around four to six months.
• Movement returns slowly during thawing; most people regain most of their movement in time.
• Recovery can be slower in people with diabetes.

Risks to know about

• Steroid injections can raise blood sugar for some days in people with diabetes, so levels need watching.
• Some stiffness can remain, especially in people with diabetes.
• Frozen shoulder can occasionally come back, or later affect the other shoulder.

When to book a visit

Where to book