Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get StartedSymptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffFrozen shoulder typically develops slowly, and in three stages. Each of these stages can last a number of months.
- Painful stage. During this stage, pain occurs with any movement of your shoulder, and your shoulder's range of motion starts to become limited.
- Frozen stage. Pain may begin to diminish during this stage. However, your shoulder becomes stiffer, and your range of motion decreases notably.
- Thawing stage. During the thawing stage, the range of motion in your shoulder begins to improve.
For some people, the pain worsens at night, sometimes disrupting normal sleep patterns.
- Canale ST, et al. Adhesive capsulitis. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/118357423-5/797903506/1584/341.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03329-9..50047-7--cesec41_2408. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
- Anderson BC. Frozen shoulder. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
- Krabik BJ, et al. Adhesive capsulitis. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/118477770-4/798285468/1678/13.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50012-2_144. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Noble J, et al. Periarticular rheumatic disorders: Shoulder area. In: Noble J, et al. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/118477770-6/798316122/959/864.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..50139-4--cesec16_4159. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Neurological tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- An introduction to acupuncture. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/introduction.htm. Accessed Feb. 6, 2009.
- Miller RD. Management of chronic pain: Rehabilitation. In: Miller RD. Miller's Anesthesia. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/119273143-5/0/1255/1.html?tocnode=53060557&fromURL=1.html#4-u1.0-B0-443-06618-3..X5001-4--TOP_1. Accessed Feb. 6, 2009.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 6, 2009.