If you are a women aged between 40 and 60, chances are that you or your friends may have experienced frozen shoulder, a condition closely linked to menopause. But what is it, and how can you spot the signs?
If you are a woman in midlife, chances are you will have seen posts of women recounting their experiences of dealing with frozen shoulder across your social media feeds. Perhaps you have been discussing it among your friendship group?
However you may have come across the term, what’s clear is that the proliferation of women reporting having frozen shoulder is a clear reminder that women are on a lifelong journey when it comes to learning about their bodies and the various life stages that we go through. If you are going through menopause, you will likely have been introduced to a whole new set of changes to your body. Common, well-known symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety and many more. While the urge to attribute all changes to menopause is common, albeit erroneous, there is strong correlation which suggests frozen shoulder could very well be a menopausal symptom.
Mood swings, low libido and tiredness? It could be perimenopause!
While frozen shoulder can affect both women and men, the significant link between the condition and menopause, makes it something all women should be aware of.
In this article, we dig deeper into what frozen shoulder is and how to manage the condition.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder condition is not limited to a specific demographic; however, there is a noteworthy link among women aged between 40 and 60 years old, the peak perimenopause and menopause years. Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition that limits shoulder movement, due to the shoulder capsule stiffening and contracting.
The condition is known to last from months to years. It can be categorised into three main stages:
Freezing stage (Inflammatory)
This stage typically lasts from six to nine months. Symptoms can range from increasing pain to gradually losing free movement of your shoulder. People who suffer from the condition notice difficulty performing simple daily tasks at this stage and report elevated pain at nighttime.
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Frozen stage
While pain levels reportedly decrease slightly in comparison to the freezing stage, you may notice severe stiffness in your shoulder. This is because the shoulder capsule is thickening and tightening to the point of causing locking in the free movement of your shoulder. This second stage typically lasts between four to six months.
Thawing stage
Also known as the ‘recovery stage’, the thawing stage is the longest in duration as it can last anywhere from six months to up to two years. You may notice increased ease of movement in your shoulder during this time. However, some people fully recover, others may still experience after-effects that cause mild limitations. The recovery stage of frozen shoulder can remain painful. This is why spotting signs early can help introduce treatment to manage the process more effectively.
Is there a link between frozen shoulder and menopause?
Research from the Journal of Clinical Medicine suggests that the decline in estrogen levels could be a contributing factor to the link between perimenopause/menopause. Estrogen has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects, which would ordinarily help manage inflammation in the body. But in perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels decrease, therefore creating an environment for an inflammatory condition like frozen shoulder to occur more easily. This causes tissue thickening that results in shoulder stiffness.
How can you manage frozen shoulder symptoms?
While not everyone fully recovers from frozen shoulder, most do with the right treatment. Here are some ways to manage frozen shoulder:
Physiotherapy
Guidance from the NHS recommends avoiding specific movements that would exacerbate the pain. However, keeping the shoulder completely still will likely make the pain worse. So, lean more towards gentler movements at home and seek a physiotherapist for expert guidance too. The physiotherapist will assess how much movement you have in your shoulder before advising on the exercises you should do. Stretching exercises are a common recommendation. Working on your posture is also a suggested treatment plan for frozen shoulder.
Pain relief
Experts recommend managing pain in stages with frozen shoulder. There are a number of different types of treatment. First, try pain killers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen according to the recommended dosage. Using sources of heat like a heat pack wrapped in a tea towel on your shoulder for no more than 20 minutes at a time can also help ease pain. If these are not helping to manage the shoulder pain adequately enough, you may be referred for a steroid injection.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
There is some research that also suggests HRT could be a preventative tool to reduce risk of frozen shoulder in menopausal women. This is a preliminary study and more research is needed, but this piece of evidence could be something you bring up with your GP when addressing the connection between frozen shoulder and menopause.
Health disclaimer: The content published in this magazine is provided for general informational, and educational purposes only. It does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always seek professional medical advice and care.
Written by Maxine Harrison
