The main symptoms of a frozen shoulder are pain and stiffness that make it difficult or impossible to move it.
If you have frozen shoulder, you’ll likely feel a dull or achy pain in one shoulder. You might also feel the pain in the shoulder muscles that wrap around the top of your arm. You might feel the same sensation in your upper arm. Your pain could get worse at night, which can make it hard to sleep
You’ll typically go through three phases with a frozen shoulder. Each has its own unique symptoms and timeline.
Symptoms of frozen shoulder are divided into three stages:
1. The “freezing” stage
In this stage, the shoulder becomes stiff and is painful to move. The pain slowly increases. It may worsen at night. Inability to move the shoulder increases. This stage lasts 6 weeks to 9 months.
2. The “frozen” stage
In this stage, pain may lessen, but the shoulder remains stiff. This makes it more difficult to complete daily tasks and activities. This stage lasts 2 to 6 months.
3. The “thawing” (recovery) stage
Shoulder motion slowly improves during the “thawing” stage. Complete return to normal or close to normal strength and motion typically takes from 6 months to 2 years.