Frozen shoulder

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: National Health Service · Published: August 8, 2026 · Accessed: August 8, 2026

Visit the source ↗

Claims this source supports

• The two main symptoms of frozen shoulder are pain in the shoulder (which can be worse at night and disturb sleep) and stiffness that makes it difficult to move.
• Frozen shoulder can take months or years to get better, but the pain and stiffness will usually go away eventually.
• See a GP if you have shoulder pain and stiffness that does not go away, or if the pain is so bad it makes it hard to move your arm and shoulder.
• Treatment works in three main steps: pain relief (paracetamol, then an oral NSAID such as ibuprofen if paracetamol does not work), stronger pain relief (prescribed painkillers or a steroid injection in the shoulder), and getting movement back via gentle exercises or physiotherapy.
• Physiotherapy for frozen shoulder usually lasts at least 6 weeks and includes stretching exercises, strength exercises, posture advice, and pain relief including steroid injections.
• Self-care: follow exercises from your GP or physiotherapist, keep the shoulder moving (keeping it still will make the pain worse), take paracetamol regularly up to the recommended daily dose, and try a heat pack (or hot water bottle) wrapped in a tea towel on the shoulder for up to 20 minutes at a time.
• Do not make up your own strenuous exercises – gym equipment can make the pain worse.
• Frozen shoulder happens when the tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed; the tissue then gets tighter and shrinks, which causes pain. It can happen after an injury or surgery that stops normal arm movement, and in people with diabetes.