Frozen shoulder is most common among people over 40 and is especially common in women, while neck pain may occur at any age. They do not necessarily share a mutual cause. What they do share, however, are certain symptoms, and they can both benefit from treatment by a certified massage therapist.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms common to both frozen shoulder and neck pain include stiffness, limited range of motion and muscle discomfort. Since these symptoms, when applied to frozen shoulder, can also apply to a variety of other shoulder ailments, such as arthritis, bursitis and rotator cuff tears, it is first important to ascertain whether you do, in fact, have frozen shoulder, which is more properly called adhesive capsulitis. An experienced massage or physical therapist should be able to assess your condition through a series of motion tests, but x-rays might also be recommended by your physician to rule out other possibilities.
Treatments
Frozen shoulder and neck pain can be treated variously by both prescribed and over-the-counter medications, stretching exercises, acupuncture, physical therapy and massage therapy. Massage is a noninvasive alternative to medications frequently used to combat neck and shoulder pain. It is a therapy in which muscle and other soft tissue are manipulated to alleviate the tensions and tightness leading to the discomfort. Massage also increases blood flow, which helps reduce the adhered or scar tissue implicated in frozen shoulder. Swedish massage, trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage and shiatsu are all types of massage that have been found effective in treating neck pain and frozen shoulder.
Prevention
The sources of neck and shoulder pain are many and varied, but regular massage can keep the discomfort from becoming severe. Practicing good posture, regular exercise and neck stretches will also help prevent neck pain; warming up properly before exercising and working on strengthening and stretching your shoulder can preclude the onset of frozen shoulder. It is important to continue to move your shoulder even if it is stiff and achy; not doing so could increase stiffness and reduce range of motion.
Cautions
There are some who believe, such as Clair Davies, author of "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief," that stretching may aggravate the trigger points or areas of hyperirritable muscle tissue. It may therefore be advisable to receive treatment before instituting a regimen of stretches.
Tags: neck pain, frozen shoulder, neck shoulder, neck shoulder pain, range motion