Frozen shoulder: stages, symptoms and self-care
What frozen shoulder is, how it typically progresses through painful, stiff and recovering stages, and when to see your GP.
Frozen shoulder is a condition where the shoulder becomes painful and progressively stiff, with movement limited in many directions. It tends to develop gradually and most often affects adults in middle age. It is more common in people with diabetes and can follow an injury or surgery that stops the arm moving normally, although often no clear reason is found.
When to get urgent help
Call 999 straight away if shoulder or arm pain comes with any of these. Shoulder pain can sometimes be referred from the heart.
- Chest pain or pressure, breathlessness, sweating or feeling faint, particularly with pain spreading into the left arm, neck or jaw
- A shoulder that looks out of place or deformed after an injury
- Sudden loss of the ability to lift your arm after a fall
What it can feel like
- Pain in the shoulder, often worse at night, that gradually builds
- Increasing difficulty with everyday tasks such as dressing, reaching behind your back or reaching a high shelf
- A shoulder that feels stuck, with movement limited both when you move it and when someone else moves it for you
- Symptoms that tend to progress through a painful phase, a stiff phase and then a slow recovery phase
Common contributors
- The exact cause is not fully understood
- It sometimes follows an injury or a period when the shoulder has been immobile, for example after surgery
- It is more common in people with diabetes or thyroid conditions
- Often it appears without any obvious trigger
General self-care
These are general comfort measures many people find reasonable. They are not a treatment plan, and what suits one person may not suit another.
- Keep the arm moving gently within the limits of pain rather than holding it still
- Warmth, such as a warm shower, can make gentle movement more comfortable
- Pace your activities and take short breaks from tasks that irritate the shoulder
- Be patient. The NHS says frozen shoulder can take months or even years to get better, although the pain and stiffness usually resolve eventually
- If you use over-the-counter pain relief, follow the packet instructions or ask a pharmacist
When to see your GP
See your GP promptly, or call NHS 111, if you have any of the following:
- Pain after a fall or significant injury
- A hot, red, swollen shoulder, especially with a fever
- Unexplained weight loss or constant night pain unrelated to position
Consider seeing your GP if:
- A stiff, painful shoulder with no clear reason. Other shoulder problems can look similar, so it is worth getting it assessed
- Pain that is severe or stops you sleeping
- You have diabetes and have noticed a stiff shoulder
Where an osteopath fits in
There is limited good-quality research showing that hands-on treatment changes the course of frozen shoulder, so I do not claim that osteopathy treats it.
What an osteopath can usefully do is check that your symptoms fit frozen shoulder rather than another shoulder or neck problem, advise on keeping the shoulder gently moving within comfort, and help with pacing and daily activities while it settles. The NHS describes the usual route as pain relief, gentle home exercises and, if needed, physiotherapy or an injection arranged through your GP. If the assessment suggests you need your GP, a physiotherapist or a specialist instead, I will tell you.
If you would like your symptoms assessed, you are welcome to book an appointment. Osteopathic care is not right for everyone, and if something needs medical attention first, I will tell you.
Common questions
How long does frozen shoulder last?
The NHS says frozen shoulder can take months or even years to get better, but the pain and stiffness usually resolve eventually.
Should I exercise a frozen shoulder?
The NHS advises keeping the shoulder moving, because keeping it still makes the pain worse, and following exercises from your GP or physiotherapist. It also advises against inventing your own strenuous gym-style exercises, which can make pain worse.
Free 5-minute exercise sheet
A simple, printable sheet of gentle exercises and stretches, about five minutes a day, based on NHS physiotherapy leaflets. It is general information, not a personal treatment plan, and it is not suitable if you have any of the urgent signs listed above.
Sources and further reading
Links open in a new tab. Sources were checked in October 2026.
Related guides
This page is general information to help you understand common aches and pains. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose your problem. If you are worried about your symptoms, please speak to your GP or call NHS 111.