Menu Healthy Lifestyle Diseases & Conditions First Aid Symptoms Tests & Procedures Videos Definitions FAQs Adhesive capsulitis of shoulderUpdated: 2017-06-13OverviewFrozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is characterized by shoulder joint pain and stiffness. SymptomsSymptoms may start gradually and resolve within 1 or 2 years.TreatmentsTreatment involves stretching and, sometimes, injecting corticosteroids and numbing medications into the joint capsule. In some cases, surgery is used to loosen the joint capsule. © 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research(MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use