At Five Seasons Healing, we see a lot of women come through our doors with a condition that is both surprisingly common and often deeply misunderstood: frozen shoulder. Also known as adhesive capsulitis, this painful and frustrating condition can make everyday tasks feel impossible—from reaching for a mug to putting on a coat. It can feel physically and emotionally overwhelming.
We’ve worked with many women, particularly those in their 40s and 50s, who develop frozen shoulder seemingly out of nowhere—often without an injury or clear explanation. What we’ve come to recognize is that this condition frequently shows up during the perimenopausal years, a time of profound hormonal shifts in the body.
The good news? There is a path forward. With acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and holistic care, we’ve helped many women recover their range of motion, reduce pain, and restore balance—not just in the shoulder, but in their overall health and wellbeing.
What Is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder is a condition where the connective tissue around the shoulder joint—called the joint capsule—becomes inflamed, thickened, and tight. Over time, this restricts movement and leads to chronic pain and stiffness.
It usually develops slowly, progressing through three stages:
- Freezing – increasing pain and gradually decreasing range of motion
- Frozen – pain may lessen, but stiffness becomes severe
- Thawing – range of motion slowly begins to return
This cycle can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years, and without targeted treatment, can significantly impact sleep, self-care, and quality of life.
Why Does Frozen Shoulder Affect Perimenopausal Women So Often?
This is the million-dollar question—and one that Western medicine often overlooks.
While frozen shoulder can happen to anyone, women between the ages of 40 and 60 are statistically more likely to develop it. And for many women in this age group, frozen shoulder seems to arrive with the onset of perimenopause—a transitional phase leading up to menopause when hormones like estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate.
Estrogen plays a vital role in:
- Maintaining healthy collagen and connective tissue
- Supporting circulation and fluidity in the joints
- Modulating the inflammatory response
As estrogen declines, joint tissues may become drier, stiffer, and more prone to inflammation. The result? Conditions like frozen shoulder can emerge or worsen.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we view this as a natural depletion of Kidney Essence and Liver Blood, two vital substances that nourish the tendons, joints, and ligaments. When the body’s internal resources become deficient—or when Qi and Blood stagnate due to stress, overwork, or unprocessed emotions—conditions like frozen shoulder may take root.
Conventional Treatments: Helpful but Limited
Many women turn to conventional care for help, and while some treatments can be useful, they don’t always offer a lasting solution—especially if the root hormonal or systemic causes aren’t addressed.
Common Western treatments include:
- Physical Therapy – gentle stretching and strengthening to maintain mobility
- NSAIDs or Steroid Injections – to reduce inflammation and pain
- Manipulation under anesthesia – used in severe cases to break up adhesions
- Surgery – a last resort for chronic, unresponsive cases
These methods may offer relief, but they often come with side effects or limitations, and they don’t always resolve the underlying imbalance that allowed the condition to develop in the first place.
How Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Can Help Frozen Shoulder
At Five Seasons Healing, we approach frozen shoulder as both a musculoskeletal condition and a systemic imbalance. Our goal is not just to treat the pain, but to understand why it developed in the first place and to support the body’s natural ability to heal.
1. Acupuncture for Frozen Shoulder
Acupuncture works by:
- Increasing local blood flow to reduce inflammation and nourish tissues
- Relaxing the muscles and fascia around the shoulder joint
- Stimulating the body’s internal healing mechanisms
- Addressing underlying patterns like stagnation or deficiency that are often linked to perimenopause
We target both local points around the shoulder and distal points along the Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Lung, and Heart meridians—channels that flow directly through the shoulder.
2. Chinese Herbal Medicine
Customized herbal formulas can:
- Move Blood and Qi to resolve stiffness and pain
- Nourish the Liver and Kidneys, supporting hormonal balance and connective tissue health
- Clear Dampness and Cold from the joints (common in weather-sensitive or chronic cases)
Examples of common TCM patterns we see in frozen shoulder:
- Liver Qi Stagnation with Blood Stasis – tension, frustration, tight shoulders
- Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency – dryness, night sweats, hot flashes + stiff joints
- Damp-Cold Invasion – worse with damp weather, feeling heavy or achy
3. Cupping, Moxibustion, Guasha & Bodywork
These gentle but powerful techniques can:
- Loosen tight muscles
- Improve range of motion
- Warm and invigorate the area for faster healing
Healing the Shoulder and the Hormonal System
One of the most powerful things about the TCM approach is that it sees the whole person. When we work with someone navigating frozen shoulder in perimenopause, we’re often also supporting:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood swings or anxiety
- Fatigue or low libido
When the body is treated as an interconnected system—rather than a set of isolated symptoms—healing happens more quickly, more deeply, and more sustainably.
A Clinical Snapshot
A 47-year-old patient came to us with significant frozen shoulder pain. She couldn’t lift her arm above her chest, had trouble sleeping from discomfort, and was also experiencing high stress, hot flashes and night sweats. We treated her weekly with acupuncture and customized herbal medicine to move Qi and Blood, nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, and calm the nervous system. Within two months, she regained most of her range of motion, her hot flashes and night sweats diminished, and she began feeling more balanced emotionally and hormonally.
You Don’t Have to Push Through It Alone
If you’re struggling with frozen shoulder—especially during perimenopause—you’re not alone. We know how painful and exhausting it can be, and we want you to know there is real help available.
Whether you’re just beginning to notice stiffness or you’ve been dealing with pain for months, we’re here to support you with a plan that’s personalized, compassionate, and rooted in deep experience.
Ready to Feel Free Again?
At Five Seasons Healing, we specialize in treating conditions like frozen shoulder with a holistic lens—especially for women navigating hormonal changes. If you’re curious whether acupuncture and Chinese medicine could help you, we invite you to book a consultation.
👉 Book an appointment here or reach out with any questions—we’re here to help.
