Exploring the Effects of Local Steaming in the Management of Primary Frozen Shoulder: A Case Report

Abstract

Frozen shoulder is one of the commonly encountered debility, associated with the significant morbidity.  Extreme pain and disability are main symptom for which the treatment is sought. Despite the recent advances in the treatment modalities, the NSAIDs continue to be the most common drugs used frequently to alleviate the symptoms of the frozen shoulder, owing to their cost effectiveness. These, however, have problematic side effects on the urinary, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems when taken orally. To ensure the cost effectiveness and the safety, the recent modern research has focused on the evaluation of the topical therapies. Inkibab (local steaming) is one of the ancient and efficient parental methods of the local drug delivery in the Unani system of medicine. In this case, patient presented with the complaints of extreme pain and disability for which underwent the 7 sessions of local steaming with the medicinal decoction for 1 week span.  The local steam was administered to affected area for 10 minutes, ensuring direct exposure to steam while maintaining a safe distance to avoid burns and exposure.  Following the local treatment, there was a notable improvement in the patient's condition, as evidenced by reductions in both the SPADI (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) score and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score. ROM, SPADI score measured before and after treatment, demonstrated significant improvement in both pain and disability, while the VAS score assessed on a daily basis presented a marked reduction in pain intensity.