Frozen shoulder — also known as adhesive capsulitis — can make even the smallest movements painful and frustrating. Everyday tasks like putting on a coat, reaching for a seatbelt, or even sleeping comfortably can become nearly impossible. The good news? There’s a modern and highly effective approach that gets to the root of the issue — Dolphin Neurostim therapy. In this blog, we’ll explore how Dolphin Neurostim helps restore shoulder movement by targeting both the muscles and the nervous system—offering a more complete and effective path to recovery.
What Is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder happens when the capsule around your shoulder joint becomes thick, tight, and inflamed. It often develops gradually and can last months or even years if left untreated.
Common causes include:
- Injury or surgery (especially if the arm is immobilized): After a shoulder injury or surgical procedure, the joint is often immobilized to allow healing. However, prolonged immobility can lead to a rapid decline in joint flexibility. The surrounding capsule stiffens, leading to adhesions and reduced synovial fluid circulation, which ultimately contributes to pain and restricted movement.
- Poor posture or repetitive strain: Everyday habits like slouching at a desk, carrying bags on one shoulder, or overusing the dominant arm during repetitive tasks can lead to muscle imbalances. Over time, these imbalances can cause the shoulder capsule to tighten and limit mobility, especially when combined with muscular guarding.
- Diabetes or autoimmune conditions: People with diabetes are significantly more likely to develop frozen shoulder, though the exact link is still being studied. Autoimmune responses can trigger widespread inflammation and collagen buildup, affecting the pliability of the shoulder capsule and soft tissues.
- Unknown reasons (idiopathic onset): In some cases, frozen shoulder develops without a clear cause. It may start as mild stiffness that gradually progresses, possibly due to subtle biomechanical changes, minor injuries that go unnoticed, or chronic low-grade inflammation that accumulates over time.
What starts as mild stiffness can quickly become severe pain and near-total loss of movement. As the shoulder freezes, everyday actions can become difficult or even impossible. Without targeted intervention, the condition may persist for a year or more and significantly impact quality of life.
How Dolphin Neurostim Helps Treat Frozen Shoulder
Dolphin Neurostim is a handheld microcurrent device that stimulates acupuncture and trigger points using a gentle electrical current. It works on both the soft tissues and nervous system, making it especially effective for stubborn, chronic conditions like frozen shoulder.
Here’s how it helps:
- Releases fascia and muscle tension deep in the shoulder capsule: Adhesions and restrictions in the fascial layers surrounding the shoulder joint often limit movement and trigger pain. The Dolphin Neurostim helps loosen these layers by increasing hydration and tissue mobility at the cellular level, reducing the “frozen” feeling.
- Improves circulation and reduces inflammation: Microcurrent therapy enhances local blood flow, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the tissues while flushing out inflammatory byproducts. This helps reduce swelling and supports the body’s natural healing response.
- Resets nerve signaling to stop the pain-spasm-pain cycle: Chronic pain leads to muscle guarding, which leads to more pain—creating a self-perpetuating loop. Dolphin Neurostim helps interrupt this cycle by calming hyperactive nerve endings and reestablishing normal communication between the brain and shoulder muscles.
- Breaks up scar tissue and improves mobility: Repetitive strain, previous injuries, or post-surgical healing can result in scar tissue that restricts joint movement. The gentle stimulation from the Dolphin Neurostim helps soften and break down this fibrous tissue over time, allowing smoother motion and decreased stiffness.
Most people feel a noticeable release of tightness and a reduction in pain within the first few sessions. While results can vary, the combination of immediate relief and long-term tissue changes makes Dolphin Neurostim a powerful tool in frozen shoulder recovery.
Our Approach to Frozen Shoulder Treatment: Why We See Better Results
Many frozen shoulder treatments focus on passive modalities (like heat, TENS, or ultrasound) or long courses of basic stretching. But these don’t address the neurological lock that keeps the shoulder stuck in pain and immobility.
At Body Science Therapy, we combine Dolphin Neurostim with expert movement analysis and hands-on techniques to:
- Treat the root cause (not just the symptoms)
- Wake up underactive muscles and reset overactive ones
- Restore balance to the shoulder complex and surrounding areas
The result? Faster progress, fewer flare-ups, and more lasting mobility.
What Our Mississauga Clients Are Saying
“I couldn’t lift my arm past shoulder height before I found this clinic. After two sessions with the Neurostim, I was reaching overhead again.”
– J.L., Mississauga
“Other clinics gave me a bunch of stretches and told me to be patient. Here, I got real treatment that made a difference after just one visit.”
– N.S., Oakville
What to Expect During Your Visit
Each session is tailored to your needs, focusing on the underlying restrictions causing pain and stiffness—not just the symptoms. Your frozen shoulder treatment will include:
- A full assessment of your shoulder and movement patterns: We begin by observing how your shoulder moves—or doesn’t move. This includes joint mobility, muscular activation, posture, and any compensatory habits. Understanding how your body is adapting to the pain helps us tailor your treatment.
- Targeted Dolphin Neurostim therapy to key nerve and muscle points: The therapist will apply the device to acupuncture and trigger points throughout the shoulder complex. These points are chosen based on your unique presentation and may also include areas of the neck, back, or rib cage if they’re contributing to dysfunction.
- Manual techniques or specific exercises to reinforce progress: Once tissue tension is reduced, we use targeted manual therapy or corrective exercises to help reinforce improved mobility and control. The goal is to retrain your nervous system to allow safe, pain-free movement.
- Post-Session Expectations: Most people experience less pain and tightness, increased range of motion, and improved comfort with daily tasks. While results can vary, many clients feel a sense of “lightness” or freedom in the joint almost immediately after treatment. Continued sessions build on this momentum, supporting long-term gains in function and comfort.
Progress builds with each visit, helping you move more freely and comfortably in your daily life.
How to Complement Frozen Shoulder Treatment
Dolphin Neurostim therapy can create significant improvements in mobility and pain, but your recovery can progress even faster with the right support between sessions. One of the most effective ways to complement treatment is through gentle, targeted home exercises—especially those designed to reinforce proper movement and prevent stiffness from returning. Applying a warm compress before movement can help loosen the joint, while regular, pain-free motion throughout the day keeps the shoulder from seizing up again.
Pay attention to posture as well; slouching or favouring one side can create muscle imbalances that slow healing. At night, try sleeping with a pillow under your arm for support to reduce tension on the joint. Avoid aggressive stretching or pushing through pain, as this can trigger setbacks or increase inflammation. When combined with in-clinic care, these simple strategies can help create longer-lasting relief and restore shoulder function more effectively.
Stop Living With a Frozen Shoulder
If you’re dealing with frozen shoulder and feel like progress has stalled, Dolphin Neurostim may offer the missing piece. Rather than relying on surface-level treatments or endless stretching routines, this gentle yet powerful microcurrent therapy works to release deep tension, break up adhesions, and reset the neurological patterns that keep your shoulder locked.If your shoulder pain isn’t going away — or if stretching and waiting have only made it worse — let us help you move forward. At Body Science Therapy in Mississauga, we use cutting-edge tools like Dolphin Neurostim to treat the root cause and get you real results. Book your session today and start feeling better faster.