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Physicians have described the normal course of a frozen shoulder as having three stages:\r
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Stage one: In the ""freezing"" or painful stage, which may last from six weeks to nine months, the patient has a slow onset of pain. As the pain worsens, the shoulder loses motion.\r
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Stage two: The ""frozen"" or adhesive stage is marked by a slow improvement in pain, but the stiffness remains. This stage generally lasts four months to nine months.\r
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Stage three: The ""thawing"" or recovery, during which shoulder motion slowly returns toward normal. This generally lasts five months to 26 months.\r
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