My Physical, Spiritual, Mental, and Emotional Journey with a Frozen Shoulder

In 2011, my left arm and shoulder became painful, and my range of motion started little by little to become limited. I was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder.

At its worse, I could not lift my arm much above chest high. I could not put anything in a cupboard or microwave above my shoulders. I had to have my husband put my hair clip or elastic band in my hair and help me put my coat on. After moving out of our motorhome into a gated apartment, I would have to unhook my seat belt and reach across the steering wheel with my right hand to swipe the key card.

Sleeping was difficult as well. Whatever way I would lay it would hurt. Laying hurt. Turning hurt. Waking up with a “catch” in my arm really hurt. Life became extremely painful and limited.

It Wasn’t Going to Heal Overnight

The first physical therapist I went to see was extremely negative – she suggested I would most likely get a frozen shoulder many times in my life, and it could take two to five years to come out of it. I wasn’t too convinced; however, I did take her advice and tried a procedure where they inject saline solution into the joint capsule. It hurt like hell. It didn’t work.

After months had passed, I acquiesced to pain killers as suggested by my physician, I was desperate to find relief especially when I needed to sleep.

My Research Mode Kicked In

I have had many obstacles in my life. Research to understand has been a very productive way for me to move out of those obstacles. I certainly did not understand this frozen shoulder. I had never faced anything that could not be healed in a brief period of time. Even muscle strains went away fast because my husband knows acupressure.

My approach to any research, especially physical issues, was to look at it from a holistic view. I began to research the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of this malady. I have seen too many people become practically disabled because of their negative emotional and mental outlook. I have also seen people heal quickly because of a positive attitude. I was ready to explore them all.

Physical

The doctors and physical therapists told me being over 40 and having diabetes was enough to spontaneously get a frozen shoulder. I also learned is a frozen shoulder can be caused by repetitive muscle strain or movement restriction after surgery. That is why the doctors get you moving as quickly as they can.

Additionally, I learned that the frozen shoulder moves through four stages: inflammation, freezing, frozen, and thawing. I realized by the time I had sought help; I was well into the frozen stage which might explain why the saline injection had not worked. It seems the treatment needs to fit the stage.

I thought long about any repetitive or strain on that left shoulder. I had spent much time leaning on my left arm in our bed while we were still in our motorhome. I did a lot of reading and writing in that position. That could have well contributed to it also.

I changed purses and lightened the load on my left shoulder where I typically carried my over-the-shoulder purse. I even tried putting my purse on the right side. It was very awkward.

Because my insurance did not cover massage therapy, which would have been my first choice, I tried another physical therapist. After three or four months he moved on to a new job and we both agreed I had made no progress. I cried. It turns out in his attempt to help me without a lot of pain, we were not doing what needed to be done – some painful stretching.

The Emotional

I decided to do one more try with a third physical therapist. When I started with my third physical therapist, she laid it out straight – chances are I would cry with the exercises; however, it was the only way out. I did cry. It was difficult, painful, and very emotional. I did not wipe my tears away. It was something I learned and believed. If you let them fall and the issue will go away. Wipe them away and it will stay. I cried many, many tears in my healing.

The Spiritual

By the time six to eight months had passed and I was hurting all the time, I called upon my spiritual side – I call that God – I prayed for an answer to why I was not healing. I made bargains, and I watched for signs. I wanted answers. Wasn’t going to happen. It was so strange. I just attributed it to something more to learn.

The Mental

I also explored my thinking. I am a huge fan of Lousie Hay’s book, You Can Heal Your Body. She attributes emotions/thinking patterns to contributing to physical problems. She also gives you positive thoughts to counteract them. More than once I have used her book to guide me.

Louise says shoulder problems represent our ability [or inability] to carry out experiences in life joyously. We make life a burden by our attitude. Over the years, I found her analysis always resonated with me. This one got me thinking about a message I had become aware of from my childhood.

It was a message that my parents were not there for me. My little girl mind said there was something wrong with them and if I could fix them, they could be there for me. Unfortunately, that unconscious message had me carrying the weight of the world on my, yes, you guessed it, my shoulders.

It took some work; however, I did learn to lovingly detach from others’ struggles. This realization has served me well in my life coaching.

The Healing

My husband and I bought a massage therapy table because he was enlisted to help me with the exercises. Getting on the floor or doing it on a bed just did not work. Two to three times a day using the massage table made it much more convenient. Little by little the shoulder and arm became less painful, and I attained a full range of motion.

Later, talking to my orthopedist, he loved the idea and said he would be going to recommend buying a table to his other patients.

I always say if you learn something from a difficult situation, you have benefitted and can let it go by focusing on what you learned.

What I learned was that sometimes with physical issues, the only thing I have control over is my attitude. If my attitude is focused on my emotional, mental, and spiritual clarity and anything that lessens my stress, it contributes significantly to permanent healing.

If you are suffering from any type of physical issue, I would highly recommend you go on a physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional journey to clarity. I can bring you to a new place in your life.