Hello, dear readers! My name is Donna and I wanted to share my experience with a condition I never thought I’d face: a frozen shoulder. Although I am incredibly fit, pickball-playing, zumba-dancing, yogi of 63 years, I found myself googling one night hoping to find answers to the sudden aches and pains that had been setting in when I tried to raise my arms.

Little did I know that night would begin this particular journey. If you've been wondering, "Do I have a frozen shoulder?" let me take you through my story and hopefully help you along the way.

 

Don't Brush it Off

It all started with a nagging discomfort in my left shoulder. At first, I did what most of us busy women tend to-I brushed the stiffness as another sign of aging. After all, between grandkids, a part-time job as a crossing guard, and a household to run, who has the time? But as the weeks passed, that mild twinge as I put away dishes or slipped into a coat transformed from annoying to troubling. 

 

 

Keep a Journal of Your Symptoms

I feel silly as I write this, but it took months for me to see the writing on the wall.  Simple tasks began to become painful. Brushing my hair? I'd put it off for days at a time. Fastening my bra? Forget it. I began layering myself whenever I left the house to cover up instead, leaving me terribly hot, uncomfortable, and feeling exposed.

I became fed up, keeping notes of my symptoms in the notes app on my phone, which later (when I finally saw a doctor) became incredibly helpful.

After doing some research, I learned about the symptoms associated with frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis. It typically presents in three stages: freezing, frozen, and thawing. 

 

 

 

Make That Appointment

My first appointment included a lot of questions. “Do you have trouble lifting your arm?” the doctor asked. "How long have you been in pain?" I whipped out my notes app and showed him the months I'd been slowly getting worse. "Does this impact your daily activities?" Does not being able to get a cup in a cabinet or a bra on my body count? Last, he examined my shoulder and then explained that it could indeed be a frozen shoulder.

 

 

Diagnosis & Finding Relief

After a sxeries of imaging tests, my diagnosis was confirmed. I learned that frozen shoulder often occurs after an injury, but it can also develop without any apparent cause. In my case, it seemed to be a result of a previous rotator cuff injury that hadn’t fully healed. The doctor recommended physical therapy, along with anti-inflammatory medications to manage the pain.

 

Relief at Last (Plus Tips that Eased the Pain)

During my recovery, there were a few strategies that helped with my discomfort. 

 

1. Gentle Stretching: If it sounds simple, that's because it is. I worked with a PT and with a few simple stretches, I slowly began to regain mobility. (Always consult with your physical therapist for the best stretches for your specific condition.)

2. Heat /Cold Therapy: I leaned that a warm compress to my frozen shoulder before physical therapy helped relax the muscles and made stretching a bit more manageable and a cold compress after to manage swelling worked wonders. 

3. Dry Needling: If you use a PT, see if they have a liscense to do dry needling! While not a standalone treatment, many women, like myself find that this technique can help stimulate and relax the shoulder muscles before stretching. This involves your PT placing small, empty neededs into the body at specific points.

4. OTC Pain and Inflamation: Incorporating mindfulness practices, like deep breathing and meditation, helped me cope with the emotional toll of the pain. Stress can exacerbate physical discomfort, so finding ways to relax made a significant difference.