Let’s Talk Frozen Shoulder
Did you know a frozen shoulder can be an unwelcome symptom of perimenopause thanks to a loss of ovarian function and the drop in circulating estrogen? I didn’t, but I do now.
Y’all Peri-menopause is no joke. A few of the accounts I follow share a myriad of symptoms that can accompany this transitional period and hot flashes seem to be just the tip of the iceberg. Women experience everything from the classic night sweats, low sex drive and irregular periods to the most head scratching symptoms like burning tongue, restless leg and anxiety driving. Who even knew? I sure didn’t. I expected the hot flashes. I expected the flagging energy and even some of the weight gain. I did NOT expect frozen shoulder. I had never even heard of frozen shoulder until a few years ago. And true to my toxic traits I shared in this post, I attributed my grumpy deltoid to overuse in the gym and then the subsequent IV Midline that took up residence in my bicep for three weeks in December.
I remember my Bonus Mom having shoulder problems a number of years ago but I thought she had said it was bursitis. When I asked her about it, she groaned and shared that yes she had experienced it as what she thought was a side effect of when they tied her tubes. For whatever reason it put her into menopause in her late thirties. She said it was awful. She lost the use of her arm while having a toddler and 1 year old at home. She opted for the quick albeit not easy route of having the tissue broken up under local anesthesia. It’s called manipulation under anesthesia and they either put you to sleep or in her case jam two big needles in your neck to numb it and then start moving the shoulder around to break up the adhesions. She said the sound was similar to when you break a chicken wing off from the breast. Snap crackle pop indeed. I couldn’t believe she stayed awake for it, and asked if she at least took a valium or something to ease the anxiety. She didn’t remember any drugs being involved and I was reminded that she is kind of a badass.
So what is frozen shoulder and why does it occur? According to the Mayo Clinic, “frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, involves stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms typically begin slowly, then get worse. Over time, symptoms get better, usually within 1 to 3 years.” 1 to 3 years? Ain’t nobody got time for that. And for the record there is no clear cut reason for why it happens. Just some general risk factors that seem to make some people more susceptible to it. Things like being a woman…check. Being over 4o…check. People who’ve had to keep a shoulder somewhat still…check. While it wasn’t a directive to keep my shoulder still while I had the IV in, I’m not a big fan of foreign objects dangling out of my body and pulling at my flesh, so I tended to keep it covered and close.
If I had known what was happening I would have pre-emptively tried to keep it moving. I am all about prevention. But it kind of snuck up on me while I was pre-occupied with healing from my appendicitis. I do remember reaching for a lamp as the light in the apartment was dimming one evening and a sharp bolt of pain shot down my arm catching my breath in my throat. It pushed me over the edge of wall of emotions I had been trying so hard to control. I just started bawling and I think I startled Scott as I don’t usually cry out of nowhere. I was just so tired of having pain.
Once I determined thats what we were dealing with, with the help of my chiropractor in California, we set about getting rid of it. Not keen on the idea of needles in my neck, I asked Paul what we could do. It literally feels like I need my mid-back to crack. He said he could adjust it and then do Active Release Therapy to get movement but he warned it would not be fun. Dr. Stately and I have been together for over 25 years. He has helped me through a foot surgery, a marathon, numerous halves and just life. I trust him completely with my body. I love that he uses a array of tools in his practice from ART to Graston to E-stem to massage. It’s a well rounded approach to keeping the body healthy, not just a quick crack and out the door.
When I say the first adjustment wasn’t fun, what I mean is I wanted to throw up. Deep, sharp, stunning agony shot through my shoulder area and Paul hopped back, not pleased to be the one to cause me more pain. I needed a minute to catch my breath but I could feel a change in the joint. He proceeded to drag his thumb up and down my shoulder blade, bicep, tricep and pec while I breathed through the intense discomfort and dutifully moved my arm through its limited range of motion. We did four sessions like that over a couple weeks. I don’t know if I was more mentally prepared for the subsequent sessions, but they didn’t hurt as bad as I thought they would. Dr. Stately couldn’t believe I wasn’t bruising but thankfully I didn’t look like I had been beaten up even thought it was exactly how I felt. I’m not back to 100% yet but it’s getting better. I do some physical therapy exercises to continue to encourage more range of motion and thankfully the throbbing has subsided and doesn’t keep me awake at night any more. I’m optimistic that I will get full mobility back if I keep at it and practice patience and grace with a body that has been through a lot the last few months.
Have you experienced frozen shoulder? Would love to hear your tips and tricks in dealing with it. That’s how we all get through these things. Sharing our stories with others so we don’t feel so all alone on this journey.
