There have been times when I have felt like I could not lift my arms and my neck and shoulders felt like they were stiff. So stiff that I needed to get to the emergency room right away! I have felt this a few times in life.. so, sharing how to get yourself off of the discomfort!
I had lifted one gallon of milk in each hand and came indoors and after I kept it on the table, my shoulders froze! I ordered food for my family and took a cab to the hospital. I could not move my neck or shoulders and found it difficult to perform any normal task. They admitted me at the hospital and gave me Ibuprofen and IV and had me sleep through the night. By noon next day, I felt better and returned home.
The next time it happened, I thought I will do the Ibuprofen (Motrin) by myself and sleep it out. I was not better by next day 🙂 So, I applied some ice packs and that was better. Then, a friend mentioned that Icy-Hot (instead of Bengay) helps when applied to the shoulders. Tremendously helped.
The next time it happened, I had to attend physiotherapy for 6 weeks to learn how to move my arm muscles
So, what all treatments help?
- Sleep – Best remedy (Make sure you are sleeping in the right position though)
- Resting your shoulders on a pillow helps. If only on one side, put an extra pillow only to support that side
- Change your bed / place where you sleep (sometimes couch works better than the routine bed. Check what works for you)
- Eating a proper meal helps (check on how your eating habits have changed in the recent past)
- Ice pack initially
- Applying Bengay to your shoulders and neck area and resting
- Applying Icy-Hot to your shoulders and neck area and resting
- Not lifting anything heavy for the next few weeks
- Physiotherapy (upon physician recommendation)
- Scan and check for torn ligaments (upon physician recommendation)
- Check the sodium level (salt) in your food/medication and reduce it
- Water therapy helps
- Placing a Hot/warm towel around your neck/shoulders (alternate with a cold towel)
- Increase your water intake
- Hot/warm water shower helps
Now, as a Healer, let us discuss what we can do differently?
When you are going through a tough phase in life, when you feel you have shouldered more responsibilities than you can handle, when you feel overwhelmed with responsibilities, it is your body’s way of saying – “I need help”. Evaluate what you are going through in life currently and you will see that there would have been a significant increase in the recent past that has caused you your condition!
Now, how can we resolve it? Seek help – that is the biggest remedy 🙂 Ask people around you – your family, friends, colleagues, get a baby sitter, ask for a car pool.. you will get an answer. If you are at that point in life where you do not have anyone whom you can seek help from, evaluate why you have shouldered so many new responsibilities. You will get your answer from your responses to the above questions 🙂