It’s common to have unexplained tension in your body. While you may pinpoint your tension and do exercises to find relief, it’s beneficial to know the emotions that cause shoulder tension and pain.
You can use this information to explore the emotions that need processing, and the support of a mental health professional can support you as you explore your emotional state.
You can also use this information for spiritual work, like chakras, in your yoga practice. Incorporating a mind-body approach to healing is how you can create a well-rounded care plan, work on your trauma without always speaking about it, and feel at home in your body after traumatic events.
I welcome to join me as we explore the emotions that cause shoulder tension and pain.
Understanding Shoulder Tension & Pain
Understanding your shoulder tension reminds you that you’re not alone in your symptoms.
Here are a few interesting facts about shoulder pain sourced from PubMed Central:
- Women have a higher incidence of shoulder pain than men
- Shoulder pain is the most frequent complaint involving the musculoskeletal system
- Shoulder pain has the highest incidence between the ages of 50 and 59, but younger people are becoming more affected.
This conceptual review explores how trauma survivors are even more likely to have shoulder pain from the emotional impact and PTSD following trauma.
There are other causes that contribute to shoulder pain like your occupation, daily movement, and injuries. I welcome you to check with your medical team to rule out any physical issues (like injuries) related to your shoulders.
What Your Shoulder Tension Means Emotionally And Spiritually
Your shoulders are part of your anahata, or heart chakra. This chakra governs trust, compassion, and love. When you’re imbalanced, you’ll experience the symptoms listed below. When you find balance, you’ll experience acceptance, compassion, motivation, and empathy.
I invite you to read this blog post for a more in depth guide to chakra imbalances after sexual trauma.
6 Emotions That Cause Shoulder Tension & Pain:
- Burdens
- Fears
- Responsibilities
- Mental health symptoms like depression, stress, and anxiety (Source: PubMed Central)
If you have too much on your plate, carry a burden from your trauma, or experience anxiety or depression along with your trauma symptoms, your stress may accumulate in your shoulders.
Why It’s Important To Address Emotions that Cause Shoulder Tension
The longer you ignore your symptoms, the longer your tension will remain or lead to pain. This study discovered that shoulder pain-if not treated- can become even worse overtime through movements like moving positions during sleep. The most frustrating part of shoulder pain is that the discomfort can cause more stress, leading to more pain. It’s an annoying and frustrating cycle.
The sooner you discover ways to release trauma, stress, and tension, the sooner you’ll be one step closer to feeling comfortable in your body again.
If you believe your emotions are caused from trauma, I welcome you to address your emotions when you feel comfortable. You can always do simple yoga stretches like these that release trauma in your shoulders without diving into difficult emotions. I invite you to take all the time you need.
How Do You Find Release?
To ease your shoulder tension caused by an emotional imbalance, you’ll need to remove your fear and replace it with peace. This is a lot simpler said than done, especially after a traumatic experience.
I invite you to explore the options below, and you can explore additional support options for sexual trauma healing here.
- Work with a mental health professional to process your emotions
- Do specific yoga poses to balance your heart chakra
- Do yoga that gently removes this tension while easing your stress for more impact. I invite you to read this blog post to learn 5 yoga poses that release trauma in your shoulders.
- Mantras
- Meditations that release trauma
- Include props to establish safety. I welcome you to learn how to embody safety in your yoga practice after sexual trauma in this blog post.
- Focus on sleep. Because sleep affects shoulder pain, quality sleep is vital. This blog post explores a mindful evening routine to get you started.
- If your emotional tension is related to trauma, you will also benefit from a trauma release. This allows you to remove stuck trauma in your body with no need to re-experience or talk about your trauma.
Overview
Learning how to balance the emotions that cause shoulder tension is a supportive first step to release. If you’re a trauma survivor, I invite you to take your time and only begin emotional work when you’re ready. There is never any rush in your practice. Thank you for spending this time with me, and I hope you experience gentle shoulder release soon.
Take Care.
