Mariah Carey, who recently opened up to fans about a positive and optimistic recovery after tumbling in heels and dislocating her shoulder, may have underestimated and understated the extent of damage done.

Carey has waltzed around Hollywood the past three months with a brave smile, snapping photos of herself looking glamorous in hospital beds, and holstering her arm in studded fashionable slings, but she is finally ready to admit the seriousness of her injury.

"It was very serious and I downplayed the seriousness of the situation," Carey told Extra. "I dislocated my shoulder, my ribs. There was nerve damage," she said.

She compared the pain from her dislocated shoulder to giving birth to her twins, Morocco and Monroe.

"Anybody who's ever had multiples will know it is one of the most difficult experiences ever, but the reward is just beyond-I can't even explain how rewarding having these babies are for me. But yeah, breaking my rib was not festive. Dislocating my shoulder was not a good thing, either," Nick Cannon's wife said.

She has said that her shoulder is showing tremendous improvement, and while she's nearly healed, she doesn't want to rush the healing process.

Carey's injury, in addition to being selective about additions to her album, has caused an indefinite delay on the release of her pending album, The Art of Letting Go. Letting Go will be the songstress' fourteenth studio album.

The Afro-Venezuelan/Irish singer has earned numerous awards due her high vocal range and her ability to appeal to fans with her music. She has earned a Billboard Award, a Grammy Award, and a Legend Award, and she's one of the biggest-selling artists in music history.