Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Treating a sore shoulder at home
• Part 2 of 2: Finding the right treatment for a painful shoulder
• Tips
• Warnings

A sore shoulder is a relatively common problem in both men and women of all ages. Shoulder pain can be caused by pulled muscles, sprained tendons, joint dislocations, and even back or neck problems. The most common reasons for developing shoulder complaints are training too hard, sports injuries and work accidents. Most sore shoulders limit movement and disappear within a week - sometimes more quickly if you apply self-care appropriately. However, shoulder complaints sometimes require professional help to make a full recovery.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Treating a sore shoulder at home

1. Rest your sore shoulder for a few days. The most common cause of a sore shoulder is overuse (repeated shoulder movements) or overexertion (lifting too much). If this is likely the cause of your painful shoulder, stop that activity for a few days and give it a rest. Consider asking your boss if you can temporarily change work or other tasks that are a little less repetitive and demanding on your shoulders. If your sore shoulder is caused by fitness, you may be lifting too heavy or with poor technique - ask a personal trainer or sports therapist for advice.
   • Resting your aching shoulder for a few days is helpful, but using a sling is not a good idea as it can lead to a "frozen" shoulder. Shoulders need movement to stimulate blood flow and healing.
   • Shoulder pain is usually an indication of a pulled or torn muscle, while sharp pain is indicative of joint injury or damaged tendons.
2. Apply ice to an acutely sore shoulder. If your sore shoulder has recently developed and feels or looks inflamed, apply a bag of crushed ice (or something cold) to the most sensitive part to reduce the pain and inflammation. Ice therapy is most effective for acute (recent) injuries involving some kind of swelling, as it reduces blood flow. Apply the crushed ice for 15 minutes, 3-5 times a day, until the pain subsides or is completely gone.
   • Press the ice against the most sensitive part of your shoulder with a stretch bandage as an even better remedy for inflammation.
   • Always wrap ice in a thin cloth before applying it to any part of the body - it will help prevent skin irritation or frostbite.
   • If you don't have crushed ice on hand, use ice cubes, frozen gel packs, or a bag of frozen vegetables (peas or corn work great).
3. Apply moist heat to a chronically painful shoulder. If your aching shoulder has been bothering you for weeks or months, you are dealing with a chronic injury. Avoid cold therapy for chronic injuries and apply moist heat instead. Moist heat warms muscles and other soft tissues through improved blood flow, which can be helpful for pain caused by old sports injuries and arthritis. A good source of moist heat are microwave bags filled with grains (such as wheat or rice), herbs and / or essential oil. Heat a bag of herbs in the microwave for about two minutes, then apply it to sore muscles for 15 minutes; do this first thing in the morning or before an important exercise.
   • You can add lavender or other relaxing essential oil to your bag of herbs to ease the discomfort.
   • A warm bath is another great source of moist heat. Add a cup or two of Epsom salt to the bath water for even better results - the high magnesium content relaxes and soothes tense muscles and tendons.
   • Avoid using dry electrical heat, such as that from standard heating pads, as it can dry out the muscles and increase the risk of injury.
4. Take over-the-counter remedies. If applying ice or moist heat doesn't really ease your shoulder pain, consider taking some over-the-counter medicines for the short term. Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) are probably best for shoulder pain that also involves severe inflammation - similar to bursitis and tendonitis of the shoulder. Painkillers (also called analgesics) are probably better for shoulder pain without much swelling, such as simple muscle strain and osteoarthritis (the one that involves wear and tear). The most common over-the-counter pain reliever is acetaminophen (Tylenol).
   • Anti-inflammatories and painkillers should always be viewed as short-term strategies in pain management. If you take too much of it at the same time or for too long, you increase the risk of stomach, kidney and liver problems.
   • If your aching shoulder feels very tight and cramped, take a muscle relaxant (such as cyclobenzaprine) as a more effective remedy. Muscle relaxants may not be available without a prescription and should be obtained through your doctor.
   • As a safer alternative, rub a cream, lotion, or ointment with a natural pain reliever on the painful shoulder. Menthol, camphor, arnica, and capsaicin are all helpful in relieving muscle pain.
5. Straighten your shoulders. Your sore shoulder can also be accompanied by tight or stiff muscles, possibly as a result of repetitive movements, poor posture for a long time, or simply a lack of movement. As long as the pain in your shoulder is not excruciating with movement, you can do some light stretching 3-5 times a day for relief. Sore and stiff muscles respond well to light stretching, as it reduces tension, stimulates blood flow and improves flexibility. Hold each repetition of the stretch for 30 seconds while breathing deeply. If the pain worsens significantly, stop.
   • While standing or sitting, reach in front of your torso and grasp the opposite elbow. Pull the back of that elbow across your chest until you feel the muscles stretch in that same shoulder.
   • While standing or sitting, reach behind your back and grab the wrist on the side of the shoulder that is bothering you. Slowly pull your wrist down until you feel the muscles in the corresponding shoulder stretch.
6. Watch your sleep. Some sleeping positions can lead to sore shoulders, especially those where one arm is held above the head. People who are obese are also at risk of compressing and irritating their shoulder joints if they sleep on their side. To avoid or worsen shoulder pain, sleep on your stomach or avoid them - sleep on your back instead. If only one shoulder is painful, you may be able to lie comfortably on your other side, if your upper body is not overweight.
   • A supportive pillow for your head can also take some pressure off the shoulder joints.
   • While sleeping on your back, you can use a small pillow to support and lift your aching shoulder.
   • Sleeping on your stomach or with your arm above your head will not only irritate your shoulder joint, but can also compress the nerves running from your neck to your arm. When this happens you usually feel numbness or a tingling sensation in your arm.

Part 2 of 2: Finding the right treatment for a painful shoulder

1. Make an appointment with your doctor. If your sore shoulder is not responding to the above home remedies, make an appointment with your doctor for an examination. Your doctor can order X-rays and other tests to determine what might be causing the pain in your shoulder. Depending on the findings and diagnosis, your doctor may prescribe stronger medications, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, and / or shoulder surgery.
   • Rotator cuff injury is a common cause of chronic shoulder pain - more than four million doctor visits per year in the United States are due to rotator cuff problems. The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons that hold the bones of the shoulder joint together.
   • X-rays can detect fractures and dislocations, arthritis, bone tumors and infections, although an MRI or CT scan is needed to detect serious problems in the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
   • A corticosteroid injection (such as prednisolone) into a painful and inflamed shoulder (bursitis, tendonitis) can rapidly reduce inflammation and pain, and provide greater range of motion and flexibility.
   • Shoulder surgery is reserved for repairing broken bones, repairing damaged joints, reattaching torn tendons and ligaments, removing blood clots, and draining accumulated fluid.
2. Ask for a referral to a physiotherapist or sports therapist. If your painful shoulder is caused by a rotator cuff injury or other problem related to overexertion or overuse, get a physical therapy referral from your doctor so your shoulder can be repaired. A physiotherapist or sports therapist will teach you specific and tailor-made strengthening exercises, as well as stretching exercises for your aching shoulder, which can make it stronger and more flexible.
   • A physical therapist or sports therapist can use weight machines, free weights, elastic bands, exercise balls, therapeutic ultrasound and / or electronic muscle stimulation to restore your shoulder.
   • Physical therapy is usually required two to three times a week for four to six weeks to positively affect chronic shoulder problems.
   • Good strengthening activities for your shoulders include push-ups, rowing exercises, swimming, and bowling.
3. Go to a chiropractor. Your painful shoulder can be caused by complaints in the middle part of your back, or neck complaints, so it can be useful to make an appointment with a chiropractor. Chiropractors are joint specialists who focus on achieving normal movement and function within the spinal and peripheral joints, such as those of the shoulder. Shoulder pain can be caused by problems with the underlying joints (glenohumeral and / or acromioclavicular joints), or it can be caused by problems in the thoracic spine (mid-back) or cervical spine (neck). Your chiropractor may be able to determine where the pain is coming from and, if necessary, manually adjust or reposition the problem joint.
   • Manual joint adjustments often produce a "popping" or "cracking" sound, which is safe and rarely painful.
   • While a single joint adjustment can sometimes cure a shoulder problem, it is more than likely that it will take a few treatments to really take effect.
   • Chiropractors can perform manual joint maneuvers to reposition a dislocated shoulder, although they don't treat broken bones, joint infections, or bone cancer.
4. Try professional massage therapy. If your sore shoulder lasts for more than a week and you think it is due to tight or tense muscles, you may want to consider a deep tissue massage through a qualified massage therapist. Deep tissue massage is great for relieving muscle pain and tight, tense muscles that can limit your range of motion and reduce flexibility in your shoulders. Massage also improves blood circulation and relaxation.
   • Massage therapy is helpful for mild to moderate strains and sprains, but is not recommended for more severe joint or nerve injuries.
   • Start with a half-hour massage session targeting your aching shoulder, but ask the therapist to also massage your lower neck and the center of your back. You may find that a one-hour session is more effective or that you prefer multiple sessions over one or two weeks.
   • Let the therapist go as deep as possible without flinching - there are many muscle layers in your shoulder that need to be addressed for best results.

Tips

• To avoid sore shoulders, do not carry heavy bags or shoulder bags that distribute their weight unevenly on your shoulders. Instead, you better wear a backpack with two soft shoulder straps.
• To avoid shoulder pain, don't overextend and instead use a long ladder so you can get closer to work.
• If you have to stand a lot for work, make sure your body is not constantly turned or bent to one side - maintaining symmetry and balance is important.
• Consider acupuncture. This has not been fully proven by scientific research for all forms of shoulder complaints, but there are many anecdotal reports claiming it to be particularly effective.

Warnings

• If your shoulder complaints become severe and restrictive, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
• If your shoulder pain occurs before or at the same time as chest pain accompanied by labored breathing, call 911 right away. You may be having a heart attack.