Pain Sleeping On Shoulder
Persons who have pain sleeping on shoulder could be suffering from a few medical conditions. One thing is certain; severe pain can interrupt sleep and leave you tired.
You now have two issues, shoulder pain, and sleep deprivation. Any of the two will make life difficult for you. To have a good night’s sleep, you need to address the shoulder pain.
Since several conditions could cause your shoulder pain, you need to determine which one is responsible. The best way to address this matter is to compare your symptoms with those found in the list below.
Once you have made the comparison, you can focus on the remaining conditions. The results will have treatments for each; you can compare these to figure out what you can use for your issue.
Once you have done the analysis, you should be able to use the remedies to help with recovery. Some treatments are pharmaceutical, others natural as not everyone likes to use medication.
If you can see a doctor, that would be the best thing for a proper evaluation. However, if you have no other choice, this information is helpful.
Below are several medical conditions that cause pain while sleeping on your shoulder.
Contents
Pain Sleeping On Shoulder – Likely Causes
Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder impingement is a common cause of pain in the shoulder while you sleep. This condition occurs when the acromion (outer shoulder blade edge) rubs on another bone.
The cause of shoulder impingement usually relates to an injury, wear and tear or swelling of tendons.
Symptoms of this issue are the feeling of pain when extending the arms over the head or when lowering the hand from an elevated position.
Other signs are feelings of tenderness in the front of the shoulder and pain that move from the shoulder to the arm.
You will also experience pain when lying on the affected side and have problems sleeping due to the pain.
Treatment for shoulder impingement is physical therapy to help regain proper motor skills of your shoulder. Another method is to ice the affected area at least twice per day for twenty minutes.
Until your injury heals, it would be best to avoid activities that cause more pain. Swimming is a simple exercise that may prove helpful by wading through the water with no overhead strokes.
The worst-case scenario is you may need surgery if the case is severe.
Rotator Cuff Injury
A rotator cuff injury is another condition that could cause shoulder pain and prevent sleep. This issue results from wear and tear or damage to the rotator cuff.
The primary cause of such degeneration or damage that causes injury is falling with arms outstretched. The injury could be from repetitive use of the joint. Another factor is aging, which leads to a worn-out cuff.
Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury are shoulder motion restriction and muscle weakness. Other signs are repetitive pain, especially when placing arms above the head.
Other possible symptoms are pain that prevents sleep and lying on the affected shoulder. You may experience a grating sound when moving your arms.
Treatment for this condition is steroid injections in the affected shoulder for pain and swelling. Other remedies are a sling to keep the arm stable, reducing movement which causes pain.
Other remedies are therapy to help regain movement and strengthen limbs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The doctor may decide which works best based on the severity of your case.
Natural remedies for this condition are Vitamin C and E consumption to help with the pain. Eating pineapple can help reduce inflammation also.
Pain Sleeping On Shoulder – Other Causes
Shoulder pain can hinder you in many ways; we mentioned sleep earlier. However, as you would have read, it can impair shoulder movement. This issue presents a disabling effect on your everyday life.
Shoulder pain makes it challenging to use your arms to do simple tasks, affecting you physically and mentally. If you have continual pain, you should see a doctor. Other than that, keep reading for information for self-assistance.
Here are more possible causes of pain sleeping on the shoulder.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a common cause of shoulder pain that can make sleep impossible. The joints lose much of the cartilage that keeps the bone from rubbing against each other.
The cause of this disease relates to inflammation of the joint due to wear and tear. If you had an old injury, it could resurface and irritate.
Some other causes of osteoarthritis are genetics, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol.
Symptoms of this condition are weakness and wasting of muscle and severe consistent shoulder pain. Shoulder impairment is also an issue you will face.
Other signs include a crunching sound in the shoulder and catching, which goes hand in hand with the crunching sound.
Treatment for osteoarthritis is getting plenty of rest and applying ice or heat as necessary. Other remedies include doing physical therapy to help regain motion and using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Natural remedies for osteoarthritis are anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, ginger, and garlic. Foods high in Omega-3 are beneficial as they help reduce swelling and promote healing.
Pain Sleeping On Shoulder – Other Possible Causes
There are other possible causes of pain in the shoulder when you sleep. One of those we shouldn’t overlook is how you sleep.
Some sleeping positions can cause you to hurt your neck or shoulder. This issue can affect the spine, which will affect other parts of the body.
Another possible condition is frozen shoulder. This issue occurs when the shoulder becomes inflamed. Scientists are yet to determine what causes this disease but said it could lead to far worse consequences.
Research suggests diabetes, cancer, stroke, and a few other conditions could result from frozen shoulder. This problem relates to the amount of inflammation in the body. Get rid of the inflammation, and you will avoid many illnesses.
If you or anyone you know suffer from pain sleeping on shoulder, it would be wise to seek medical attention. If you have no other choice, use this information correctly.