Achy shoulders are common in men and women of all ages. Shoulder pain can be caused by muscle strains, ligament sprains, joint dislocations, and even neck or mid-back problems. Usually sore shoulders occur due to training too hard, injuries during sports, and mistakes at work. Most shoulder pain limits movement and goes away within a week, or even sooner if properly treated at home. However, it is not uncommon for these injuries to require professional treatment.
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Part 1 of 2: Treating Sore Shoulders at Home
Step 1. Rest your shoulders for a few days
A sore shoulder generally appears due to overuse (shoulders are moved repeatedly) or excessive weight (lifting things that are too heavy). If it seems that these two things are the cause of a sore shoulder, immediately stop the activity for a few days to rest it. Try asking your boss to assign you work that is not repetitive and burdensome for a while. If your shoulders are sore from working out at the gym, you may be lifting too heavy a weight or using the wrong posture. Try asking your personal trainer or physical therapist for guidance.
- Resting your sore shoulder for a few days will help, but don't wear your arms around as this can lead to "frozen" shoulder syndrome. Your shoulders will still need to move slightly to stimulate blood flow and recovery.
- A sore shoulder is usually a sign of normal muscle tension or tension, whereas sharp pain is an indication of a joint/ligament injury.
Step 2. Apply ice to the acutely sore shoulder
If the sore shoulder has been recent and looks or feels inflamed, place a bag of crushed ice (or other cold object) on the area of the shoulder that is most sensitive to pain to reduce inflammation and numb the pain. Ice therapy is most effective in acute (recent) injuries that have swelling due to reduced blood flow. Apply a bag of crushed ice for 15 minutes 3-5 times a day until the soreness subsides and disappears completely.
- You can wrap a Tensor or Ace bandage bandage over crushed ice packs and the most sore shoulder areas to increase the compress's effectiveness against inflammation.
- Always wrap a cheesecloth over the ice pack before applying it to the body to prevent skin irritation or frostbite.
- If you don't have crushed ice, use ice cubes, frozen gel packs, or bags of frozen vegetables (peas or corn).
Step 3. Apply moist heat to the chronically sore shoulder
If shoulder pain has been bothering you for weeks or months, your injury is considered chronic. Stay away from cold therapy for serious injuries and use moist heat instead. Moist heat warms muscles and other soft tissues by increasing blood flow, which helps heal soreness from old sports injuries and arthritis. Good sources of moist heat are bags of whole grains (such as wheat or rice), herbs, and/or microwaveable essential oils. Heat the herb bag in the microwave for 2 minutes, then apply it to sore muscles for 15 minutes after getting up in the morning or before a strenuous workout.
- Add lavender or other special essential oil to the herb bag to help reduce discomfort by relaxing the body.
- Warm baths are also great for getting humid heat. Put 1-2 cups of Epsom salt in the bath for best results. The high magnesium content will relax and relieve tense muscles and tendons.
- Try not to apply electric heat sources from standard heating pads as this will dehydrate the muscles and increase the risk of injury.
Step 4. Try taking a commercial (over-the-counter or OTC) medication
If your sore shoulder pain doesn't go away much after being treated with ice or moist heat, try taking commercial medications for a while. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen are usually best for sore shoulders with significant inflammation; it is usually common with bursitis and tendinitis of the shoulder. Pain relievers (also known as analgesics) are better suited for less swollen shoulder pain, such as low-grade muscle tension and osteoarthritis (the worn and torn type). The most common type of pain reliever is acetaminophen (Panadol).
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs should not be used long-term. Excessive or prolonged use will increase the risk of stomach, kidney, and liver disorders.
- If your sore shoulder is intensely tense and spasming, then a commercial muscle relaxant (such as cyclobenzaprine) may be more effective. These muscle relaxants may have to be obtained from a doctor.
- As a safer alternative, rub a cream/ointment/lotion containing a natural pain reliever on a sore shoulder. Menthol, camphor, arnica and capsaicin are efficacious in relieving musculoskeletal pain.
Step 5. Do the shoulder stretch
Aching shoulders may experience muscle stiffness or tension from repetitive stress, poor posture over the long term, or simply infrequent use. As long as the shoulder pain doesn't restrict movement too much, do some light stretching 3-5 times a day to get it back. Stiff and sore muscles respond well to light stretching because they reduce tension, increase blood flow, and increase flexibility. Hold the shoulder stretch for 30 seconds while deep breathing. Stop if the soreness increases.
- While standing or sitting, reach in front of your body and grasp the back of the elbow of the other arm. Pull the back of your elbows into your chest until you feel a stretch in your shoulders.
- While standing or sitting, reach behind your back and grasp the wrist of the sore shoulder. Pull down slowly until you feel a stretch in the muscles in the associated shoulder.
Step 6. Consider sleeping position
Some sleeping positions can cause shoulder pain, especially if you put your hands above your head. People with obesity are also at risk of pressing and irritating their shoulder joints if they sleep on their side. In order not to aggravate or cause back pain, do not sleep on your side or stomach, and get into the habit of sleeping on your back. If you only have one sore shoulder, it's best to sleep on the opposite side if your upper body isn't too heavy.
- Using a support pillow for the head also helps relieve pressure from the shoulder joint.
- While sleeping on your back, try using a small pillow to support and slightly raise your sore shoulders.
- Sleeping on your stomach or side while raising your arms above your head not only irritates the shoulder joint, but also puts pressure on the nerves that run from the neck to the arms. When this happens, you usually feel tingling or numbness in your arm.
Part 2 of 2: Seeking Treatment for Sore Shoulders
Step 1. Make an appointment with the doctor
If the sore shoulder does not go away after being treated with the above home methods. Schedule an appointment with your doctor for a physical exam. Doctors can order X-rays and various other tests to determine the cause of a sore shoulder. Depending on the findings and the results of the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe stronger medications, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy and/or shoulder surgery.
- Rotator cuff injuries are usually caused by chronic shoulder pain; As many as 4 million cases of rotator cuff disorders occur in the United States each year. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that hold and hold the bones of the shoulder joint together.
- X-rays can detect fractures, dislocations, arthritis, bone tumors, and infections, although an MRI or CT scan is still needed to look for serious disorders of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
- Injections of corticosteroids (eg prednisolone) into a sore, inflamed shoulder (bursitis, tendinitis) can quickly reduce inflammation and pain, and restore range of motion and flexibility.
- Shoulder surgery is performed to join broken bones, clean damaged joints, reconnect torn tendons and ligaments, remove blood clots, and drain fluid deposits.
Step 2. Get a referral to a physical and athletic therapist
If your sore shoulder is caused by a rotator cuff injury or other disorder associated with overuse or overburdening of the shoulder, seek a referral to a physiotherapist from a doctor so that the shoulder can be rehabilitated. A physical or athletic therapist will show you specific exercises to strengthen and stretch the sore shoulder so that it is stronger and more flexible.
- Physical or athletic therapists may use weight machines, dumbbells, elastic bands, exercise balls, ultrasound therapy and/or electronic muscle stimulation to rehabilitate the shoulder.
- Physiotherapy usually needs to be done 2-3 times per week for 4-6 weeks to be able to give positive results in chronic shoulder problems.
- Good shoulder strengthening activities include push-ups, rowing, swimming, and bowling.
Step 3. See a chiropractor
A sore shoulder may be related to the neck or mid-back so it's a good idea to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor, who specializes in joint care and focuses on establishing normal motion and function in the spinal joints and peripheral joints, for example in the shoulder. Shoulder pain can result from a joint disorder (eg the glenohumeral and/or acromioclavicular joint), or it can refer to a disorder in the thoracic spine (mid back) or cervical spine (neck). The chiropractor can determine the origin of the pain, and if needed, manually adjust or reposition the problematic joint.
- Manual adjustment of the joint usually produces a “popping” or “crackling” sound, which is fairly safe and rarely painful.
- While single joint adjustments can sometimes cure shoulder problems, it's likely that several treatments will be needed to make a significant impact.
- Chiropractors can use manual self-maneuvers to realign a dislocated shoulder, even if they don't treat fractures, joint infections, or bone cancer.
Step 4. Try a professional massage therapy
If your sore shoulder doesn't heal after a week, and it looks like it's caused by muscle tension, you should consider a deep tissue massage from a qualified therapist. Deep tissue massage is great for relieving shoulder aches, tension, and stiffness that limits range of motion and reduces shoulder flexibility. Massage also improves blood circulation and relaxes the body.
- Massage therapy is useful for mild to moderate sprains and muscle strains, but is not recommended for more serious joint or nerve injuries.
- Start with a hour massage session on the shoulders, but ask the therapist to include the lower neck and mid-back. You can choose to have one 1 hour session or multiple sessions over 1-2 weeks.
- Allow the therapist to massage as deeply as possible without making you wince. There are many layers of muscles in the shoulder that must be massaged for best results.
Tips
- To prevent shoulder soreness, try not to carry heavy bags or purses that don't distribute weight evenly across your shoulders. We recommend wearing a backpack with two shoulder straps.
- To prevent shoulder soreness, reduce overhead movement by using high stairs or moving your body closer to work.
- If you stand a lot during your work, make sure you don't keep twisting or twisting to one side. It is important to maintain symmetry and balance of the body.
- Consider acupuncture therapy. Although it has not been clinically proven to be able to relieve all causes of shoulder pain, there are many patients who claim that this therapy is quite effective in curing this injury.
Warning
- If your sore shoulder becomes severe and restricts movement, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
- If shoulder pain occurs before or along with chest pain and difficulty breathing, call emergency services. Chances are you're having a heart attack.
