What To Know About Shoulder Pain From Sleeping

If you are experiencing shoulder pain from sleeping, there are many causes and solutions you need to know about. Let’s take a look at those below!

Common Causes Of Shoulder Pain From Sleeping

Prolonged pressure on your shoulder from sleeping on one side can undoubtedly result in pain, especially if you have some sort of underlying condition. This can include conditions in either the upper arm or shoulder joint.

Pain from side sleeping is typically caused by bursitis. Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa, which is a fluid-filled pad providing cushion to the bones of the joint. When injured, fluid in the bursa will increase, resulting in swelling and pain.

Let’s look at a few other common issues that can result in pain from sleeping on your side.

Biceps Tendonitis

This is generally the result of long-term overuse and deterioration of the biceps tendon which connects bones and muscles in the shoulder joint. Tendons usually get less flexible as you age, leading to injuries more often.

Tendinopathy is often part of the natural aging process. Biceps tendinopathy can create some sharp pains in the arm with some motions like reaching far back behind you.

Rotator Cuff Injury

These injuries usually involve the tendons getting torn. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles coming together as tendons to connect your humerus bone to your shoulder blade.

The cuff gives the shoulder stability and enables movement. Any damage to one of the four muscles can result in swelling and inflammation in your shoulder. Tears are common, as they can result from heavy lifting or a fall. Most of the time these tears happen as the tendons wear down over time.

How To Prevent Shoulder Pain When Sleeping

One of the easiest things you can do to try to prevent any pain is to carefully stretch your shoulder prior to going to bed. Stretching can increase the shoulder joint’s range of motion and ultimately lessen pain.

Here are a few simple motions you can do before bed:

• Shoulder shrugs up and down.
• Roll your shoulders in a backward motion.
• Wall stretches where you stand close to a wall and walk your fingers up as high as possible and hold the position.

Conclusion

If stretching before bed does not prove beneficial, there are a few things you can do to try to reduce pain and inflammation:

• Take anti-inflammatory medications like naproxen, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen.
• Try sleeping in a recliner.
• Apply ice or heat to the area in pain.
• Wear a compression sleeve.
• Refrain from doing any activities that cause pain in your shoulder.

If you are still experiencing shoulder pain, then come see the experienced team at We Care Chiropractic in Glendale, AZ to lessen your pain!

We Care Chiropractic Clinic In Glendale, AZ

We Care Chiropractic Clinic offers Chiropractic Care in Glendale, Arizona.  We specialize in providing relief from a wide variety of common chiropractic problems. Contact us today at (623) 825-4444 for more information.