Unfortunately, shoulder pain isn’t all that uncommon. Whether you sustained an injury in a car accident, you have overworked your shoulder, or you’re simply dealing with the aches and pains of old age, you aren’t alone if you find yourself with a little shoulder pain every now and then.
Don’t think having shoulder pain today means you have to deal with it for the rest of your life! It is possible to reduce or eliminate shoulder pain when you follow these tips.
Activity Modification
One of the best things you can do if you’re dealing with shoulder pain is to modify your daily activities. That starts with monitoring your shoulder pain and identifying when your shoulder starts acting up.
For example, if repetitive activities tend to make your shoulder hurt, you should look for ways to work in blocks of time. Working on the computer might exacerbate your shoulder pain. If so, try working in 15-minute increments before taking a break.
It might also mean modifying other activities by learning how to do them differently. If your shoulder acts up after lifting weights, you may need to learn how to lift differently. If you tend to hunch your shoulders when sitting at your desk, you will need to work on straightening out your posture.
Hot and Cold Compresses
If you’re healing from an accident or you have simply overworked your shoulder, you may want to consider a cold pack. It can help reduce swelling in the shoulder, and it has the ability to dull sharp pain. Simply wrap a frozen gel pack in a soft towel and apply to the skin for 20 minutes.
Heat can be very therapeutic too. It is especially helpful if your shoulder is feeling stiff, or if you’re dealing with arthritis. Apply a heated gel pack, heating pad, or hot water bottle to the area until the heat wears off.
For a little extra pain relief, consider compression. Simply apply the cold or heat pad before wrapping the shoulder with a medical bandage. Just make sure you don’t block blood flow. If your hand or arm starts to feel tingly, the compression bandage needs to be loosened.
Massage
If you’re just dealing with the normal aches and pains of living, consider massage. A professional can target tired, overworked muscles and loosen them up, reducing or eliminating your pain. They may also be able to provide you with tips for pain relief when you get home.
If you don’t have the money to pay for professional massages on a regular basis, there are devices you can use at home. There are many different personal massagers to choose from. TENS pain relief machines can be especially effective, as they target and relax specific muscles.
Exercise and Stretches
Regular exercise, and especially stretches, can greatly ease shoulder pain. You just have to know what kind of exercises to do, and you have to know when to stop.
A few exercises and stretches you can try include:
- Banded pull-aparts
- Upright Row with weights
- Across-the-chest stretches
- Neck rolls
- Shoulder rolls
- Downward dog pose
- Child’s pose
If you are dealing with an injury or a medical condition, it is important to be very careful when exercising and stretching. If you experience any pain, it is important to stop right away.
To make sure you’re exercising and stretching right, you may want to talk to your doctor, hire a personal trainer, or go to physical therapy. A professional can help you choose and modify exercises that are safe for your condition.
Medication
You can always take medication to ease the pain. Drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen can reduce inflammation, which in turn can reduce pain. These drugs are a good solution for pain that is caused by some injuries, tendonitis, and arthritis.
If you’re struggling with muscle tension or spasms, you may want to try a muscle relaxant. In this case, you’ll have to speak to your doctor.
If you don’t like the idea of taking medication, especially regularly, there are herbal remedies you can try. Turmeric can reduce inflammation, ginger acts like some arthritis medications to reduce pain, while topical herbs like aloe vera and eucalyptus can be applied directly to your shoulder.
You aren’t doomed if you’re dealing with shoulder pain. It’s a fairly common complaint among people of all ages. Fortunately, when you follow the tips on this list, you can reduce your shoulder pain and get back to living your life the way you want.
By Susan Melony