If you are suffering from shoulder pain due to side sleeping then this article is correct for you.
Sound sleep is necessary for sustaining good health and well-being. Sleeping in the correct position is more relaxing and healthier than sleeping in a quiet room. Hundreds of people in the world are now suffering from shoulder pain due to their sleeping positions. Side sleep can become the cause of sudden body aches and discomfort. Pain caused by side sleep can create big obstacles in your digestion and blood circulation process. Sleeping in the correct position and avoiding side sleep will help you to get snore-free nights. There is a primary connection between sleeping position and shoulder pain. You can easily get relief from stiffness and distress by changing your sleeping positions or trying some home remedies.
Correct meditative treatment can help you to improve your shoulder problems. Today we will tell you all about different sleep positions that might be better for your pain and some valuable tips to prevent shoulder pain.
Can Sleeping Position Cause Shoulder Pain?
Sleeping positions play an important role in our daily nights of sleep and health. There is a certain position that creates pressure and additional stress on your shoulder.
Side sleep is a prime example. When you sleep on your side your body’s entire weight falls on your shoulder. You will feel unbearable pain because a lot of weights of your torso drop on your shoulder. Generally, people love to sleep on their right side. Most people find side sleep is the most comfortable way to sleep.
Usually, an adult person spends about 6-8 hours a night sleeping in a proper routine position. Most of the time they sleep in one position and sleep on their side. It creates long-lasting effects on the joints of the human body which causes unbearable shoulder pain. Therefore, if you have the habit of sleeping leaning onto one side, then it could be the reason behind shoulder pain. If you put continuous pressure on your side and don’t change the position then it will leave long-lasting pain on your shoulder. Slowly your shoulder will become swollen and inflamed and lead to structural damage. Side sleepers face huge pressure and weight on this group of muscles. Sore shoulders can be the worst nightmare of any person. Currently, it becomes one of the common issues and almost every human being has to deal with this uncomfortable phenomenon.
Some doctors also suggest avoiding sleeping on the side. Because unfortunately, it is the source of major harm to the rotator cuff of your shoulder. It is one of the common issues that every sleeper faces at night. According to doctors and surgeons, the shoulders are the ball-and-socket joint of our body. It means the shoulder joint of our body is linked to the muscles, soft tissues, and tendons. It will be good for your health and night sleep if you avoid side sleep and sleep on your back at night. We hope this article will help you to keep your shoulders healthy and wake up completely reinvigorated and pain-free.
Common Causes of Shoulder Pain from Side Sleeping
A good night’s sleep will aid to feel better in the morning and a sore shoulder has the power to ruin your morning and the whole day. Attaining a good night’s sleep can be rough with shoulder pain. Without proper sleep, your heart and blood pressure become high which is risky for your health. Relaxed and restful sleep will soothe your brain and lead to the release of hormones that excite tissue growth and repair blood vessels. Your immune system also gets boosted by proper sleep. Unbearable shoulder pain will create obstacles in making white blood cells in your body. There are several causes of shoulder pain while you are side sleeping. The most common causes are Rotator Cuff Injury, Shoulder Bursitis, Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder, and Frozen Shoulder.
Rotator Cuff Injury
Rotator cuff injury is one of the major reasons for unbearable shoulder pain. In the human body, the shoulder joint is surrounded by a group of muscles and tendons. It’s called Rotator cuff injury. In the upper arm bone, the rotator cuff is attached. Additionally, it will help your body to secure the shoulder blade in the socket. Rotator cuff injury is the prime cause of dismal ache in the shoulder. Your arm will get swollen and usage of the arm becomes difficult with this intolerable pain. Rotator Cuff Injury is a common problem faced by adults and aged people. Rotator cuff injuries increase with age and aged mostly aged people suffer from this injury.
Besides, Working people also face this problem due to their tiring schedule. In workplaces, people have to perform overhead motions repeatedly. Continuous overhead motions are the superior reason for having rotator cuff injury. As an example, painters, electricians, and carpenters mostly suffer from this injury. Additionally, sportspeople also face the dangerous symptoms of rotator cuff injury. As baseball, badminton, tennis, or rowing players often suffer from this injury.
Although people can easily manage the symptoms of rotator cuff injury. Physical therapy and better sleep can help people to improve the tractability and strength of their muscles. Doctors and mediators provide conservative treatment to cure this injury. Corticosteroid injections are mostly provided to cure the pain and inflammation of rotator cuff injury in the advanced stage.
Shoulder Bursitis
Inflammation of a bursa is called Bursitis. If you face inflammation of a bursa around the shoulder joint then it is called shoulder bursitis. Shoulder bursitis is an injury that can affect your shoulder badly. Repetitive actions in the workplace are the major cause of shoulder bursitis. Nowadays it has become a common injury among working people and sportspersons. The authentic cause of this injury is still unknown but inflamed shoulder bursa are the major reason for this unbearable injury. Facing strong aching or tenderness is the primary symptom of this dangerous injury. The pain will get inferior if you increase the movement of the exaggerated shoulder. Its pain covers the whole shoulder when you lay down in the bed.
Swelling and redness are other effective symptoms of this injury. Conservative treatment can ease the pain of shoulder bursitis. Long time rest is the fundamental treatment of this injury. Besides you can OTC anti-inflammatories if you are suffering from pain and inflammation of shoulder bursitis.
Different physical therapy exercises also work like magic in healing Shoulder Bursitis indications. Many renowned doctors and mediators prescribed different medicine and corticosteroid injections to reduce the pain immediately. If the medicine and injection don’t work then you may need surgery to ditch or eliminate the exaggerated bursa.
Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
Shoulder impingement syndrome is another hazardous injury and cause of intense shoulder pain. This injury occurs when you move your arm intensely and soft tissues around your rotator cuff catch on the nearby bone of your arm. Inflammation of the surrounding tendons is a vital cause of this injury. Additionally inflamed bursa is also a primary cause of this injury. Bone spurs also push the symptom of this injury as it is developed by your age. Mainly you will feel inflamed pain on the outer part of your shoulder if you are suffering from this injury.
The pain will get worse if you lift your hand above your head and move your shoulder intensely. If you sleep on the side of your shoulder or roll onto the affected shoulder then the pain becomes worse at night. Hence it will affect your sleep directly. This injury is so harmful that you can’t even move your arm and shoulder.
This injury can be healed by the initial treatment. Complete rest is the best medicine for this injury. OTC anti-inflammatories are also suggested and prescribed by doctors to heal this injury. You can also practice gentle shoulder exercises to decrease the pain of Shoulder impingement syndrome.
Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder
Cartilage is the major cause of this damage. Wearing of the articular cartilage is the major reason for the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis of the shoulder. Subchondral bone alters lead to loss of the body’s sphericity and congruity due to the joint surface reprobates. Cartilage provides stifling between your bones so that your bone will get weak and begins to break down. This can affect numerous joints of your body but mostly it attacks the shoulder.
All aged people suffer from this unwanted injury. You are also attacked by this damage if your shoulder is already affected by shoulder joint injuries. As an example: if you are already affected by rotator cuff tear or dislocated shoulder then surely you get affected by osteoarthritis. This injury mainly occurs in your sleeping and it becomes shoddier when you move your shoulder during sleep. Loss of range of motion is also a primary symptom of this injury. If you are affected by this injury you will hear a clicking sound when you move your shoulder.
Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder gets healed by several oral or topical pain relievers. Numerous doctors provide treatment to cure Osteoarthritis of the shoulder. Precise physical therapy exercises also work best to heal arthritis in the shoulder.
Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder is a collective name for adhesive capsulitis. It is a common shoulder condition and it will control your range of motion. This damage attacks your shoulder when the connective tissue of your shoulder joint becomes thick. The major cause of the frozen shoulder is still unidentified but the result of this injury is very dangerous. Mainly you get affected by a frozen shoulder when your shoulder has been powerless and idle for a long time due to some surgery or damage. Surprisingly diabetes is also a major cause to upsurge the risk of this damage.
In three stages symptoms of this injury occurred and at first, your shoulder will freeze and you won’t be able to feel any movement of your shoulder. You identify an immense pain with the movement. After some time you will feel less pain but your shoulder will get stuck and stiff. Therefore you can’t move your shoulder and movement of your shoulder becomes extremely difficult. In the evening you will get the worst experience of pain from a frozen shoulder.
This injury primarily hampers your sleep badly and you have to spend the whole night with immense shoulder pain. But if you take proper treatment for frozen shoulder then you can get relief from sore shoulder pain immediately. OTC pain relievers and specific physical therapies are the best medicine to cure this injury.
Best Way to Sleep If You’re Shoulder Hurts
If you are suffering from pain and inflammation of the shoulder pain then you should adjust your sleeping positions. Comfortable and improved sleep can help you to ease your shoulder pain quickly. Shoulder pain will lead to you staying asleep in daylight and facing tiredness in regular activities. Following guidelines will help you to get sound sleep without an aching shoulder.
Stay energetic
Blood flow and circulation are improved by regular exercise or workouts. Muscles and tendons of the human body will heal fast if a person practice exercises regularly. Therefore, if you have an injury then regular exercise will help you to heal faster and cure your sore muscles and tendons. Shoulder pain is easily cured by practicing gentle shoulder stretches regularly.
Avoid sleeping on the affected shoulder
If you are suffering from intolerable shoulder pain then you should avoid sleeping on the side. You should sleep on your back or the opposite side of the affected shoulder. Sleeping on your back will help you to take the pressure off a tender shoulder.
Use a pillow
We people can easily change our sleeping positions and postures. If you’re worried about your sore shoulder and want to remove the symptom quickly then try to place the pillow accurately. You should place the pillow accordingly so that it will prevent you from having sore shoulder pain. Using the right pillow accordingly can greatly reduce muscle strain and remove the numbness.
See more: Best Pillow For Neck And Shoulder Pain
Maintain limitation
If you have intolerable shoulder pain then you should minimize your tiring work schedules. If you do limited activities and avoid intense activities throughout the day then it will aid you to avoid further irritation of your shoulder.
Use OTC pain relievers
Among all the medications and supplies OTC pain reliever works best to relieve your shoulder pain. If you take ibuprofen or acetaminophen before bed then it will cure your shoulder pain immediately.
Good sleep habits
Regular and healthy sleep schedules will help you to ease your shoulder pain and inflammation. Maintaining good habits before bed is mandatory. Before it will be affirmative if you turn off the TVs, computers, phones, or other screens. Besides you need to avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in your daily activities to get a night of better sleep. Also, try to maintain proper timing for sleeping.
Prevention Tips For Shoulder Pain
In daily life, our shoulder has to face regular workouts. If we want to lift or throw anything our shoulders will get pressurized. Because whenever we move our shoulder also moves with us. But if your shoulder is healthy and has a prodigious range of motion then you can easily conduct all regular activities. To keep your shoulder strong active and healthy it’s better to follow some steps. Several presentation tips can help you to keep your shoulders injury-free and fit. Home remedies are also helpful for demesne the symptoms of shoulder pain. Following prevention tips works affirmatively to reduce the pain.
Avoid monotonous motions
If you want to demesne the pain of the shoulder then you should avoid r daily repetitive movements. If possible you avoid lifting and throwing movements until you get healed from a shoulder injury from side sleep. These movements are capable of placing strain on your shoulder joint. A stressful and flamed joint will increase the level of your pain. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to avoid repetitive movements in daily life.
Listen to your body
If your shoulders get sore or affected by side sleep then you should take proper steps to heal them. If the pain becomes severe and doesn’t go away then you should see a doctor. Otherwise, if you feel less pain then you should take home remedies to heal shoulder pain.
Take a long breaks
If you are involved with repetitive motions exercise then you need to take a break. As an example, if you are a sports person then stop all the activities for some days and take proper rest. Additionally, normal people also should stop doing immense regular activities and take bed rest properly. A proper break will demesne the pain quickly.
Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is a big help to reduce inflammation. Exercise can make your muscles strong and protect the joint. Strong and healthy muscles will protect your shoulder from injury and internal damage. You can do all the regular activities peacefully with strong and healthy muscles. Therefore, every morning you should warm-up and stretch your arm.
Usage of a wheelbarrow for heavy loads
If you use a wheelbarrow for heavy loads then it will make your muscles strong and reduce the strain on your shoulders. If you want to lift or carry any heavy object then you should follow this tip. Make sure you warm up before you work out. To see the best result avoid lifting. If you have to reach high places then use a step stool.
When Should I See A Doctor For Shoulder Pain?
Side sleeping can cause any type of injuries to suck as neck pain, muscle strain, joint numbness, numb shoulders, etc. It also incredibly increases the risk of shoulder pain and injury. Shoulder pain due to side sleeping has now become common and the number of affection is increasing day by day. Shoulder injuries are linked with the ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Therefore if it gets sore and inflamed then it is a big warning sign of a severe problem. In which situation you should seek a doctor immediately are provided below:
Immediate help
If you have pain both on your shoulders then you should see a doctor immediately. Also, if you are suffering from shoulder pain with difficulty breathing or feel any weight on your chest then you should see a doctor immediately. Intense pain or sudden swelling is also a major cause of seeing a doctor. Sometimes severe shoulder pain comes with a high fever. In that case, you need to see yourself by doctors immediately.
Regular visit
If you see the symptoms of intense shoulder pain then you should make an appointment with your doctor. So when you are suffering from swelling, redness, or tenderness and warmth around the joint, make an appointment with doctors regularly. If you feel less pain do not wait to feel the severe level of pain. Make an appointment even if you feel less level of shoulder pain.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why Does Shoulder Pain Get Worse At Night?
Shoulder pain can get worse at night due to bursitis, tendinopathy, or damage to the rotator cuff. This is a very common occurrence. Pain goes worse at night because stages of the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol are logically lower at night and it is the major cause of stiff joints. Many people suffer from extreme shoulder pain at night. So it’s best to always rotate which side you’re sleeping on.
Can Sleep On One Side Cause Shoulder Blade Pain?
One of the most frequent causes of shoulder blade pain is muscle strain. Sleeping on one side can cause muscle strain sometimes. Your entire body weight falls onto one shoulder which is the main reason behind muscle strain. To avoid this simplest way is to change sides frequently. Therefore if you are suffering from Shoulder Blade Pain then you avoid sleeping on your side and start practicing sleeping on your back.
What Is The Best Pillow For Shoulder Pain?
There are many pillows on the market to combat shoulder pain. Some pillows are specifically designed to prevent shoulder problems. But before buying a pillow it’s best to check what material it is made out of. The best materials for pillows are memory foam, buckwheat hulls, and latex. These materials will help you to ease your shoulder pain and make your body relaxed and stress-free.
Final Recap
An uncountable number of people are breathing with shoulder pain every day. Sleeping on the right side is comparatively worse compared to sleeping on your left side. Acid can leak through your esophagus if you sleep on your right side, which increases the amount of GERD symptoms. Shoulder pain is one of the most common injuries caused by side sleeping. Sleeping on the side makes your shoulder numb and causes muscle strain. One of the best solutions to this problem is to frequently change your sleeping positions. Many people change their positions while they are asleep, due to that they do not face any of the negative sides of side sleeping. But most people do not have this quality. Though it becomes a common injury it can be prescribed and cured. Effective prevention tips and acupuncture treatments can help you dismiss the pain and bring balance to your body.
Hopefully, this article will help you to get all answers about shoulder pain from side sleeping and you can apply all the information and tips to sustain a healthy life. All prevention tips and acupuncture treatments can help you dismiss the pain and bring balance to your body.