You might have tweaked your shoulder at the gym or slept in an awkward position. Maybe you’re carrying around stress in your shoulders. Whatever the case may be, you’re probably experiencing some shoulder pain and wondering if you should be worried. Here’s a quick guide on when to worry about shoulder pain and what you can do to ease the discomfort.I strongly suggest you to visit Shoulder Pain to learn more about this.
When to Worry About Shoulder Pain
There are a few key things to look out for that might indicate it’s time to see a doctor about your shoulder pain. If you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s best to seek professional help:
You can’t move your shoulder at all without experiencing significant pain. This is called frozen shoulder and it can happen when the tendons, muscles, or ligaments in your shoulder joint become irritated or inflamed. Frozen shoulder is typically caused by overuse or trauma to the area. It’s also common in people with diabetes or those who have had a heart attack or stroke. Treatment usually involves a combination of physical therapy, steroid injections, and pain medication.
You experience sharp pain when trying to move your shoulder. This could be a sign of rotator cuff tendinitis which is when the tendons in your shoulder become irritated or inflamed. Rotator cuff tendinitis is usually caused by overuse or injury and gets worse with age. Treatment options include rest, ice, heat, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injections. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
Your pain gets worse at night and you have difficulty sleeping. This is called night pain and it’s often a sign of something more serious such as arthritis or rotator cuff tear. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause but might include over-the-counter medication, physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery.
You experience weakness in your arm or numbness/tingling in your fingers or hand. These are both signs of nerve compression which happens when the nerves in your arms are squeezed or pinched. Nerve compression can be caused by herniated discs, spinal stenosis, tumors, or carpal tunnel syndrome—among other things—and treatment will vary depending on the cause. Physical therapy, braces, splints, corticosteroid injections ,and surgery are all potential treatments for nerve compression.
What You Can Do for Shoulder Pain Relief
There are several things you can do at home to ease your discomfort and help prevent further injury. Try these simple tips:
Use ice for 15-20 minutes at a time every 3-4 hours for the first 2-3 days after injury to reduce swelling
Use heat after 3 days for 20-30 minutes at a time to ease muscle tension
Take over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) as needed for pain relief
Rest your shoulder as much as possible and avoid any activities that make your pain worse
Do gentle stretches and exercises recommended by your doctor or physical therapist
Shoulder pain is common but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. There are certain red flags that warrant professional help such as sharp pain with movement, inability to move your shoulder without significant pain, night pain, weakness in arm/numbness in fingers or hand. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, book an appointment with your doctor right away. You can also find relief from shoulder pain at home with ice, heat, over-the-counter medication, and gentle stretches/exercises recommended by a professional..