Old age, old injury or recent injury all are the main triggers of shoulder pain. However, these days shoulder pain occur due to extensive uses of computers and laptops. Abnormal postures in the sedentary lifestyle of office goers gives them shoulder pain.
You may find it very difficult to concentrate on any other thing than the pain that may occur in any of the muscles, ligaments or tendons in and around your shoulder.
Generally any injury to the soft tissues including ligaments, tendons and muscles in shoulder gives rise to the pain. Even injury to the neck or biceps can sometimes lead to shoulder pain. Orthopedic conditions such as arthritis, tendinitis, bursitis and frozen shoulders are also major causes of shoulder pain.
Most shoulder pains are accompanied with swelling and difficulties in moving shoulders.
5 Home Remedies for Recurring Shoulder Pain
You would have noticed that once the pain started, it is very difficult to control it. it may come and go. This kind of recurring shoulder pain doesn't allow to feel normal and focus on anything. Your effectiveness in whatever you are doing reduces significantly.
You can do a lot to do at home to reduce or even completely get rid of the shoulder pain. It all requires understanding of the muscles and how they go into spasm. If you understand this then most of your muscular problems related to shoulder pain will be resolved and you will feel relieved.
1. Stretch Muscles
Stretching is done to strengthen the muscles. Two groups of muscles require stretching to get relief from shoulder pain.
Rhomboids muscles are the muscles between your shoulder blades. These muscles holds the shoulders back as well as help shoulder movements. They support the weight of the arm and allow push and pull movements to the arms.
Rowing is the best exercise to stretch and tone these muscles. Irrespective of your age, you must do rowing exercises to keep your shoulders strong. In certain types of arthritic pain rowing may be difficult. Check with your doctor in such cases.
Other group of muscles that require strengthening by stretching are pectoralis muscles residing underneath your breast. These muscles are helpful in realigning shoulders. As you grow older the pectoralis muscles tighten. Your shoulders should be behind your breastbone. Stretch your breast muscles by pulling your chest out and pushing your shoulders back.
2. Keep Your Elbow by Your Side
When your shoulders begin to pain due to excessive working on your computer or laptop, do the elbow alignment. Keeping your elbows by your side will release stress from the shoulder due to proper alignment. The shoulders get back into their normal position.
Do it for 2-3 minutes every 30 minutes while working on your computer.
3. Keep Your Neck in Good Position
If your neck is not in the right position and neck muscles are weak then the shoulders may begin to pain as neck and shoulder are connected and the muscles can transmit pain signals from each other. Learn to do neck stretching exercises.
- Stand straight on your feet or sit comfortably on a chair with your spine vertically straight.
- Move your head slowly towards one shoulder by stretching your neck and then get your head back to normal position
- Repeat this on the other side.
- Do this stretching of neck 15-20 times.
4. Sleep on a Comfortable Pillow
If you have a habit of sleeping on your side then you should have a thick pillow under your head. Your neck bone should remain straight and aligned with your spine. If the pillow is not thick enough then the neck will be misaligned and both your neck and shoulder pain.
5. Cold Compress
When tendons get inflamed they pain. Tendons near shoulder are called the rotator cuff. When rotator cuff gets inflamed it gives shoulder pain. Apply ice pack. Ice is an excellent natural remedy for inflammation.
- Sleep on your stomach.
- Take both arms above the head and bend towards your back for your fingers to touch your back. Apply cold pack on your shoulders. This the way your tendons will be exposed to the ice.
- Make sure that there is no direct touch of ice to the skin. You can wrap ice cubes in a towel and apply or use a cold compress bag.
If none of these remedies reduce your shoulder pain then consult a doctor.