Everyone deserves to sleep restfully and peacefully, however, shoulder pain can make it difficult for you to sleep. The rotator cuff which is a group of muscles and tendons that protects the shoulder joint is considered a cause for sleepless nights for several people. Due to its delicate structure, the rotator cuff can be injured by a sudden traumatic incident. In addition, long-term injuries occur owing to either the overuse of the shoulder or repetitive movements.
Causes of Shoulder Pain
Bursitis: It is the inflammation of a fluid-filled pad called bursa that helps to offer a caution to the bone of a joint. When it is injured the fluid increases, causing swelling that can be quite painful. Tendinopathy: It usually comes as a result of deterioration or long-term overuse of the biceps. Rotator cuff injuries: It happens when one gets a tear in the tendons. Tears can result from a fall or lifting something too heavy. Any damage to the four muscles that connect to form the rotator cuff can bring about inflammation and swelling that causes so much pain in the shoulder.
Remedies to help you sleep: Put ice on your injured shoulder for about 15 to 20 minutes: This can help to lower pain and inflammation. It is important to wrap your ice pack in a towel to prevent ice burn. Take pain medication: You can try to ease the pain on your shoulder by taking medication that has been prescribed by your doctor. Moreover, you can also take inflammatory or non-steroidal medication such as ibuprofen. Read before bedtime: You can try to keep your mind off the pain by reading for close to 20 minutes before bedtime. Furthermore, it will even be much efficient if you were to read a book and put ice on your shoulder at the same time. Reading will help you to relax, which is important when you have shoulder pain. You can try to adjust your sleeping position if you have a rotator cuff injury in order to have a restful night’s sleep.
Sleeping Positions:
Lie flat with a pillow: By using a pillow, not only will you be relaxed, but it will also help you to reduce the stress and pressure on your arm that is injured. Find out the different pillows in the market that can assist to relieve the pain. Try and sleep on your uninjured side: Experiencing a rotator cuff while sleeping can make you uncomfortable, you ought to discover ways to keep yourself comfortable.
If it happens that you are injured on your right shoulder, you can consider sleeping on the left side that is not injured. Sitting in a reclined position: Sometimes it’s healthier to sit in an inclined position if you are unable to sleep as it is much comfortable than lying flat on the bed. Furthermore, you can try various ways to maintain the reclined position such as using several pillows on your back while sitting on a couch or your bed. In addition, one can also purchase a comfortable reclining chair that comes with an excellent armrest.
