Top 7 Ways to Treat Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is more common than you think and it can affect anyone. It involved cartilages, ligaments, muscles, tendons, bones, and nerves.
Early intervention is essential for proper treatment. Here are the top 7 ways to treat shoulder pain.
7. Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, also called NSAIDs, have the ability to soothe the pain and relieve the inflammation. Aspirin, naproxen, and other over-the-counter medications work for shoulder pain despite the cause since inflammation is part of nearly all problems. (1, 2, 3)
6. Cold Compresses
Cold compresses are used to reduce inflammation and soother the pain everywhere in the body including shoulders. Cooling inflamed areas relieve the pain. Try to apply ice to your shoulder using an ice bag. Don’t apply it directly to your skin. (4, 5, 6)
5. Compression
If your shoulder is red, hot, tender, and swollen, wrapping it with an elastic medical bandage such as cold compressions and ACE bandages can reduce the swelling and ease the pain. Don’t warp your shoulder too tight to allow blood flow. (7, 8, 9, 10)
4. Heat Therapy
Applying heat to tense muscles makes them more relaxed. It also soothes stiffness. Apply heat to your shoulder to relieve your muscle pain, arthritis, and stiff shoulders. You can use heating pads, a bottle of hot water, or a heated gel. (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
3. Muscle Relaxants
Muscle relaxants are usually used for lower back muscle tension but they are also great for stiff shoulders and shoulder spasms. You should consult your doctor first before using them. Also, don’t use a muscle relaxant if you are going to drive or if you work heavy work because it causes drowsiness. (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
2. Pain Killers
Over-the-counter pain killers such as aspirin and acetaminophen can relieve your shoulder pain, help you with the recovery process, and allow you to sleep better while recovering. They have some side effects such as heartburn and abdominal pain and you should not take them without consulting your doctor. (21, 22, 23, 24)
1. Lifestyle Modifications
You should start thinking about what causes shoulder pain and avoid or reduce doing it. This is essential during the recovery process that requires moving your shoulders gently. In addition, after recovering, try to make your shoulder muscles stronger, more mobile, and more flexible. (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
