Shoulder pain
The shoulder is the most flexible large joint in your body and shoulder pain is very common affecting most people at some point. Pain is often felt at the top of the shoulder and can spread down the arm to the elbow
If you get shoulder pain for the first time, you usually don’t need to see a doctor or get any special tests like x-rays. Most of the time, the pain starts to get better over the coming days and weeks without any specific treatment.
Shoulder pain can have several causes:
- Sudden changes in activity, like repetitive tasks or sleeping awkwardly.
- Sprains and strains of muscles and tendons.
- Injuries like a fall on the arm.
- A stiff or "frozen shoulder".
- Arthritis or shoulder instability (often after an injury).
When shoulder pain starts, it's a good idea to do less of what hurts, but you should also try to stay active.
Rest, but keep moving
Avoid painful movements but don't stop moving your shoulder completely, or it could get stiff (it is usually best to avoid using a sling).
Painkillers
Ask a pharmacist or doctor about which pain relief options are best for you.
Physiotherapy
If the pain doesn’t improve after a few weeks, a physiotherapist can help. You can visit a first contact practitioner in you GP practice or self-refer to us by visiting the Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy page.
Address any issues linked to sleeping awkwardly and the video below has some helpful tips.
You should seek help when:
- Pain that isn’t getting better after six to 12 weeks.
- After a serious injury and if you can't lift your arm.
- If you develop a hot and swollen shoulder joint for no apparent reason.
- If you feel unwell and suffer symptom like a fever in combination with your shoulder pain.
If any of these happen, see a doctor or Healthcare professional.
In most cases imaging, like X-rays and MRIs, are not needed and can cause more worry and anxiety.
There are times where a scan can help with the diagnosis for example ruling out a serious injury or to help surgical planning but for most people an assessment with a specialist, such as a Physiotherapist, first contact practitioner or GP, is more useful.
The British shoulder and elbow society (BESS) has created a playlist with some useful exercises for shoulder pain which can be accessed by following the link: Shoulder exercise playlist (external link)
You can also have a look at some of the exercises below which are designed to improve your mobility and function and can be done several times a day:
Avoid painful positions
Keep your elbow close to your side when reaching and your arm in your field of vision. At night you can also use pillow to support your arm
Use a stick
Use a stick (broom or mop) to gently help/assist movement in your arm.
Gentle pushes
Push your arm backward, outward, and forward against a wall (with light to moderate effort) holding for 15 seconds and repeating five times. They can be done several times a day to activate the muscles around your shoulder.
Push back
Push sideways
Push forward
Mini wall push-ups
Perform a small wall push up over 60 seconds.
Finally Keeping active is one of the most important things you can do for your body. Pick an activity that you enjoy like walking and try and do some daily. Anything which gets you moving, raises you heart rate and body temperature will help.
You can also visit the NHS Fitness Studio (external link) for some online exercise videos as your symptoms start to improve.
You can’t always prevent shoulder pain, just like you can’t always avoid catching a cold.
However, what’s really important for keeping your shoulder and body healthy is:
- Keeping moving (exploring movement with varied activity)
- Keeping a healthy weight
- Getting good sleep
- Managing stress
- Quitting smoking
- Drinking less alcohol
- Staying active.
Being active helps you avoid long-term pain and serious health problems like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. It also helps you live a longer, healthier life. Just like lifting weights makes your muscles strong, moving and exercising your back makes it stronger and healthier. Start slowly and keep practicing to safely do things like bending lifting and reaching.
Getting help for better health
Get free local help for from Your Health Notts (external link) to:
- Improve your fitness.
- Lose weight.
- Stop smoking.
- Reduce our alcohol intake.
Help with exercise
If you need help with exercise, ask your doctor about the GP Exercise Referral Schemes. These offer discounted classes at local leisure centres:
Useful links
Information in this section is intended to be used as a guide. It gives you an idea about how low back pain can be managed. However, you should remember that every case is different, and symptoms and management can vary from person to person.
