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The shoulder joint is the most mobile and the most complex joint of the body.  Be it lifting a bucket of water or reaching up into the cupboard, given the number of everyday activities it is involved in, shoulder pain is something that you get from time to time.  Our shoulder has the flexibility to turn in many directions.  But this advantage can be the very disadvantage that makes the shoulder prone to injuries and pain thereafter.  The reasons for shoulder pain can be from osteoarthritis, muscle tears, tendonitis etc.  In fact, there are numerous possibilities due to the anatomy involved in allowing your shoulder to do what it does.  Shoulder pain is also called deltoid pain and it is an extremely common problem.

The shoulder consists of three bones – humerus (upper arm), scapula (shoulder blade) and clavicle (collarbone).  Given the shoulder’s complex structure, problems with any part of the shoulder can lead to severe pain.  With all parts that make up the shoulder, it is common to experience shoulder pain.

In order to zero in on the correct treatment of the shoulder pain, it is very important to pinpoint exactly what part of the shoulder hurts.  In this article, let’s have a look at how we can say goodbye to shoulder pain.  Shoulder pain may be related to cartilage, ligaments, muscles, nerves, or tendons. It can also include the shoulder blade, neck, arm, and hand.  You can say goodbye to shoulder problem pretty easily if early treatment is sought.  It may take more than eight weeks for a shoulder pain to settle.  If the shoulder pain is not severe, you can say goodbye to a shoulder pain with some at-home treatment remedies.  It involves calming and soothing inflammation and redness.  Following are some of the ways with which you can ameliorate your sore shoulder.

Anti-inflammatory medications:

Shoulder pain can be relieved and swelling can be brought down with the help of anti-inflammatory medications.  Reducing inflammation can make a great difference in rotator cuff injuries, tendonitis and arthritis, and other shoulder injuries.

Cold compress:

Shoulder inflammation can be brought down by cold compresses.  It also numbs sharp shoulder pain.  Apply an ice pack on your sore shoulder for about 20 minutes, up to five times a day.  You can make a good ice pack by combining a frozen gel and ice cubes in a plastic bag.  Don’t apply a cold pack directly to your skin.

Compression:

In order to lessen the swelling and pain, wrap the shoulder in an elastic medical bandage.  You can use either a cold compression bandage or regular ACE bandage.  You can loosen the tightness of a bandage if your arm or hand begins to feel numb or tingly, or turn blue.  You can use a shoulder wrap as well for this purpose.  If you are using a wrap, tie it snugly around your shoulder (don’t tie too tight).

Heat therapy:

Heat therapy is an effective way to loosen tense muscles and soothe a stiff shoulder.  Muscle pain and arthritis in the shoulder can be treated this way.  You can use a heated gel pack, hot water bottle or a heating pad.

Muscle relaxants:

Muscle tension or spasm around the shoulder can be treated effectively with muscle relaxing medications. However, don’t use muscle relaxants on your own, consult a doctor and they should be taken only if it is prescribed.

Pain medications, pain-relieving gels and creams:

Pain medications can help you deal with shoulder pain and you can sleep better as you make recovery.  As pain medications include side effects, you need take them only if your doctor prescribes them.  Apart from pain medications, you can also try gels and cream which have pain-relieving properties.  These do not have the same side effect as a pain-killer.

Manage shoulder pain with exercise:

Exercise can do wonders with your niggling shoulder pain.  It is always advisable to remain generally active and do exercise every day.

Some simple exercises to say goodbye to shoulder pain:

• • Arm-across-Chest Stretch
• • Neck release
• • Chest expansion
• • Seated twist
• • The 90-90 shoulder stretch
• • Shoulder stretch
• • Door press
• • Shoulder circle

It is quite natural to feel some slight discomfort during and after the exercise, but it will go away in 24 hours.  However, if you feel a sudden, sharp pain you should stop exercising and emergency medical opinion right away.  What is to be kept in mind is that you should keep exercising regularly even after your shoulder pain has gone away to prevent it from recurring again.  If you are unaware as to what kind of exercise regimen should be adopted to deal with your shoulder pain, seek a specialist advice from your doctor or physiotherapist.

In most cases shoulder pain is not caused by anything sinister and will go away after some time.  Strike a balance between rest and activity to prevent shoulder stiffness.  Remember to always consult a doctor if the shoulder pain you experience is not relieved by several days of rest, ice, massage, and elevation.

For enquiries related to Shoulder Pain and Shoulder Injuries treatment, send a message to www.BangaloreShoulderInstitute.com/contact