Posts Tagged ‘Exercise Regime’

Shouldering the Pain

Help for shoulder pain

If you have ever woken up at night with a painful shoulder, you’re not alone. It’s a very common complaint in the over 50s, and could be hiding a more serious problem, but one that could be dealt with quickly and simply.Things that go bump in the night

It’s a strange occurrence that shoulder pain is generally much worse at night. People often think that it’s simply to do with the fact that at night, the brain doesn’t have anything else to concentrate on. However, although not yet fully understood, there is a scientific reason that goes some way in explaining the phenomena. It’s all related to our body’s natural rhythms, as our cortisol drops to its lowest level in the early hours of the morning, so the pain increases.

But if you are suffering, what can be done, and what is the probable cause?Dread getting dressed – Symptom 1

Sufferers who have a combination of steady pain when the shoulder is at rest and more intense pain when the arm is raised to shoulder height, for example, when reaching for objects from a shelf or even when driving, may be suffering from a tendon injury. This is where the tendons have changed shape, which may have happened for a number of reasons.

Most sufferers of this type of shoulder problem can be helped with a series of three Hydroctorisone injections.

However, there is some effort required by the patient, as an exercise regime will help to strengthen up the other muscles in the shoulder to prevent them rubbing against the tendon.Hands Up – Symptom 2

Generally, if the type of pain you are feeling is localised on the tip of the shoulder, with pain most obvious when lifting the arm straight upwards, you may be suffering from a degenerative condition which is affecting a small joint located between the collarbone and shoulder blade. Again, the majority of patients can be helped with a course of Hydrocortisone injections.Patience is an unnecessary virtue – Symptom 3

Truly agonising pain and progressive stiffness in the shoulder are symptoms of a ‘frozen shoulder’. Extremely painful, the condition progresses in three stages. The first 6-8 months is characterised predominately by pain, the second 6-8 months by pain and stiffness and the third, by mainly stiffness. Be warned, this condition does not show up by X-ray or by scanning as both of these simply appear normal. The good news is that by 18-24 months the condition will have naturally run its course and resolved itself. If you think that you have a frozen shoulder and do not want to wait, you may be able to benefit from a manipulation of the shoulder under anaesthetic. This should break the natural cycle of events and help restore movement and reduce the pain.Grinding to a halt – Symptom 4

Grating in the shoulder, together with progressive pain and stiffness, and a restriction of all movements, could be a sign of osteoarthritus. This is a condition that needs to be managed and is best controlled with analgesics and anti-inflammatories. Fortunately, only a very few patients with this condition require shoulder replacements, and those that do can be cheered by the fact that this generally has excellent results.

So if your stirrings in the night are due to a painful shoulder, don’t hesitate. Go and see an orthopaedic surgeon. There’s really no need to live with the pain.

From an original article published in IDF50 HEALTH, 29TH AUGUST 2001

Use ice to decrease pain