Few things are as important to your health and wellness than a good night’s sleep. Lack of quality sleep can contribute to a host of health problems, including fatigue, high blood pressure and reduced mental clarity. Neurological disorders such as anxiety and depression are also more common among adults who don’t get the recommended amount of sleep.

If you are suffering from shoulder pain, you may find it difficult to get enough sleep. It can be difficult to sleep comfortably on your shoulder, or you may wake up often due to pain. While over-the-counter pain medications might help temporarily, your shoulder pain may become worse if you continue to sleep on it the wrong way.

How should I sleep on my painful shoulder?

Here are four steps that physical therapy experts recommend to help make sleeping with shoulder pain easier:

1. Stretch before sleeping — Stretching and moving your painful shoulder before you go to bed will help to loosen your muscles and increase your circulation. This can help your shoulder from becoming stiff and painful while you sleep.

2. Avoid sleeping on your shoulder — If you are a side sleeper, try to avoid sleeping on the shoulder that is causing you pain. Putting pressure on an already tender should can potentially make the problem worse. Experts recommend sleeping on your back as a good way to avoid this.

3. Sleep next to a pillow — Many people roll over as they sleep. Placing a large pillow or a folded blanket next to you when you sleep is a good way to avoid rolling onto your painful shoulder.

4. Seek physical therapy — If your shoulder continues to hurt, it may be time to see a physical therapist to treat your shoulder pain. Shoulder impingements, rotator cuff injuries or tendinitis are all possible causes of shoulder pain that a physical therapist can help to treat.

Can Rehab Access Physical Therapy help to treat my shoulder pain?

If you are seeking to treat your shoulder pain at the source, then the experienced team at Rehab Physical Therapy is here to help. We have years of experience in treating many of the common causes of shoulder pain. Our physical therapists can pinpoint the culprit behind your pain and work with you to find the best treatment method for your needs. 

We employ many effective methods to treat issues that cause muscle and joint pain. Some of the methods your therapist may use include:

• Manual therapy.

• Therapeutic exercise.

• Aquatic therapy.

• Joint mobilization.

• Dry needling therapy.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.