Home Remedies for Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the human body and has the maximum range of movement. Unfortunately, because of this wide range of movement, it is also an unstable joint, which makes it susceptible to injuries and pain. It’s no surprise then that shoulder pain is one of the most common complaints that orthopaedic doctors deal with. To understand why your shoulder hurts, you must first understand that the shoulder, like any other joint in the body, is kept together by muscles, tendons and ligaments. When any of these tissues are affected because of injury, overuse or even underuse, the shoulder joint gets destabilised and begins hurting. With age, these tissues may also begin to degenerate. Often, problems with organs like the gallbladder, liver and heart may also cause the shoulder to hurt. Shoulder pain can either be localized or centered just around the shoulder area or it may move down towards the arms.

Symptoms of Shoulder Pain

Since there are so many different causes of shoulder pain, the symptoms and treatment are often different. Some pains just go away in a little while, but for other, more serious pains, you’ll need to see a doctor. These are the symptoms that indicate serious problems:

• You cannot use your arm or lift any weight with it.

• You have an injury that causes joint deformity.

• The pain continues for many days.

• There is visible swelling or bruising on the shoulder.

• The pain is accompanied by other symptoms like infection, fever or a rash or other unusual problems.

Causes of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can actually be a number of different conditions that affect the shoulder. Amongst musculoskeletal problem is bursitis or rotator cuff tendonitis. Other problems include frozen shoulder, calcific tendonitis, instability, dislocations and separations. Tears and ruptures in the tendons also cause pain. Arthritis is also a common cause of shoulder pain. While rest will help most problems, it is important to get shoulder pain diagnosed by a doctor or specialist. Treatment for each problem is decidedly different, even though most musculoskeletal problems are best treated with physiotherapy.

Home remedies for Shoulder Pain

To relieve shoulder pain, and to remain pain free, here are a few things you can do.

• Apply heat. Use a heating pad to temporarily relieve pain from your shoulder. Keep in mind that this is only a temporary measure, and not a cure.

• Stretch. Since shoulder pain is often caused by not using the full range of movement, stretch after your workout to get the blood flowing to the unused parts of the joint.

• Strengthen your shoulder. Believe it or not, lifting weights will help keep you pain free. Shoulder exercises as well as those for the rotator cuff will help, but remember to start small and get a good spotter.

• If you feel the pain when it’s cold, wear warm clothes, especially a muffler.

Diet for Shoulder Pain

Your diet should include plenty of green vegetables and proteins that help you strengthen your muscles. If you’re arthritic, you also need to include omega-3 oils into your diet, as these have been shown to help pain. You can get these from sources like salmon.