“My shoulder pain wakes me up at night and I can’t get comfortable.”
Sound familiar?
Shoulder pain associated with sleep is one of the biggest complaints we hear when it comes to the shoulder. It is also a very common reason people seek out physical therapy.
Why is this happening?
Most often the pain occurs when lying directly on the shoulder but it can also occur laying on the uninvolved side or when on your back. Pain is generally due to an underlying problem resulting in inflammation and sleep positions can aggravate things. Shoulder pain doesn’t allow for comfort or a good night sleep, which night after night can become increasingly frustrating.
None-the-less shoulder pain at night is a red flag that something is wrong!
Common causes of shoulder pain at night:
- Bursitis: the bursa are fluid filled pads or cushions in the joint. When bursitis occurs you are likely experiencing pain and swelling due to an inflammatory process likely caused by a repetitive usage or type injury. Sleeping on your shoulder can just make things worse.
- Tendinitis: this refers to inflammation of the tendons that make up the shoulder. Again likely from repetitive use or a position of impingement. Impingement meaning a prolonged/repeated position in which the tendon is being pinched or compressed. Tendinitis is very positionally sensitive and therefore a challenge when it comes to sleep positioning.
- Rotator Cuff Injuries/RTC: the rotator cuff consists of muscles and tendons that basically connect the arm and the shoulder blade. The rotator cuff gives you the stability you need for smooth movement of the arm. The RTC can be damaged with lifting or fall type injuries or it can happen over the course of time due to the repetitive nature of our daily/work/sports associated activities. Pain at night is very common with RTC injuries especially when sleeping on that side.
What Can I Do?
Well you can try to change positions, avoid sleeping on your painful side or use pillows to position. But likely you have already tried all those things and it’s time to seek treatment. Physical therapy can be very effective in treating shoulder issues/pain keeping you up at night. Give us a call so we can schedule you an evaluation and get you back to a good night’s sleep!!!
