Frozen shoulder is a condition where the shoulder gets very, causing much pain. A frozen shoulder is experienced when the area around the shoulder joint, called the shoulder capsule, thickens. These thick tissues around the shoulder joint are called adhesions. A patient goes through three stages of a frozen shoulder –
- The freezing stage (lasting 2–9 months) is the most painful
- The frozen stage (lasting 4–6 months) is when you have extreme stiffness
- The thawing stage is when you start to improve.
Why is it difficult to sleep with shoulder pain?
A frozen shoulder patient feels the pain worst at night since you’ve spent all day moving your shoulder; your shoulder is probably stiff and sore. During sleep, blood flow naturally slows, increasing inflammation, thus increasing the pain of the frozen shoulder. In sleep, you move your shoulders in various positions, which puts pressure on your shoulder and can make it more uncomfortable.
How should a frozen shoulder person sleep?
- A person with a frozen shoulder should sleep on the unaffected shoulder.
- Make sure you place an extra pillow between your arms for shoulder alignment, and you will get some comfort. The pillow should be placed as close to your body as possible, just like tucking it into the top armpit, with your arms hugging it.
- Please keep another pillow that can be placed between your knees to keep your spine and hips aligned, which will keep the body in a neutral position and possibly reduce pain.
- If you are used to sleeping on the back, keep your arms down by your sides with palms facing your mattress. This position, too, relieves the pressure from your shoulder.
- Even if you sleep on your side or back, please keep a firm enough pillow under your head to align your neck with your spine. This takes the pressure off your shoulders.
- To reduce shoulder pain at night, rest your shoulder as much as possible during the day.
- Please also consult your doctor and take an anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Take them right a short while before you sleep, which gives the medicine time to work.
- One can use a safe heating pad in bed to relax your shoulder muscles and other soft tissue in that area.
- If you have not moved at all in the night, you might get a stiff shoulder in the morning. To get relief from this stiffness, take a warm shower for 10 to 15 minutes since the heat will help loosen it up.
Practice pendulum swing exercise: Slightly bend down from the waist and let the affected arm hang down. Start gentle rotations of the affected arm and slowly increase the speed based on your comfort.’
We at Hyderabad shoulder clinic will teach you how to manage a frozen shoulder at home. We will give the whole day’s schedule. How to use the shoulder while doing rigorous activities. Remember that eating a healthy diet and regular exercise will prevent such shoulder stiffness. If you are in the starting stages of shoulder stiffness, please do not ignore it and consult our shoulder specialist, Dr Chandra Sekhar B, at Hyderabad Shoulder Clinic. Please visit our website https://hyderabadshoulderclinic.com/ or contact us at +919959588389, shoulderandsportsclinic@gmail.com
