Do you know someone who suffers from shoulder pain? The answer is most likely yes! That’s not surprising. In fact studies show that up to 1 in 10 will suffer from shoulder pain at some point in their lives.
The shoulder is a complex joint that is located at the intersection of the humerus (upper arm), clavicle (collarbone), and scapula (shoulder blade). These 3 bones are held in place by a network of muscles, tendons and ligaments. The shoulder has a large range of motion but that comes at a price. That price is instability. The shoulder is not very deep or stable – which puts it at increased risk for injury.
No Pain No Pain
The old adage “No Pain No Gain” should be tossed! Pain is a symptom. It’s your body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong. Shoulder pain can be the result of any number of issues like: acute injury, overuse, repetitive strain, tendonitis, frozen shoulder, dislocation, muscle strain or tear and the list goes on!
Since shoulder pain can make life so miserable, people often overdo it with pain medication. Medication may temporarily mask your pain, but it does nothing to resolve the cause of the pain. Without addressing the cause – the pain will almost always come back.
Natural Solutions for Your Shoulder Pain
Not to worry! You don’t have to rely on medication to cope with your shoulder pain. Try some of these natural solutions:
- Rest Up. Sometimes your shoulders just need a little extra time to recover. Take a few days off any activity that seems to aggravate your shoulder. Working through the pain is never a good idea and could even result in a more serious injury.
- Ice Ice Baby. Icing your shoulder for 10 – 15 minutes several times during the day will help to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Keep it Moving. Gentle mobility exercises will promote blood flow to the injured area and help to restore range of motion. Be sure to speak with your trusted health care provider to find out what types of exercises are right for you.
- Get Punctured. Acupuncture that is! Acupuncture focuses on reducing inflammation, improving blood flow and decreasing pain. Studies show that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for chronic shoulder pain and can help improve shoulder mobility.
- See Your Wellness Chiropractor. Your shoulder pain just might be coming from your neck. Subluxations in the cervical (neck) spine can “pinch” the nerves that lead to the shoulder muscles resulting in pain and discomfort. If your shoulder pain is the result of a spinal subluxation – it will continue to resurface until the subluxation is removed by your chiropractor.
You don’t have to live with shoulder pain anymore! Let us know which of our natural solutions for shoulder pain worked best for you. We’d love to hear from you! As always, feel free to share this blog with anyone you know that might be suffering from shoulder pain.