Shoulder pain

robertreeve80
robertreeve80 Member Posts: 2
in Living with arthritis

Any advise nightly shoulder pain

Comments

  • anneb82
    anneb82 Member Posts: 317

    Hello @robertreeve80

    Welcome to the online community and thank you for joining us. We are a very friendly group, always looking to make new friends so I hope you will feel like you are able to share and contribute freely.

    So you are looking for advise regarding shoulder pain at night. Im sure you will get plenty of hints and tips from the other users as and when they have seen your post.

    I was able to find the information below on our main Versus Arthritis website. I hope that this will be of some help to you while waiting for other peoples hints and tips.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/
    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/sleep/


    Please do continue to post and do join in on other posts that are of interest to you or that you feel you can add to.

    Take care

    Anne (Moderator)

  • DODGYKNEES
    DODGYKNEES Member Posts: 102

    Hi @robertreeve80 . I too have a lot of shoulder pain at night. I can't sleep on my back due to hip and back pain. So I fall asleep on my side, but always wake up with shoulder pain and have to change sides to fall back asleep. I wake up again as both shoulders are very painful. I haven't found any solution yet. I have just ordered a full length body pillow. I'm hoping it will help.

  • crinkly
    crinkly Member Posts: 158

    I had one shoulder replaced and keyhole surgery on the other so have had long periods when one or both were painful. (Three years after TRSR I still cannot sleep at all on the operated side.)

    On good nights I sleep with just one pillow but when I am too uncomfortable on my good side or on my back I sleep propped up in bed with two normal pillows plus a V-pillow.

    Following both surgeries I slept in a recliner chair until I was sufficiently comfortable in bed and that is now my last resort since even a few short hours' sleep is highly preferable to none.

    Long, undisturbed nights are a luxury for which I am extremely thankful when they happen but there is no short cut to finding your own best sleeping position/s. I'm afraid it's largely a matter of trial and error until you arrive at the best solution, which includes the timing of pain meds.

    For me weird dreams are part of my response to pain but at least they can be entertaining!

    I am sure my body has adapted over time and hope you soon find your ideal sleeping position.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,087

    Are any of your pain meds slow release @robertreeve80 ?

    That can help a bit something to sort of 'last' through the night. My anti-inflammatory is a 24 hour one and for many years I used pain patches mine were bu-trans which lasted 7 days. Eventually my skin had enough so i am having a rest from them now. In addition some people have meds which relax muscles and have the added bonus of helping them sleep. There are options and your GP might help.

    The other thing I do for my shoulder(s) is to sleep with a pillow which is contoured it puts my neck in the right position and has the knock on effect of taking some pressure off of my shoulders. I also have a pillow to put my arm on if I sleep on my side.

    I have to agree with @crinkly it's very much a case of trial and error.

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