Shoulder pain at night

jaen333
jaen333 Member Posts: 10
edited 1. Jun 2010, 03:01 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi
Still learning to live with Arther - bless - medication has helped with hips and I can get up and down much easier now but still get dreadful pain in my upper arm and shoulders at night.
Have changed pillows but made no difference - I move a lot in the night and so my head not in one place being supported.
Our mattress is firm as my partner has back problems and he needs the support.
Do I need to consider something for my side of bed which is more forgiving.

This was at 3 am this morning when awake with the pain and very fed up with arther to say the least. :cry:

Pain not there when I first lie down but if I dont go straight off to sleep I can feel it coming on - during the day shoulders sore if I lift and use them but not the pain I get at night.
Hope I have explained this ok and wondered if anyone else gets this problem.
Cheers Jaen x

Comments

  • dippydoodah
    dippydoodah Member Posts: 350
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i cant really give any medical advice im afraid but im sorry to hear your suffering.
    i do get shoulder pain also, mainly when i lift my arms forward and up or put pressure on them (like yourself in bed when i try to turn over). obviously i dont know if its the same thing but my physio told me when i mentioned it that she sees it alot with arthritis suffers, something about the way we hold ourselves.

    i was just told to exercise it, roll my shoulders back etc but not much more. im sorry i cant be of much help and am sure someone will come along who can help but just wanted to say you're not alone and hope you get some relief soon.

    caroline x
  • coco67
    coco67 Member Posts: 2,374
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    jaen333

    hi i also suffer with my neck more at night and i wish i could help but im still trying to find a solution, im new to this also so hopefully some one will be able to help out with advice soon. keep smilling your not alone, {{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't have a clue, but would applying Deep Heat or something equally smelly and strong give any relief? Voltarol smells better and does relieve pain - and you won't end up smelling like my mother-in-law! Another thought: would tubigrip support your neck? I know that works for other parts of the body, and it can give very good support. I know it would look odd but what the hell, if it helps . . . . Dreamdaisy
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jean

    Your shoulder pain sounds similar to mine! I'm waiting to see a shoulder specialist. The pain seems to travel from my shoulder right down to my wrist. Before I go to bed I use an ice pack for 30 minutes then my wheat bag. I then rub in deep heat. This seems to settle me down for the night. However, I do wake up in the early morning with soreness and stiffness. I saw the Registrar at the Fracture Clinic and he thinks it's bony spurs, however, I won't know for sure until I see someone. To be honest this stiffness and soreness feels so much like arthur to me.

    I start off sleeping with a pillow cushioning my arm. I have a memory foam mattress this has been great with regards to my knees. I did also wonder if this was a trapped nerve but recently my left arm has started to go the same way.

    Are you taking any medication or seen your GP about this? When the pain gets really bad I take Tramadol.

    I hope you get it sorted soon.

    Sharmaine
    X

    jaen333 wrote:
    Hi
    Still learning to live with Arther - bless - medication has helped with hips and I can get up and down much easier now but still get dreadful pain in my upper arm and shoulders at night.
    Have changed pillows but made no difference - I move a lot in the night and so my head not in one place being supported.
    Our mattress is firm as my partner has back problems and he needs the support.
    Do I need to consider something for my side of bed which is more forgiving.

    This was at 3 am this morning when awake with the pain and very fed up with arther to say the least. :cry:

    Pain not there when I first lie down but if I dont go straight off to sleep I can feel it coming on - during the day shoulders sore if I lift and use them but not the pain I get at night.
    Hope I have explained this ok and wondered if anyone else gets this problem.
    Cheers Jaen x
  • deborahjane
    deborahjane Member Posts: 120
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i get the same but in my back soon as i get into bed my back hurts cant get compfy,if i have a lie in on sunday it,s worse,i did go to phisio and was shown exercises it did help but soon as i stopped doing them it came back.so i am now going to start them again.perhaps you can get some phisio or ask about exercises to do.i did think oh thats not going to help but it did make a difference,i have also got ra in shoulder mostly hurts when getting dressed etc.but fine when in bed.could you ask doc about getting a cortiston injection to shoulder.hope it feels better soon. 8)
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,

    I used to get a lot of shoulder and neck pain (not from arther though but becauseof tension from dealing with pain and also because of problems with my hips (OA and a semi dislocated R hip and I have a slight leg length discrepancy) which meant my trunk was always wonky. I invested in a few sessions of sports remedial massage which really helped and then kept on top of it with self treatment following the Trigger Point Manual myself. (let me know if you want the link.)

    Wheatie bags helped and I have several sizes including a massive one and sometimes (tho I hate it) ice packs!

    Learning to totally relax following mediation CDs helped too, took a lot of practise - but worth it.

    I also spent a lot of time experimenting with pillow combinations. I now have a memory foam mattress topper which really helps. Maybe you could research if they are recommended for bad backs or not as well - as I think it would be odd having it on just your half of the bed. You could try sleeping on a thick duvet - that worked for me at a friend's house (as I struggled without the memory foam topper.

    Have you tried physio/hydro - your GP can refer you.

    Also you could try a Pain clinic - GP referral again.

    Speedalong
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jean

    I also use Deep Freeze Cold Spray which helps a bit.

    Sharmaine

    jaen333 wrote:
    Hi
    Still learning to live with Arther - bless - medication has helped with hips and I can get up and down much easier now but still get dreadful pain in my upper arm and shoulders at night.
    Have changed pillows but made no difference - I move a lot in the night and so my head not in one place being supported.
    Our mattress is firm as my partner has back problems and he needs the support.
    Do I need to consider something for my side of bed which is more forgiving.

    This was at 3 am this morning when awake with the pain and very fed up with arther to say the least. :cry:

    Pain not there when I first lie down but if I dont go straight off to sleep I can feel it coming on - during the day shoulders sore if I lift and use them but not the pain I get at night.
    Hope I have explained this ok and wondered if anyone else gets this problem.
    Cheers Jaen x
  • breane
    breane Member Posts: 392
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,I suffered for several months with shoulder/top of arm pain and even pain killers did'nt work. :( An x ray showed I had spurs on the shoulder bone whch was rubbing against the muscle and I also had muscle wastage due to the OA and RA. I was put on a 6 week course of steroids and the pain went away almost overnight.But my GP did send me for physio and the exercises they gave me to do really loosened up the shoulder.Now I'm off the steroids it will be interesting to see if the pain returns. Breane.
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jaen

    Think it's case of trial and error this one - what height pillows, one or two, what in them, feather,memory foam etc.

    I ahve this problem too, but it is the side I HAVE to sleep on coz of teh bursitis :roll: I try the usual - heat, ice, movelat gel etc. Amitriptyline is good if you can get off to sleep before the pain hits :?

    If you get the answer please will you tell me?

    Love

    Toni xx
  • jaen333
    jaen333 Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    So many ideas which you must all have tried and found the one that worked - just so frustrating in my early days I really dont want arther living with me. But will give the ones that I havent tried a go.

    yep tried 1 or 2 pillows - exercise shoulders - did have problem with trapped nerve in neck couple of years ago which gave me the numb and pins and needles down my arm which by exercising my neck sorted it - we have one duvet across bed.

    I am one of those people who hate taking medication -which I had to give into cuz of high blood pressure and irregular heart beat so extra medication does not go down well.

    Yes having a bad day cuz not much sleep last night - fortunately have brilliant partner who understands - but I hate arther today with passion but know I have to learn how to deal with it.
    Huge thanks for help and sorry about all the winging but newbie and frustrated.
    love Jaen xxx
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hey Frustrated newbie

    No need to apologise.

    I hope youe find the best fro you - I find the amitrip the best mediation for sleeping to be honest and I sooo didnt want to take it too.

    I hope you have a better night - try the rolled up towel in your neck tonight eh?

    You take care

    Love
    and hugs

    Toni xx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was lying in bed this morning, listening to the PASO playing away (the Psoriatic Arthritis Symphony Orchestra, now appearing in my toes, ankles, knees, sacro-iliac joints, shoulders, neck, fingers and wrists) and I realised what a stupid suggestion I had made. The one about tubigrip round your neck. Duh. What a twerp am I. I do apologise but sometimes my eagerness to help gets the better of me! I hope things are brighter for you this morning, jaen. Dreamdaisy
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jaen,

    Its horrible when pain stops you sleeping. I now have a bit better pain relief, tablets I am afraid and at least I can get a few hours sleep at night now.

    Like Toni said its all trial and error.... for me my neck messes up my left shoulder big time and the only 'cure' has been the pain clinic. I get temporary de-nerving and then trigger top ups in between them (about every 9-12 weeks now)

    I know you said this was just a blip but if it does continue the pain clinic option may well help you. I am so lucky we have a good one here. Other suggestion would I am afraid be more tablets......

    I promise you this though .... it does get easier flower, its the pits and believe me I hate it so much but I know it well now and though I am still at war with it I also know how to get it to the peace table...... never sign anything with it though :wink:

    Hope it will all settle down for you and leaving you a (((( )))). Luv Cris x
  • carola
    carola Member Posts: 786
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    Sorry to hear about your night pain.

    I ease my shoulder pain in bed with wheat pillows you put in the microwave and also plumping up my arms with pillows underneath them. I also take x2 tramadol every night when I go to bed and although I still wake up 5 or 6 times throughout the night, the tramadol means I fall back asleep again pretty quickly.

    Hope you get some relief.
  • airwave
    airwave Member Posts: 579
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Now, here is something I do know about, shoulders. The more I use them the worse it gets, so limited exercise, no fetching and carrying, little driving. Hands in pockets so the weight doesn't pull down on my shoulders, in fact, anything to keep them in a neutral position. When lying down they need to be supported but without pressure in any direction.

    Hot wheat bags are a blessing, as are pills. Sticking yer shoulders out of the bed clothes on a cold night is good, beer helps as well :D


    8) Its a grin, honest!
  • jemima
    jemima Member Posts: 24
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Mmmm. shoulders...

    Not so sure I know the answer but after many joint injections, four operations on my worst shoulder, pills, physio, etc, etc I'll have a stab at trying to help.

    My mattress has individually covered springs and then has lots of layers of wonderful foam on top. Lying down feels a bit like floating on a cloud.

    My duvet is partly made from silk and polyester - warm and wrappy without any weight. Feathers would probably do as well but I'm allergic to those.

    One of my pillows - the top one - is Tempurpedic and the other one is polyester and which I bought in the USA because the USA has wonderful pillows!

    ! find my worst shoulder is heaps better if I lie on it (I know, doesn't make any sense does it?), It does, however, get sort of "fixed" in a comfortable position which is a must for getting to sleep. I need pillows to put my shoulder into and also to lift my head and neck so that they don't lop onto my shoulder.

    Try and start yourself off in sleep where nothing hurts and you're cloud floating. Sometimes I'm so comfy, I barely move so I think I've got the shoulder situation sorted out - for me at least.

    Good luck. There's nothing worse than a poor night's sleep and nothing like a good one. Hope it works out for you.
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Been watching this one closely

    this week I have abad neck (on the same side as the shoulder which generally hurts) which is the opsoite side to the hip bursa :(

    I ahve been using a memory foam shaped one befor then nothing but a rolled up towel. Yes with wheaty or ice pack wrapped round....

    Woe :(

    Airwave - still grinning :D Is it that beer :?:

    Love Toni xx
  • jaen333
    jaen333 Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi everyone
    So grateful for all your replies - seems arther has all sorts of different ways of 'annoying' us.
    Its a real guessing game to catch him out.

    Spent yesterday morning over my daughters gardening - now theres a painful occupation now - but stubborn makes me keep going - yes stupid as well - to exercise or not - finding the happy medium is not easy.

    I take dicloflex which helps but I have high blood pressure so dont like taking them but now trying 2 one day and 1 the next etc and it does gives me bit of an easier night. Have not tried 3 a day as scardy wimp.
    Would rather have pain than more probs with bp.

    Due back to docs in about 5 weeks so can have chat then and see what he comes up with. So far he has been great so fingers crossed he will get me any help I need.

    Till then keep smiling and ignoring arthers attempts to mess my life up - easier said than done as you all know.

    Take care everyone
    love Jaen xx