Shoulder pain and injury can affect anyone at any age, and it involves pain to the cartilages, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and nerves. Shoulder injuries could also occur in the shoulder plate, neck, arms, elbow, and hand. The pain on the shoulders could reduce the quality of life and make it difficult to perform everyday activities. It is prudent to treat shoulder pain as soon as you get an injury, and the treatment could take longer if the damage is severe. You could opt for at-home shoulder remedies, but it could be prudent to seek advice from an orthopedic shoulder & elbow surgeon in La Jolla.
Sore shoulder home remedies
Over the counter anti-inflammatory medication
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications could help relieve pain on the shoulder and lower inflammation. Over-the-counter medicines that can help with shoulder pain include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Reducing shoulder inflammation allows the shoulder to heal slowly.
Cold compress
A cold compress on the shoulder can help reduce swelling, and it numbs the area reducing sharp pain. You can use a pack of ice and place it on the injured shoulder for about 20 minutes at a time, repeating the cold press five times a day. A frozen gel pack or frozen peas works well as a cold compress. You should wrap the frozen package in a soft towel and avoid having the frozen pack directly on the skin.
Compression
An elastic medical bandage can be used to compress an injured shoulder to reduce swelling and pain. A shoulder wrap could make the compression intact without making the compression too tight as you do not want to block blood flow. A numb arm could indicate that you have wrapped the shoulder too tight, and if your hand turns blue, you can loosen the bandage.
Heat therapy
Heat can relax the muscles on your injured shoulder, and it is better for soothing a stiff shoulder. Heat can reduce shoulder pain by allowing blood to flow on the veins on the wounded part, thus leading to oxygenation of the injured part, which results in reduced inflammation.
Muscle relaxants
Muscle relaxants help reduce spasms around the shoulders, and some common relaxants include cyclobenzaprine, tizanidine, and baclofen. You might need a doctor’s prescription to treat the shoulder pain with relaxants. Some of these relaxants could cause drowsiness, and it could be prudent to avoid handling machines and driving after taking the medication.
Pain medication
Pain medications could block the transmission of pain from the injured shoulder, which can help reduce pain and inflammation, helping the injured part recover. Pain medications could come in the form of tablets or gels and creams, and most of them do not have any side effects.
Conclusion
Pain on the shoulders can reduce motion and make it difficult for you to achieve your everyday activities. It could be better to seek medical attention if your shoulder pain persists for a long time, as it could result in chronic pain. Some home remedies that you could practice to reduce pain and inflammation on the shoulders include cold press, heat therapy, pain medications, and over-the-counter drugs.