Home Remedies for Shoulder Pain

Many of us suffer with chronic shoulder aches and pain, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. There is evidence that exposure to workplace strains and maintaining an incorrect posture can increase your risk of pain in your shoulder joint and its surrounding muscles, which can be further aggravated by life’s everyday stressors. These factors are simply unavoidable for most working adults, whether they’re involved in manual labor or office work.

Home remedies for shoulder pain can be a great first line of relief, and as an added benefit, they can help you relax—helping keep shoulder pain at bay in the future. Read on to learn more about some of the most effective home remedies for shoulder pain.

Stretching Exercises for Shoulder Pain Relief

Do your shoulders feel tight, tense, or achy? As many as a quarter of adults routinely feel tightness and pain in their shoulders. Stretching at home is also a way to increase your flexibility over time, which can reduce tightness in the future. Next time you have a few minutes at home, these stretches:

Crossing your Chest: bring one arm at a time across your chest. Your arm can rest in the crease of the opposite arm’s elbow. Hold for around 60 seconds, and repeat with the opposite arm.
Release your Neck: Look down with your chin close to your chest. Move your head to one side of your body to stretch the opposite side’s shoulder. Hold for around 60 seconds, and repeat with your opposite side.
Expand your Chest: Stand tall and broaden your chest, pushing your shoulder blades toward each other. Look up, lifting your chin. Hold for around 30 seconds. To increase the stretch, try holding an exercise band or towel behind your back.

Ice And Heat Therapy for Shoulder Pain

If you have bothersome shoulder pain, inflammation could be the culprit. Ice and heat therapy has been an effective home remedy used to treat mild inflammation for decades due to its low cost and ease of administration.

The key to ice and heat therapy is to alternate between the two temperatures. Place an ice pack (or even a bag of frozen vegetables can do the trick) on your shoulder for around 10 to 20 minutes at a time. You should make sure to have some layer of clothing or a thin towel between the ice and your skin. Continue icing your shoulder for two to three days until swelling has gone down.

Then, switch to heat therapy to increase blood flow and metabolic activity. Heat can also help relieve aches and pains associated with repeated injury. A heating pad will work, but so will a warm, moist towel or dish rag.

Topical Ointments and Creams for Shoulder Pain

There are many different options for topical ointments and creams for shoulder pain on the market today. Topical painkillers, also called analgesics, can come in spray, lotion, or patches applied directly to achy muscles and joints. Many, like those labeled “salicylates” deliver the same ingredients that make aspirin effective for pain management. The difference is that instead of being administered orally, the ingredients are absorbed through the skin.

You can also purchase capsaicin topical ointments, which contain an ingredient that causes a warm sensation and can help sooth joint and nerve pain.

Massage Therapy for Shoulder Pain

Massage can be administered at home with or without aid from a loved one. Try the following techniques:

Use a foam roller: Begin by placing a foam roller under your underarm. Rest your arm on the floor, lengthening it fully. Then gently roll back and forth for up to a minute, using the foam roller to help release tension around the shoulder.
Hand massage: You can effectively massage a tense and achy shoulder area with just your opposite hand. Gently move your affected upper arm while massaging your shoulder and the muscles surrounding it.
Electronic aids: electronic massagers are helpful for many individuals suffering with shoulder pain, especially if the pain is radiating from achy muscles surrounding your shoulder joints. Often, electronic tools can effectively relieve tension without you having to tire out your hands in the process.

Herbal Remedies for Shoulder Pain

If you don’t have time just yet to see a chiropractor, but are looking for relief that is unlikely to produce negative side effects, you can give herbal remedies a try. Consider the following:

Capsaicin is a natural substance derived from hot chile peppers, and it comes in oral and topical applications. It works by depleting a pain sensation-causing compound in the nervous system, and can take a few days to produce effectiveness.
Ginger and ginger extract has been known to help relieve joint and muscle pain in some individuals. Ginger contains phytochemicals, which fight inflammation: a leading cause of shoulder aches and pains.
Turmeric, much like ginger, has been known to relieve pain coming from both inflammation and even arthritis. Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Acupuncture for Shoulder Pain

Acupuncture is a pain management method that is growing in popularity, especially among those who suffer with chronic pain. Medical studies have shown that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for chronic shoulder pain. Your chiropractor will work with you to determine if you are a good candidate for acupuncture, as many Americans dealing with chronic pain are. Some common signs that you might be a candidate for acupuncture include the following:

You suffer from chronic pain that affects your daily life
Other forms of chronic pain management treatments have not been effective for you
You’re looking for a safe, natural, and holistic pain management treatment
You want to avoid the side effects of taking high doses of pain medication frequently and for an extended amount of time
You’re looking to integrate a series of lifestyle changes in order to reduce your chronic pain and/or stress

New Patients

Whether you’re new to the Triangle area and looking for your new chiropractor or if you’re a new patient to acupuncture or chiropractic services altogether, we would love to assist you on your healing and shoulder pain reduction journey. New Patients at Team Chiropractic can receive a special package entitling them to a new patient consultation, examination, any necessary spinal x-rays, their first adjustment, and a Doctor’s Report – all for $47. This is $525 value – we are really that excited to welcome you to the Team Chiropractic Ministry!

After your consultation and examination, we may be able to provide treatment same-day if you have only a simple muscle problem. If the root cause of your pain is a bit deeper, we’ll work with you to develop a comprehensive and regular care plan.

Your Local Chiropractic Experts in the Triangle:

Suffering from shoulder aches, tension, and pain? Team Chiropractic & Sports Medicine, P.A. has got you covered throughout the Triangle. We’re the local home of evidence-based spinal reengineering and chiropractic sports medicine, and we’re happy to serve Chapel Hill, Research Triangle Park, Carrboro, Durham, Raleigh, Garner, Clayton, Wendell, Wake Forest, and surrounding areas in North Carolina. We have over 50 years of combined experience serving you, and we have even worked as the Wolfpack’s chiropractic and sports medicine consultant. If you’re looking for acupuncture treatment in the greater Triangle area, we are here to help! Contact us online today or give us a call at 919-788-8881 to schedule your initial appointment and x-ray at either of our convenient locations. We look forward to helping restore your health!