Why does my left shoulder hurt when i lay down

Every year, over four million people experience shoulder problems in the United States. Shoulder conditions and injuries can cause significant discomfort and pain. For many people, that pain gets worse at night. No matter what you try, you may be struggling to get rid of your discomfort—whether it is sharp pain, stiffness, achiness, or dull pain—many find themselves struggling to relax or even sleep due to shoulder pain.

Dr. Rami Elshaar, an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Rochester Regional Health who specializes in the treatment of shoulder injuries and pain, explains why shoulder pain often worsens at night and how you can help reduce it.

Why does my shoulder hurt more at night?

There are a variety of reasons why you might be experiencing shoulder pain and why that pain feels worse as you're heading to bed.

“While there is no precise reason why shoulder pain can be worse at night, some factors may include direct pressure on your shoulder when laying on your side, overuse during the day, and gravity pulling on your tendons or ligaments in your shoulder as you lay on your back,” said Dr. Elshaar.

Three conditions commonly lead to increased shoulder pain at night: bursitis, tendonitis, or rotator cuff tears/injury.

Bursitis

Subacromial bursitis is inflammation of the bursa in your shoulder. Bursa is a thin, sac-like structure that works as a cushion to reduce friction between tissues of the body. The condition is likely caused by overuse of your rotator cuff muscles following repetitive shoulder motion or overhead activities. Inflammation in the bursa can cause significant pain while lifting or performing a rotational motion with the shoulder.

When you lay on your side, the bursa in the shoulder can be compressed, leading to increased pain at night or when trying to sleep that may persist until proper treatment is provided.

What is the difference between bursitis and osteoarthritis?

The shoulder has cartilage and bursa—both components work to protect the tendons and bones in the joint. Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage in your joints begins to deteriorate, causing the bones to rub together. Bursitis occurs when the bursa is inflamed.

Tendonitis

Often a result of long-term overuse, tendonitis in the shoulder is when the rotator cuff tendons become inflamed and irritated. This condition becomes more common with older age as tendons become less flexible and more prone to injury.

For those with tendonitis, a variety of factors can cause more pain at night, including decreased blood flow to the area, effects of gravity, and overuse during the day.

Rotator cuff injury or tear

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons that connect the upper arm to the shoulder blade. Its purpose is to stabilize the shoulder and allow for smooth movement of the joint. These muscles are needed to raise your arm overhead and rotate your arm in front and behind your back.

Damage or tear to any of the muscles in the rotator cuff can lead to significant pain, weakness, and loss of motion. Simple tasks like getting dressed, reaching behind your back, and reaching overhead can become very challenging. Tearing and injury to the rotator cuff become more likely as tendons in the shoulder naturally wear down over time.

Due to gravity, laying down can cause the rotator cuff to stretch and pull, leading to significantly worsened pain at night.

At-home remedies to relieve pain

If your shoulder pain is worse at night, it is likely due to inflammation or swelling. Dr. Elshaar recommends taking a few steps to reduce pain:

• Take anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
• Sleep in a recliner to avoid pressure on the shoulder and reduce the influence of gravity.
• Apply ice to the area to help decrease inflammation.
• Avoid activities that contribute to the overuse of the shoulder.

When to see a doctor

There are a variety of reasons why one might seek medical attention for shoulder pain. Sudden injury, persistent pain despite home remedies, loss of motion, weakness, swelling, severe pain, or bruising are all reasons to reach out to a physician.

“If your shoulder pain does not go away or continues to worsen, we recommend contacting an orthopaedic specialist. They can work with you to examine, diagnose, and properly treat your condition in a timely manner in order to help reduce pain and discomfort,” said Dr. Elshaar.

Why do you have shoulder pain from sleeping? Is it just about the position that you take or are there other factors in play? Does this have any kind of negative long-term effect?

These are just some of the questions that need to be answered as soon as possible. After all, if there are some long-term negative effects, you need to rectify your sleeping habits, as soon as possible. Moreover, this is a serious issue and something that could seriously ruin your quality of life. If the fix is really something simple, wouldn’t you want to know the answer?

Here are several simple facts and rules to help you solve this problem for good.

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

Where does the shoulder and arm pain after sleeping on the side come from? Generally speaking, there are several physiological causes of this ailment. The most common are:

• Rotator cuff injury
• Shoulder bursitis
• Shoulder impingement syndrome
• Osteoarthritis of the shoulder
• Frozen shoulder

While all of the above-listed can happen regardless of your sleeping position, the truth is that a bad sleeping pose makes things worse. The solution is always the same. First, you need to go to your preferred physician, then we can work to improve your sleeping habits.

It’s also worth mentioning that shoulder pain usually doesn’t happen on its own. More likely than not, you’ll have issues with the upper extremities, in general.

Why Do You Have Shoulder Pain from Sleeping in the Wrong Position? 

Empirically, it should be more than evident that sleeping on your side may cause pain in your shoulder. The reason behind this is the fact that, while you’re sleeping, the majority of your torso’s weight is on your shoulder.

While this is something you may already know, there’s also scientific proof that your sleep position affects the frequency and intensity of your shoulder pain.

The solution to this problem would, therefore, be adopting a better sleeping position.

Optimal sleeping position 

One of the simplest solutions to shoulder pain from sleeping on the side is to move into a superior position. All you need is a small pillow that you can nest between your shoulder blades while sleeping on your back.

Training yourself for sleeping on your back

For some people, sleeping on your back is a mission impossible. Fortunately, you can train yourself to sleep on your back.

• First off, you need to get the right mattress that supports the pose of lying flat.
• Second, you need a good pillow in order to get adequate support for your neck.
• Third, you might want to add extra pillows under your knees and/or lower back.
• Fourth, if you have enough room, you could spread your arms and legs a bit.
• Bonus tip, you could even encircle yourself with pillows (building a sort of a pillow fort) in order to create a physical barrier to prevent you from turning.

Sure, some may describe this as too much effort but those who woke up with shoulder pain this morning will be more than willing to accept this deal.

Other benefits of sleeping on your back 

Other than just helping you with your back pain, there are a few other benefits to sleeping on your back.

• Your spine has a better alignment
• Tension headaches are less likely
• Sinus buildup is less likely
• Less irritation for your facial skin
• In other words, it’s definitely a habit worth developing.

Also, it’s crucial that you understand one thing – there’s no such thing as an ideal pose for X shoulder pain problem, that wouldn’t work in the case of a Y shoulder pain problem. The best sleeping position for shoulder impingement is also the best pose for frozen shoulder or shoulder bursitis. It’s a universal solution to your shoulder pain problem (as long as sleeping is the main issue).

Talk to a Professional

There’s one more reason why it’s so important that you visit a professional if this problem is recurring. You see, there are a lot of people who sleep on the side without ever suffering from shoulder pain. So, going to a clinic or scheduling an appointment with a shoulder specialist is definitely the best way to determine why you are experiencing shoulder pain from sleeping.

Additional Risk Factors 

It’s worth mentioning that there are quite a few illnesses and diseases that are likely causing the pain to get worse. For instance, frozen shoulders may also be caused by diabetes, stroke, thyroid disorders, shoulder injuries, Parkinson’s disease, and even cancer.

Other risk factors that make shoulder ache more likely are your age, sex, and family history of diseases like osteoarthritis. Inflammation around the joint and muscular imbalance of the shoulder is also likely to make things worse.

Again, shoulder pain can also be caused just by your sleeping position. It’s still worth checking it out.

Long-term Effects 

The fact that you woke up with shoulder pain wouldn’t be such a big problem, if not for the fact that it could happen again and again. Sleeping in a bad position could permanently damage your joints if you aren’t careful. The constant pressure would eventually lead to structural damage and the worst part is that this comes so gradually that you wouldn’t even notice something’s off until it’s too late.

Remember, pain is a warning sign and it needs to be treated as such. Enduring shoulder pain is not normal or acceptable and you need to start looking for a solution as soon as possible.

Key Takeaways 

At the end of the day, suffering shoulder pain from sleeping is merely a warning sign. This pain warns you that you need to check your shoulder and change your sleeping posture as soon as possible. Sure, a single instance of shoulder ache after sleeping uncomfortably isn’t that alarming. Still, if this keeps happening, it’s usually for the best not to take any chances. The solution is simple, inexpensive, and can save you from a world of trouble in the future.

So, when in doubt, you should find a shoulder specialist at the Orthopedic Institute of NJ and ask for a quote.

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