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Best Frozen Shoulder Sleeping Positions

Best Frozen Shoulder Sleeping Positions

Imagine having sound sleep but waking up in the middle of the night with debilitating shoulder pain due to a frozen shoulder. Relatable? 

If you have a frozen shoulder then you must have experienced this scenario more than once. It’s a fact that the shoulder pain increases at night and you can’t sleep properly. That is why it’s really important to figure out your best-frozen shoulder sleeping positions so that you can have a sound sleep and wake up fresh to perform your daily life activities. 

Below you will get to know some frozen shoulder sleeping positions. You can try these sleeping positions and find out what works best for you. 

So let’s dive in.

Frozen Shoulder – An Overview 

Frozen shoulder is a condition in which one of your shoulders becomes painful and stiff. It gradually worsens over time until the shoulder becomes completely stiff as the shoulder capsule becomes completely frozen. 

The causes are unknown but frozen shoulder usually occurs when you don’t move your shoulder much due to some medical condition such as stroke or surgery. It takes about 1 to 3 years to completely get rid of frozen shoulders. 

People who suffer from a frozen shoulder admit that frozen shoulder gets really stiff and painful at night as compared to the morning. Wondering why it happens? 

Let’s look into why your frozen shoulder pain worsens at night. 

Why does frozen shoulder pain get worse at night?

As you lie down the blood circulation reduces due to the body position. As a result, the kidneys don’t filter out all the water as they do when you are upright. The water retention in the kidneys swells your body. 

So, the already inflamed areas get more painful due to this swelling. Now it’s clear that frozen shoulder pain also increases at night due to this obvious reason. 

Now let’s look into some comfortable sleeping positions for a frozen shoulder that will help you sleep better and hopefully… you don’t wake up with an aching shoulder.

Frozen shoulder sleeping positions for a good night’s sleep 

Remember there’s no one position that will be suitable for all the patients suffering from the frozen shoulder. You have to figure out the best position for you on a trial and error basis. 

Can you sleep on a frozen shoulder? 

No. Never sleep on your frozen shoulder. 

Don’t try to sleep on your frozen shoulder as it will worsen the pain, inflammation, and stiffness.

It seems obvious but isn’t easy to follow at all. Here are a few tips that will help you get comfortable and avoid rolling on your frozen shoulder in your deep sleep period. 

Sleep on your back 

You won’t have much shoulder pain when sleeping on your back. Well, the reality is that your shoulder pain lessens when you sleep on your back. But you should use pillows that support your back and you don’t roll over in sleep. 

Place a pillow beneath your neck 

When sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your head and neck as well. This will reduce pressure on your shoulders and hopefully you’ll feel less pain. 

Place pillow below your back 

Try adding a couple of pillows beneath your back to avoid rolling over on the frozen shoulder. 

Sleep on your side 

Sleep on the side that isn’t hurting. Try this: 

Lie on your unaffected side, hug a pillow, and put the pillow under the affected arm, the frozen shoulder arm should rest on top of the pillow. Also, add a pillow between your legs for support. This happens to be the most comfortable position and many patients find relief. 

Other than these practices, you can follow a few regimens that will help open up your shoulder capsule a bit so that you can move it slightly without any pain. 

Follow frozen shoulder exercises 

There are a few shoulder stretches that loosen the tissue of your shoulder capsule. Reduced stiffness means reduced pain. 

But you should follow the stretches as per the directions of your doctor or physiotherapist to avoid aggravating the pain. 

Try massage 

Massage helps you reduce the stiffness of your shoulder capsule. Try taking the services of a professional. You should feel relieved after a nice massage and have a sound sleep. 

Use hot pad 

Apply a hot pad on your frozen shoulder for about 30 minutes before going to bed. The heat helps reduce stiffness and pain. You can also make your own heating pad by filling a cloth pouch with flour or rice. Just microwave this pad for a couple of minutes. 

Take pain killers 

Always remember to take your painkillers well before your bedtime so that the medicine starts to reduce pain and inflammation quickly. 

Frozen shoulder treatment to help you get back to normal

If you’re looking for a non-invasive frozen shoulder treatment that works, then try laser pain therapy. The therapy is painless with no side effects. Click here to know more about this effective alternative treatment for frozen shoulder.

Don’t forget to check out a couple of our success stories for frozen shoulder!

You can view one on Facebook here, or view one on Youtube here.

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