Three causes of shoulder pain at night

Shoulder Pain at Night

Having shoulder pain at night can easily affect the rest of your day. It can leave you feeling sore and groggy at work. It can decrease your motivation to work out. If it occurs regularly, it can even begin to affect your mood. 

Unfortunately, shoulder pain is all too common in the U.S.; it’s estimated that up to 31% of Americans experience shoulder pain in any given month. If you are experiencing shoulder pain at night, a physical therapist can help pinpoint the problem that’s causing your nightly pain, and these specialists can also help you find effective treatment for your shoulder pain. 

Shoulder pain at night is often caused by these three issues

There are many factors that could cause you to have shoulder pain at night. For instance, you could have pushed your shoulder muscles too hard during your daily workout. Your shoulder pain could also be related to problems such as: 

  1. Poor sleeping posture — How you sleep could be putting added stress on your shoulders. Sleeping on your side or on your stomach can lead to increased shoulder stress; in turn, being subjected to this stress all night can make your shoulders painful. Often, people can avoid shoulder stress and pain by sleeping on their backs. 
  1. Bursitis — This condition occurs when fluid-filled sacs called bursae are inflamed. Your shoulder is especially susceptible to bursitis. The reason is that the shoulder area contains six bursae, which is the highest number of any single joint. Shoulder stress while sleeping can irritate an already inflamed bursa, and this can lead to pain in the night. 
  1. Frozen shoulder — It’s estimated that up to 5% of the general population suffers from frozen shoulder. Doctors often have difficulty identifying the cause of this condition. Frozen shoulder patients typically go through distinct stages that include: 
  • Freezing stage — Any movement causes shoulder pain, and the shoulder slowly stiffens. The affected shoulder can be especially painful at night.
  • Frozen stage — Shoulder stiffens and becomes harder to move. Pain often decreases at this stage. 
  • Thawing stage — Gradually, the stiffness begins to recede from your shoulder. 

Find help for shoulder pain at night at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy

Plagued by shoulder pain every night? You can find effective shoulder care from our team at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy. Our physical therapists can perform a free screening to pinpoint the source of your shoulder pain. Then, we can create a personalized therapy plan for you that’s designed to reduce your pain and prevent it from recurring. 

Finding it difficult to drive with your painful shoulder? Our team can save you from having to drive to see us. This is possible thanks to the at-home care and virtual therapy services we offer. 

Contact our team today for more information about our shoulder pain therapy services or to schedule your initial appointment.