Shoulder Pain 1

Introduction

Shoulder pain can also be due to Arthritis in the joints about the shoulder (gradual narrowing of the joints and loss of protective cartilage). Shoulder pain can sometimes go away on its own but may last up to 12 to 18 months.

A common cause of shoulder pain is soreness of the tendon (a cord that attaches a muscle to a bone) of the rotator cuff (the part of the shoulder that helps circular motion). If shoulder pain and immobility are keeping you awake at night or from the daily activities you love, you are not alone.

When you first feel shoulder pain, apply ice for up to 15 minutes, then leave it off for 15 minutes. Early on arthritis of the shoulder can be managed with mild analgesics and gentle exercises.

Exercise

Known gentle exercises for shoulder pain include warm water therapy pool exercises that are provided by a trained and licensed physical therapist; approved land exercises to assure free movement of the arthritic area; cortisone injections (administered at the minimum of every six months according to orthopaedic physicians) to reduce inflammation.

Ice and hot moist pact application (use of ice water machines designed to strap onto your shoulder are the most efficient way to apply ice but large ice packs commonly used for low back pain that can purchased at select pharmacies and medical supply stores are very effective.

For more efficient moist heat use those granule packs sewed inside fabric and placed into a microwave oven for approximately two minutes - it is recommended that moist heat be applied upon first rising if pain exists, prior to going to bed for the night or even if you are awakened by shoulder pain during the night. This can be good for shoulder and back pain.

Pain

Pain relief strategies include active rest (you can and should move your shoulder, but you shouldn't do strenuous activities like lifting heavy objects or playing tennis).

Yoga

Yoga Therapy Overview. Yoga therapy involves using yoga postures to balance and align your muscles to heal your body from pain and other chronic health conditions.

Yoga postures focus on building core shoulder strength, opening the chest and relaxation of the upper shoulder and neck muscles. Yoga is not a fad; it is a science that is recognized all over the world, re-establishing its credibility as an ancient discipline dating back ten thousand years ago and will help you with shoulder and back pain.

Yoga disciplines both the physical body and the mind, unites the two and encourages strength, flexibility and suppleness into all parts. This yoga posture is easier on the shoulders when the elbows are slightly bent.

In yoga therapy, you use a set of posture designed specifically for your individual problems and imbalances to heal your body. This six week program is designed for people with low back pain who wish to return to yoga practice or explore yoga as a method of managing their back pain.

Conclusion

When assessing shoulder pain, (and back pain) it is important to look for any 'red flags' that mean investigation and diagnosis needs a more focused or urgent approach. (For instance there could be reflection from the middle /lower back).

When assessing shoulder pain, take a history and perform an examination with these questions in mind: Is the pain arising from the shoulder, neck or elsewhere. Generally speaking, individuals who are older and have had shoulder pain for a longer period of time can be treated with non operative measures even in the presence of a complete rotator cuff tear. Women seem to have more shoulder problems than men, and the frequency of shoulder pain increases with age.

Yoga will certainly help to you to re-establish your posture and body and help with shoulder and back pain. With just a few simple exercises there is really much you can do.

Glen Wood - The Yoga Teacher, dedicated to unlocking the Real secrets of back and Shoulder Pain.

To help you further with your shoulder/back pain you need to sign up for "10 Tips To be Free Of Back Pain" at YogaTeachingwithGlen.com YogaTeachingwithGlen.com