These home remedies will help you shrug off shoulder pain

Shoulder pain is one of the most commonly reported joint and muscle pains. Here are some no-drug remedies for your ailing shoulders.

Editorial Team | Updated: April 29, 2019 1:13 pm

Shoulder pain is the second among all the reported cases of muscle and joint pains. © Shutterstock

Shoulders are probably the most neglected parts of our body though they help us perform a few of the most important tasks. These complex joints seldom get the attention that they require. Research shows that shoulder pain is the second among all the reported cases of muscle and joint pains, back pain being the first in the list. Caused by a wide range of conditions including stiffening of joint (this leads to a condition called frozen shoulder), arthritis, pinched nerves, cartilage injury, tear in the rotator cuff (the meeting point of four tendons at the top of your shoulder which allows it to rotate smoothly and stay stable), this ailment can restrict your range of motion and affect your daily functionalities. In an extreme case, the person suffering from shoulder pain may not even be able to lift it for a small task like combing the hair. If the culprit behind your shoulder pain is an acute injury or a tear in the rotator cuff, then surgical intervention may be required. However, if the underlying cause is something else than an injury, then doctors may suggest anti-inflammatory drugs along with painkillers. However, there are no-drug remedies for pain management as well.

Ice therapy

Ice therapy can be a good option for pain management as it reduces inflammation in your shoulders by making the tissues numb for sometime. Cooling relaxes the stiff joints and muscles as well. You can apply ice pack wrapped in a soft towel on the inflamed shoulder for approximately 20 minutes. Doing this for at least 5 times a day will ease your shoulder pain. Ice therapy is especially effective for fresh injuries.

Hot compress

Hot compress is generally used for older injuries. If you have been suffering from shoulder pain for long, a hot compress will relax your stiff and tensed muscles in the affected area by increasing blood flow there. You can apply hot compress in various forms: Heating pad, hot water bag or even a hot water bottle. If you are using an electric hot pad, make sure its heating level is on medium and not high. This is because our body’s response to medium heat levels is better compared to intense heat levels. Additionally, you can also take a hot shower. Whatever the cause behind your shoulder pain be, this method soothes all types of pain.

Lavender oil aromatherapy

Lavender oil can provide you relief from shoulder pain as it has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. To use it, add few drops of this herb oil in your bathtub and immerse yourself in lavender-mixed water for approximately 30 minutes. Apart from helping you during shoulder pain, lavender oil can relax your mind, reduce neck and back pain as well.

Turmeric ointment

Due to the presence of an active ingredient known as curcumin (has anti-inflammatory effects), turmeric can effectively help you fight against inflammation, pain and swollen shoulders. You can mix turmeric powder with coconut oil and apply on the affected shoulder. Let it dry there and wash the area after around 30 minutes.

Ginger tea

Ginger is an aromatic spice that has many health benefits, one among them being pain relief. Like turmeric, ginger also has anti-inflammatory effects. It works by stimulating blood flow in the affected area. One of the best ways of having ginger is adding it to your tea.

Lime juice

Lime juice contains citrus and is a good source of inflammation-fighting antioxidants, which are helpful for relieving pain. Especially for arthritis-related pain, lime juice is considered as an excellent home remedy. Just squeeze the juice out of lemon and mix it with water and honey. Drink it regularly for healing your shoulder pain.

Mint balm

Mint is endowed with anti-neuralgic properties. An anti-neuralgic is an agent that can take away the pain along the course of a nerve. That’s why mint is very effective in quelling the pain your shoulder muscles which have a lot of nerves tangled with them. Sometimes the pain originates from these nerves and marches to the muscles. Mint balm numbs the affected areas and soothes your shoulder pain. All you need to do to make a mint balm is grind some mint leaves and make a paste out of it by adding water. Then, apply the paste on your shoulders and leave it for around 20 minutes. After that, rinse it off with cold water.

Epsom salt bath

Epsom salt can potentially relieve pain and speed up your healing process. It breaks down into magnesium and sulfate when mixed with water. After you mix it with your bathwater and immerse yourself in it for around 30 minutes, the salt gets into your body through tiny pores present in your skin. Then, it loosens the stiff joints and muscles, alleviating pain.

Shoulder massage

Look for a trained masseur. Massage therapy is always relaxing. It is one of the best ways to relieve any sort of pain including shoulder. Your masseur will put pressure on the stiff tissues and will loosen them yielding a soothing experience. Also, it can increase blood flow to the affected area. You can use essential oils for the massage for better results.

Shoulder stretches

These are light workouts which you should do twice or thrice every day very slowly. Lift your arm (the one with affected shoulder) straight up and bring it down. Opening and closing your cupboards could also give your shoulders a good stretch. However, warm up your shoulder muscles with a heat pad or a warm shower before practising these workouts. The other exercises that could help include towel stretch, armpit stretch and outward and inward rotation.

Published: April 8, 2019 10:43 am | Updated:April 29, 2019 1:13 pm

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