As a massage therapist I often hear about the shall we say “side effects” of pain. Some of the most predominant are lack of sleep, especially among those clients with significant shoulder pain. You may be accustomed to sleeping on your side, either directly on the injured shoulder, or leaving the injured shoulder in a somewhat lax position at the top, either of which can cause severe pain. Unfortunately, there’s no fantastic answer for instant sleep, especially when pain is an issue. However, there are a few things you can do that may make your rest a bit easier.
Lots of pillows is one way to go. gather all the pillows from around the house, the couch, guest bedroom, maybe even some of those giant stuffed animals you won for your sweetheart at the fair. I know you’re not a bird, but the pillows are to make a nest of sorts. Give yourself some support on both sides as well as the head and leave an area in the middle not too big but enough to “sink in”. You may have to test your bedding a few times before you get it just right.
Another method a massage client in West Springfield recommended is to sleep in a reclining chair. While it is not recommended for sleeping in on a regular basis. The few days it may take your shoulder to get to a point where sleep is no longer difficult in your bed will be a relief compared to other seemingly futile attempts.
As I stated earlier, there’s no simple answer, but you may have to make some seemingly drastic changes in order to ease your night-time discomfort. If you follow the advice of your massage therapist, and take care of yourself, you should be feeling much better in no time.
