Do you ever find yourself in a state of pain, either from shoulder tension or headaches? If so, it is important to identify the cause and do what you can to remedy it. In this article, we will discuss how these can be related, some tips on how to prevent these painful conditions as well as steps that should be taken if they do happen.
First, shoulder pain.
If shoulder pain occurs from a mild trauma or incident that is short-lived and recent, then rest and ice your shoulder 3 times per day for 10 minutes for at least 48 hours. However, if the shoulder has been hurting for an extended period of time, it may be time to see a PT or OT for diagnosis and therapy exercises. Taking these steps early on will prevent shoulder pain from worsening and turning into a chronic condition.
If shoulder pain is caused by poor posture or muscle imbalances, then you should start strengthening the muscles around your shoulder joint as well as performing exercises to improve mobility in that area . For example, rotator cuff training can be done with resistance bands, dumbbells, or shoulder pulleys.
Another common cause of shoulder pain is simply overuse. This can be seen in athletes who play sports that involve repetitive overhead movements such as swimmers and baseball players. The solution to this problem may include resting the shoulder, natural anti-inflammatory remedies, ice therapy, massage therapy, strengthening the shoulder muscles, and physical therapy exercises.
Shoulder pain can also be caused by a pinched nerve. If this is the case, it will usually present itself as an intense sharp or burning sensation in the shoulder, arm, and/or hand. In this scenario, you should consider seeing your medical professional right away for proper diagnosis.
Now let’s talk about headaches…
Headaches are extremely common among adults and children alike. The most effective way to prevent headaches is by managing your daily stress levels. If you are not currently doing so, consider yoga as part of your routine each day before work/school to help manage the buildup of tension in your shoulder muscles as well as breathing exercises to reduce muscle tightness. A regular shoulder-blade retraction exercise can also help with headaches. Yes, that’s right! You may even reduce your headache frequency by performing just one shoulder blade retracting exercise per day.
Because the shoulder and neck share the same muscles, shoulder problems may cause neck pain and headaches. The trapezius, levator scapulae, serratus anterior, and rhomboid muscles are responsible for maintaining the shoulder in position rather than joint compression.
Headaches can start from your shoulder muscles tensing up which in turn affects the tension in your neck. This is how shoulder pain causes headaches or makes them worse. If you are currently experiencing shoulder issues, then it is especially important to perform gentle shoulder mobility exercises before bed each night so as not to exacerbate any existing headache symptoms due to increased muscle tightness. You can perform these exercises with a RangeMaster Classic Shoulder Pulley or ShoulderWand.
As always, consider seeing your medical professional for proper diagnosis.
