Will A Shoulder Impingement Go Away?

Email I received from a women in cypress TX

Dr. Molly, 

I’ve had shoulder problems for months and I found your book while I was looking for something to stop my shoulder from hurting while I sleep. The problem starts at the top of my shoulder and goes into my neck when I reach for things over my head. When I lay down on my right shoulder it starts to ache and I can’t find a comfortable position.

From what I’ve googled it looks like I have a shoulder impingement. But google isn’t really clear on how to make it go away. So will it just go away on its own or do I have to go have surgery.
Thank you, 

My response: 
I’m so sorry your shoulder is stopping you from sleeping! From your short description it does sound  possible you have a shoulder impingement. The reason Google can’t tell you how to resolve your shoulder impingement is because everyone is different. There are many things that can cause the ligaments in your shoulder to be pinched (impinged). 

In general shoulder impingement is typically caused by a combination of having a slouching posture and shoulder muscle weakness. Shoulder impingements do not typically require surgery or even steroid injections to heal. 

But they also don’t typically go away on their own. In fact for many people shoulder impingement is what they deal with for years before finally tearing their rotator cuff. So I’m so happy you are looking into this now when it’s only been months versus years. 

The fastest way to resolve shoulder impingement is to find the exact cause of your impingement then create a personalized plan based on your root cause. 

Many people try a generalized exercise program but eventually get stuck with at least some limitation because it's hard to self diagnose anything. 

To help with the pain today try one of these 3 things: Ice your shoulder for 10-15 minutes which will help with any inflammation at the end of the day. A bag of frozen peas or corn works great on shoulders. 

Try sleeping on your left side or back while hugging a pillow with your right arm. The pillow will give your shoulder support allowing the muscle to relax while keeping your elbow away from your body allowing your shoulder enough blood flow to heal. 

Finally, schedule an evaluation with me to find out the root cause of your shoulder impingement. At the end of the evaluation you will know the root cause and have a plan to heal your shoulder getting back to sleeping and reaching over your head without pain. 
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