Shoulder pains can be quite difficult to bear and can even deprive you of sleep on certain occasions. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 ways to effectively deal with shoulder pain.

Rest Your Shoulder and Be Patient

Most times the cause of shoulder pains is over-use or over-exertion mainly caused by repetitive shoulder motions or lifting things that are too heavy. The simple solution to this is to stop such activities for a few hours or days to give yourself time to recuperate, or completely avoid such activities if you can.

Apply Ice to Your Shoulder

If your aching shoulder looks or feels swollen, applying an ice pack or something cold to the most tender area can help to reduce the inflammation and numb the pain. This ice therapy is best for acute shoulder injuries that involve swelling or inflammation, and should be done for about 15 minutes every couple of hours. If the pain still persists or swelling doesn’t get better, then please see your doctor immediately.

Apply Moist Heat

This is mainly applied if your shoulder feels stiff or the shoulder pain is chronic (long-term). Moist heat helps to warm up the soft tissues and helps to increase blood flow to the area which tends to help ease long term shoulder pain. A warm bath can be a good source of moist heat.

Do Some Shoulder Stretches

Simple shoulder stretches can do wonders and help significantly ease shoulder pain by reducing muscle tension, promoting blood flow and improving flexibility. Sometimes shoulder aches are caused by stiff and tight muscles caused mainly by poor posture. Light shoulder stretches are great for helping to ease sore and tight muscles, as long as you don’t feel sharp, electric or stabbing pains with shoulder movements. In that case, you immediately stop such stretches and consult your doctor for guidance.

Avoid Bad Posture

Especially while at work, it’s important to avoid bad posture and move around as much as you can to help exercise your joints. Sometimes, your shoulder pains might be caused by your poorly designed and uncomfortable work station, which can put a strain on your shoulder, neck and mid-back and cause pains.

Seek Professional Treatment

If you’ve tried simple remedies and the shoulder pain still persists, it is advisable you book an appointment with a physical therapist and get the shoulder checked out to avoid health complications.