Painful shoulder at night

[MaryTheMarsoupial]

I feel like everything can be put down to being menopausal! I am 47 and for the past year or so my shoulder at night is almost unbearably painful. Definitely more one side than the other. I can usually tolerate pain quite well and haven’t been to the doctors for about 6 years so am wondering whether it’s a bit OTT to book an appointment. Plus I’m not sure what they could do. Is this a normal menopausal symptom please?

Yes it is
Google menopause shoulder

I’ve had physio for mine as it was causing all
sorts of issues

You’re in so much pain you can’t sleep. Get to the GP and ask for a referral to a physio.

However waiting times are long, if you can afford book a session at a local physio who will assess you and give you stretches.

Also make sure you have a good pillow!

frozen shoulder? can you get your bra on without wincing? If it''s frozen shoulder, it is a common side effect of type 2 diabetes so probably worth speaking to the GP, getting tested and ruling it out. Do you suffer with recurrent thrush as well? Also a type 2 symptom.

It does hurt to do my bra up but I can do it, but it’s even more painful taking a jumper off and up over my head. No thrush and no diabetes symptoms. I wondered if it may be rotator cuff if not menopausal. Will try and get a gp appointment, thank you for replying.

Thank you, i probably should get a proper diagnosis. I’m lucky enough to have private healthcare through work so I could utilise that.

will have a Google now, thank you.

I'd definitely go to the GP, OP. I don't know what it is about menopause/the 50s (well, I do know... it's getting older and the rest) but it's an ongoing What's This Mystery Pain Whac-a-Mole event.
Shoulder pain at night, especially if it's like near the scapula, could indicate gallbladder or pancreas issues (i.e. pancreatitis exacerbated by our evening meals which is why the pain might be at its worst at night). My feeling is it's not anything to do with those things but it's always good to get them ruled out while getting to the bottom of your pain.
Good luck! My back, hips, shoulders, cervical spine, head all merrily take turns in delivering to me their idea of a good time.

That changes everything!

Call your healthcare provider tomorrow and they will get you booked into physio! Do it do it! :)

It could well be your rotator cuff. I bashed mine falling off my bike and had similar symptoms.
Exercises from the physio have sorted it out.

I have just fixed a painful shoulder. I paid for private physio who said raised first rib caused by tight scalene muscles in my neck.

It was not the physio who fixed it. It was Movesmethod on youtube. Try the seven minute morning routine. Try it twice a day. It worked pretty quickly and reduced pain 50% within a week (I was in agony).

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw6EDGAWifM

Then if you can, hold onto a bar above your head and deadhang (if you need support then put your feet down and bend your knees so most of your weight is in your arms) but make sure your shoulder blades are down and you don’t hold tension in your neck (if it’s tight).

I’ve had this for close to 3 years now. Def perimenopause related. HRT has helped but not totally cured it but since I’ve started going to the gym I make a point of doing physio while I’m there. Before HRT I was having to take ibuprofen and paracetamol to get me through the night as it was so painful I couldn’t sleep.

Likely to be frozen shoulder. Tends to affect mid life women. Comes in 3 phases each lasting around a year. Freezing, frozen, thawing. I had some fancy machines at the physio on mine - I think one was shockwave can’t remember the other one. Plus exercises. Gosh you have my sympathy. Naproxen was my friend for a while, it really was that bad x

I've had this a few months now - had no idea it could be a menopausal thing. I've been considering either physio or GP for a while now. You are not alone OP!

See a GP. Shoulder pain can be referred pain from elsewhere and can indicate something serious.

I had a rotator cuff problem which was sorted out with physio and Reformer Pilates. It was incredibly painful, I was waking up in the night to take codeine. I can’t recommend Reformer Pilates enough - there are many of us menopausal women in the classes I go to. It’s rejuvenating for your joints and phenomenal for posture.

I have had shoulder pain for a couple of years on and off. I tried the gym a year ago and realised how bad it had got and how limited my range of movement is. I had some steroid injections which didn’t help and have been having physio but any progress is slow. I have read about menopause shoulder and just starting HRT so really hopeful that it helps a bit.

Google thoracic outlet syndrome. I have this and it’s a right bastard.