Shoulder pain while sleeping but not during the day? Any ideas?

**PistolPete33** · 11-01-2009, 07:53 PM

For some reason my shoulders kill me while I'm sleeping. During the day everything is fine and during training I'm not having trouble. But, when I go to bed I'm unable to lay on my sides when sleeping because the pain keeps me awake. I've double up my pillows and it helps a little bit but I'm not sure what can be causing this pain. I haven't put on a ton of mass (23+ lbs) so I'm sure that has something to do with it but was curious if there is anything I should look for or if there are some exercises or stretches I could be doing to minimize this?

Thanks,
Pete

**KD735** · 11-01-2009, 08:42 PM

night-time pain is very suspicious for Rotator Cuff Pain; for whatever reason patients always say that it hurts the most at night. That being said, there are some specific tests your ortho doc can try to look for RTC injury. In heavey weightlifters, you can also develop arthritis in your AC joint, known as weightlifters shoulder. These can sometimes hurt at night, secondary to compression of the AC joint in people who sleep on their side. There is always a rare possibility, but other complaints of night pain have been associated with cervical neck/nerve problems, as well as some cancerous processes. Not trying to spook you, since obviously those are rare compared to the other two, but you ought to go to your Ortho doc and have him look into it. In the meantime, try taking some Motrin, Advil or Aleve a couple hours before going to bed to see if it helps with the pain. Good luck.

**Skippa** · 11-02-2009, 02:46 AM

where abouts exactly is the pain?

**rocketman** · 11-09-2009, 02:48 AM

mee too bro. i can't sleep at night either. i can't sleep on either side. it;s worse on the left. when i try to sleep on my back the pain is sharp and burns in my front delt. same when i try to spoon up w/ the wife when on my right. as my body relaxes then wham ! the ache sets in. no rest for me .... all i have been doing since my surgery ( feb 08 ) was rehab type shit.

**goodlifting** · 11-09-2009, 05:40 AM

put a shirt on when you sleep and keep the arm of the shoulder that hurts inside of it. i know it sounds retarded but it actually kept me from putting pressure on it when i slept and it didn't bug me.

**PistolPete33** · 11-09-2009, 07:22 AM

Both of my shoulders hurt when I'm sleeping on my sides. It's not as bad as it was and I'm now sleeping with 2 pillows which has helped a ton. It doesn't hurt during the day or when I'm lifting or anything which is weird. Could it be that I've put on a good deal of size in my shoulders and it' just stretching the muslces when I'm in this position?

**bass** · 11-09-2009, 11:42 AM

i have the same problem, i've been doing an exercise that have helped me allot, but it will take a week or so to get noticeable results, i do 10 reps x 3 everyday before workout. if your pain is severe this exercise will be hard in the beginning, you may not be able to do it, but keep trying and it will get easier as you go. see video,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNill...rom=PL&index=2

**SuperLift** · 11-10-2009, 07:38 AM

try sleeping on your back for one night and see if it hurts the next morning.

**IssacNewton** · 11-18-2009, 06:59 PM

I was having the same issue. Rested for about 2 weeks now I can barely do any weight with dumbells (press)...

**Western Man** · 11-18-2009, 07:32 PM

I get the same damn pain in my neck at night. Sleeping on my stomach with head turned to one side and arms up under pillow actually alleviates pain for me.

**KD735** · 11-18-2009, 09:21 PM

Western man, that sounds to me an awful lot like cervical pathology. Do you ever notice weakness, numbness, tingling, or clumsiness in one or both of your hands? If not, then it's probably the early signs of degenerative disc disease in your neck. As this progresses though, the disc gets flatter and flatter, and push oout further into the canal and onto the spinal cord, or onto the spinal nerve roots...and then you begin noticing the symptoms that I just listed. You can also develop weakness and pain in your legs that is actually caused by herniated/collapsing discs in your neck.

**MuscleScience** · 11-18-2009, 09:54 PM

Sounds like possible TOS to me Doc, what do you think?

Maybe scalenus anticus syndrome???

The OP that is...

**GermanGodess** · 09-12-2013, 09:40 PM

I am having the same issue but for me it is not only at nighttime that i cannot sleep on my side, the pain also occurs during the day when i do not lift my arm for a few mins straight. Its very painful to move at first but when i move it more the pain dissapears but comes again when my shoulder lays still for a few mins. Still wondering what it could be bcz i will even wake up in the middle of the night bcz i try moving my arm in my sleep and the pain just shoots through my shoulder.