Ok, but as someone who has experienced a rotator cuff tear with surgical repair, in addition to a cervical disc herniation, I know some of you are likely saying, “Nice idea, but I can’t sleep BECAUSE of my neck or shoulder pain!” I can relate, truly I can, but read on to find some other ways to manage your pain BEFORE you try to fall asleep. For shoulder pain, try to sleep on your uninvolved side and prop your painful arm up on 2-3 pillows in front of your torso, or roll a towel up and prop it up under your armpit. When your arm is straight down at your side or falling down in front of you, the blood flow to your rotator cuff tendons is decreased and these positions can lead to pinching or impingement of the tendons leading to aching, throbbing night-time pain. Avoid sleeping with your arm under your pillow. Worst case scenario, the recliner can help you get some rest, but don’t settle to stay in the recliner for long, get some help if you can’t get comfortable enough to sleep in bed. How many have awoken to the dreaded “crick in the neck?” To prevent this and reduce neck pain, you’ll need to be introduced to the idea of “neutral spine”. Your neck should naturally have an inward curve we refer to as lordosis. This position is what we call neutral and we need to maintain a neutral position while we are sleeping. This means your pillow and head position are critical. If you are waking with more neck pain than when you went to bed, something has to change. Ok, now I make some people unhappy… no more stomach sleeping! It is literally impossible to sleep with a neutral spine lying on your stomach unless you have a hole cut into your mattress. You’ll need to adjust to side or back sleeping. Which is best? It depends… but, the same pillow will rarely ever be suitable for both positions. If you are struggling with nighttime neck pain, you’ll need to commit and find a pillow that fits your neutral spine position. A water pillow or crushed memory foam are my favorites.
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