If your shoulder pain is waking you at night, stopping you from lying on your side, or giving you a sudden sharp pain every time you turn over in bed, you’re not alone.

Shoulder pain can become particularly frustrating at night.

You finally get comfortable, fall asleep — and then you roll onto the painful shoulder.

You’re awake again.

Or perhaps you can’t sleep on your left side, so you turn onto your right, only to find that uncomfortable too.

One lady who came to see me described something even more specific.

She could be comfortable in bed, but when she turned over and pulled the duvet across with her, the movement caused a sudden sharp pain in her shoulder that woke her up.

It’s these small, everyday movements that people often tell me are the most frustrating.

Why does my shoulder hurt when I lie on it?

There are several possible reasons why shoulder pain may become more noticeable when you lie down or sleep on the affected side.

The shoulder is a complex joint involving muscles, tendons and other structures, and different conditions can cause similar symptoms.

Sometimes pressure from lying directly on the painful shoulder can aggravate symptoms. For other people, it’s the position of the arm or the movement involved in turning over that causes the pain.

This is why it’s important not to assume that every painful shoulder has the same cause.

If your pain also involves significant neck pain or stiffness, you may find my article Neck Pain helpful.

Why does my shoulder hurt when I reach for something?

Shoulder pain doesn’t only affect sleep.

It can suddenly catch you during the most ordinary moments of your day.

I’ve had people tell me about reaching up into a cupboard to take out a cup and suddenly experiencing a shooting pain down their arm.

One lady described the pain as “breathtaking.”

“You forget about your shoulder for a moment. You reach up to make yourself a cup of tea. Then the pain suddenly catches you. You stop, take a breath, and end up using your other arm instead.”

The same thing can happen when you’re:

• Putting your arm into the sleeve of a coat
• Pulling a T-shirt over your head
• Reaching behind your back
• Fastening your bra
• Lifting your arm out to the side
• Reaching into a cupboard
• Turning over and pulling the duvet in bed

When you’re constantly having to think about how you’re going to move your arm, shoulder pain can start taking up far more of your attention than you realise.

Sometimes people tell me that the pain becomes almost all they can think about because every unexpected movement reminds them it’s there.

Can shoulder pain cause pain down the arm?

Depending on what is contributing to the problem, shoulder or neck-related symptoms may sometimes be felt further down the arm.

Some people experience:

• Shooting pain
• Tingling or pins and needles
• Numbness
• Difficulty lifting the arm
• Pain when reaching behind the back
• Pain when lifting the arm out to the side

However, numbness, pins and needles and pain travelling down the arm can have different causes, including problems involving the neck or nerves.

Persistent, worsening or unexplained neurological symptoms should be appropriately assessed rather than automatically assumed to be coming from the shoulder.

How do I approach shoulder pain with acupuncture?

When someone comes to my clinic with shoulder pain, I want to understand exactly which movements are causing the problem.

Can you lift your arm?

Can you reach behind your back?

Can you put your coat on?

Can you lie on the affected shoulder?

What happens when you turn over in bed?

Can acupuncture help with shoulder pain?

Acupuncture is one approach that some people consider as part of managing musculoskeletal pain.

When I work with someone experiencing shoulder pain, my approach is individual. I look at how the pain presents, which movements aggravate it, and how it is affecting everyday life.

Depending on the individual, acupuncture may be considered alongside appropriate medical assessment and other recommended care.

It isn’t about promising that acupuncture will “fix” every painful shoulder.

It’s about understanding your particular problem and deciding whether acupuncture may be an appropriate option for you.

When should shoulder pain be medically assessed?

Shoulder and arm pain can have many different causes.

Seek appropriate medical assessment if your pain follows a significant injury, is severe or progressively worsening, or if you develop significant weakness, persistent numbness or loss of function.

Sudden shoulder or arm pain accompanied by symptoms such as chest pain, pressure, shortness of breath, sweating or feeling seriously unwell requires urgent medical attention.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shoulder Pain at Night

Why does my shoulder hurt more at night?

There are several possible reasons. For some people, lying directly on the affected shoulder puts pressure on painful or irritated structures. For others, certain sleeping positions or movements of the arm during the night can aggravate their symptoms. Persistent night-time shoulder pain should be appropriately assessed to help determine what may be contributing to it.

Why can’t I sleep on my painful shoulder?

Putting your body weight directly onto an already painful shoulder may aggravate symptoms. Some people find they can fall asleep comfortably but wake when they roll onto the affected side during the night.

Why does my shoulder hurt when I turn over in bed?

Turning over often involves moving, lifting or reaching with your arm. If particular shoulder movements are painful, something as simple as rolling over or pulling the duvet can be enough to trigger a sharp pain.

Why does my shoulder hurt when I lift my arm?

Pain when lifting your arm can have several possible causes involving different structures around the shoulder. The direction and range of movement that causes pain can provide useful information when the problem is being assessed.

Why does my shoulder hurt when I reach behind my back?

Reaching behind your back requires significant movement through the shoulder. People with shoulder problems may notice difficulty with everyday activities such as putting on a coat, getting dressed or fastening a bra.

Can shoulder pain cause pins and needles or numbness?

Pins and needles or numbness in the arm or hand can sometimes be associated with problems involving nerves or the neck rather than the shoulder itself. Persistent or worsening numbness, tingling or weakness should be appropriately assessed.

Can neck problems cause shoulder and arm pain?

Problems involving the neck can sometimes be associated with symptoms that are felt around the shoulder or further down the arm. This is one reason it’s important to consider where the symptoms are coming from rather than assuming every pain felt around the shoulder originates in the shoulder itself.

You can read more in my [Internal link: Neck Pain article].

Can acupuncture help shoulder pain at night?

Some people consider acupuncture as part of managing musculoskeletal pain, including shoulder pain. Whether acupuncture is appropriate depends on the individual and what may be contributing to their symptoms.

When someone comes to see me, I look at how the shoulder pain is affecting their actual life — whether that’s sleeping, getting dressed, reaching into a cupboard, or simply pulling the duvet over at night.

Struggling with shoulder pain at night?

If shoulder pain is waking you, stopping you from lying comfortably, or making everyday things like getting dressed or reaching for a cup difficult, you’re welcome to contact me.

I’m Lucy Townsley, an acupuncturist with more than 25 years of clinical experience at Galway Acupuncture Hub in Loughrea, Co. Galway.

You don’t need to know exactly what’s causing your shoulder pain before getting in touch.

Give me a call, and we can have a chat about what you’re experiencing and whether acupuncture may be an appropriate option for you.

Related Articles

You may also find these articles helpful:

• Neck Pain article — if you’re experiencing neck stiffness, restricted movement, or pain around your neck and shoulders.
• Lower Back Pain — if lower back pain is affecting your movement or everyday activities.
• Sciatica / Pain Running Down the Leg article — if you’re experiencing pain, tingling, or numbness travelling into your buttock or leg.