Sore Shoulder: Heat Pad or Cream?

[Thirteenth Star]

I've got a sore shoulder -- it's a pinching sort of feeling like a twisted muscle. I've had a heat pad on it for four hours, though I don't know that it's any better. Should I try a cream such as Icyhot? Which is generally more effective, pads or creams?

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Neither, you want cold. Ice it for 15 minutes, as many times a day as you can handle (4-5 would be good).

I'm assuming from your description this isn't a lactic-acid type muscle soreness; the pinching makes it sound like a tendon thing.

Joe

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi 13th Star-

Joe is absolutely right. When you've overworked or injured yourself you want to follow the R.I.C.E. plan for the first couple of days. You can then begin to work heat treatments into the rehabilitation once the initial discomfort and swelling have been relieved.

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
​

That should do the trick for you, especially if you also use an over-the-counter pain reliever. Good luck with the shoulder...

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[Gollnick]

With a muscle injury, you will not see any substanitial improvement in four hours, more like four days. Ice is good initially for swelling. After the swelling phase, heat encourages blood circulation in the area which promotes healing. A non-stroidal anti-inflamatory drug such as naproxim-sodium can relieve the pain and be very beneficial. Keep in mind, though, that just because the pain is gone does not mean the injury is.

As for pad vs. cream, either works. The creams don't actually create heat. They irritate the skin producing a sensation of heat. But, that sensation is only skin-deep. Pads are real heat and will penetrate to encourage deeper circulation. I also find my beloved heating pad less messy.

 

[Thirteenth Star]

I'm not certain but I think this discomfort originated from sleeping on my arm in a certain manner. Should I still put ice on it?

 

[Cindy Denning]

I'm not certain but I think this discomfort originated from sleeping on my arm in a certain manner. Should I still put ice on it?

Bless your heart I think I know what that is and it's nothing to really worry about. When my husband does that I just send him outside to bust up some bricks with a sledge hammer so his whole upper body aches instead of that arm too. Here's a picture of what I mean and the best cure is a tub full of Buttermilk to draw out that pain.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

With a muscle injury, you will not see any substanitial improvement in four hours, more like four days. Ice is good initially for swelling. After the swelling phase, heat encourages blood circulation in the area which promotes healing. A non-stroidal anti-inflamatory drug such as naproxim-sodium can relieve the pain and be very beneficial.

Gollnick, I've had a few orthopedists, one VERY good, and every single one has always recommended ice only, through all phases (anywhere except spine & neck), for joint injuries. If I remember the explanation right, it was that ice does everything heat does (especially encouraging blood circulation), but with heat the effect stops when you're off the heat, and with ice it lasts for a long time after you've taken the ice off (I assume it doesn't start until the ice is off). I've never heard anyone suggest a heat phase, which isn't to say you're wrong, just a counterpoint from my orthopedists.

NSAIDs are standard, as you said. 600 mg of Advil, 3x per day, seemed to be a standard dose, but I could never keep that up long because it destroyed my stomach. Doc always told me the ice was more important than the drugs anyway.

Joe

 

[Temper]

If you are tough enough you can try contrasts.

Athletes use contrast showers to aid recovery and it works thus.

Get in a shower and make it as hot as you can stand it, this will have a dilating effect on your blood vessels (Make them bigger and offer less resistance) then turn the shower to freezing cold. This will have a constricting effect making the vessels smaller. This increase and decrease will act like a pump and increase blood flow to tight areas.

If its not damaged, like you actually heard or felt something go, then the best thing is to work it lightly.

I have had a few busted shoulders and I always fixed them with work.

 

[Pocketknife]

Joint injuries can be a bugger to fix, especially if you're over 40 or so. I wrecked mine at archery 10 years ago, and it's still hooped. Sold my bow.

Good luck, 13th star!