Shoulder Pain

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SHOULDER PAIN

Shoulder pain is one of those mysterious hurts that sneaks up on your body after doing something that you haven't done for months, like washing and waxing the car or cutting the grass with a push mower for the first time all season.

Steer yourself toward relief

Give it a rest

If your shouldre hurts, the first thing that you need to do is stop the activity that's causing the pain.

Reach for the ice

Ice is the cheapest form of pain medicine there is with almost no side effects. Ice decreases inflammation. Wrap an ice pack or ice form the freezer in a towel and apply it to the site of pain for no more than 15 to 20 minutes every hour.

Allow yourseif a painkiller

No need to be a martyr: An anti-inflammatory such as aspirin, ibuprofen or ketoprofen taken several times a day according to package directions will ease the pain and swelling.

Move it gently

Women doctors say that shoulder pain is a classic catch-22: Your shoulder hurts, so you don't want to use it, but if you don't want to use it, but if you don't use it, it's likely to get so stiff that you'll end up with a frozen shoulder, and then you won't be able to use it.