Expert Advice from Dr. Veronica Diaz, Shoulder Specialist at The Orthopaedic Institute (Jupiter, FL)

Is shoulder pain keeping you awake at night? What this could mean for your overall health.

The #1 reason patients visit me for their shoulder pain is sleep disruption. Being woken up by shoulder pain is not as harmless as one might believe.  In fact, sleep deprivation has been linked to:

1. Decline in brain function: including impaired memory, decision making, and fine motor skills
2. Mood Swings and Irritability: which can affect interpersonal relationships
3. Weakening of the immune system: meaning greater susceptibility to infections
4. Weight gain: by altering hormone levels that regulate appetite
5. Falls: by impairing coordination and slowing down reaction times
6. Chronic disease: poor sleep increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, and can make these conditions more difficult to control

When the pain doesn’t let you sleep

No one likes feeling grumpy and exhausted throughout the day. We’ve all been there! We know that lack of sleep impacts our work performance, and it also makes interacting with others much more challenging when we’re tired. That is why not being able to sleep is what makes people with shoulder pain finally “throw in the towel,” so to speak and schedule an appointment with the doctor. It is also why when asked, “Dr. Diaz, how will I know when it’s time to take care of my shoulder problem?” my answer is often, “When the pain doesn’t let you sleep.”  In other words, sleep interruption is a good litmus test for shoulder pain deserving a consultation with a shoulder specialist.

Loss of sleep is a universal complaint of patients with shoulder pain regardless of the underlying cause. Some causes include:

• Rotator cuff tears

• Bursitis

• Arthritis

• Shoulder instability

• Frozen shoulder

• Biceps tendinitis

All these shoulder conditions share a symptom of difficulty sleeping because of the pain. This is obviously worse for “side sleepers” but also for people used to having their arm in certain positions during sleep. With shoulder pain, that position becomes impossible due to the pain.

As you can see, the shoulder pain that has been keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep has implications and consequences for your health that extend way beyond the health of your shoulder.  Ready for a better night’s sleep? Schedule a consultation to evaluate and come up with a solution for your shoulder pain.

Dr. Diaz has been in private practice since 2010. She has performed thousands of upper extremity procedures and has extensive training and experience in managing degenerative, traumatic, and sports-related conditions of the Shoulder and Upper Extremity. Her practice includes a particular emphasis on shoulder arthroscopy for the management of rotator cuff disease and shoulder replacement surgery (including anatomic and reverse designs), with a strong track record of successful outcomes. She offers comprehensive nonoperative management and surgical treatment of upper extremity fractures and soft tissue injuries. Whenever possible, she employs the least invasive treatment option available. Click here to learn more!