Are you suffering with shoulder pain?
The main shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint, between the humerus (long bone of the arm) and glenoid (part of the shoulder blade). This joint is a very mobile joint because of the movements that we need to make to be able to do every day activities.
Sometimes overuse from a work activity, exercise class/activity or general movements cause problems with the shoulder joint, leading to pain on moving the shoulder, pain with getting comfortable sleeping when lying on the affected shoulder and getting a comfortable sleeping position that allows the shoulder to relax.
Because the joint is a mobile joint it is held in place by a group of muscles called the rotator cuff and ligaments that help to keep it stable. These muscles and ligaments can get inflamed and therefore painful to both touch and movement.
Hot and cold hydrotherapy around the joint can really help (see hot and cold blog), I would advice a hot water bottle in a towel and a tea towel sized towel made damp and put in the freezer that once frozen can be draped over the shoulder.
Osteopathic treatment assessing the whole body and the shoulder and treatment is very effective.
Gentle shoulder exercises are also very effective. A traction of the shoulder is a great exercise to keep it moving and to give the muscles a break. Let the arm hang down the side of the body and gently rotate in small circles, gravity gently pulls the joint apart whilst giving some movement to the joint.